Mesobuthus thersites (C. L. Koch, 1839 )

Tang, Victoria, Liu, Zhenbang, Graham, Matthew R., Fet, Victor, Kovařík, František & Šťáhlavský, František, 2024, Revision of the genus Olivierus in Xinjiang, China, with comments on Mesobuthus thersites (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 383, pp. 1-58 : 31

Mesobuthus thersites (C. L. Koch, 1839)

( Figures 153–154 ) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FFA27933-

C18B-4928-80A3-E4269B4272BA

PROTONYM. Androctonus thersites C. L. Koch, 1839: 51–52 , pl. CXCIII, fig. 466.

NOMEN NUDUM. Mesobuthus beijiangensis Zhang, 2009: 1 , 33–36, 60, 113–116, 121–123, figs. 41–43, table 7.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Koch’s type is lost and type locality is unclear. Neotype (designated by Kovařík et al., 2022): Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, south of Kyzylorda, 44°39'25''N 66°01'36''E (44.66°N 66.02°E), 127–135 m a. s. l.; NMPC.

SYNONYM. Buthus eupeus mongolicus Birula, 1911: 195–199 . Syn. by Kovařík et al. (2022)

h t t p: / / z o o b a n k. o r g / u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: EDCBCD86-7D10-4FD6-AAEF-90CBD121B1A1 TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. China, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Alxa League (Alashan Prefecture), Tingyuan-ying (Bayanhot) (38.83°N 105.66°E) ; ZISP.

DIAGNOSIS. See Kovařík et al. (2022: 139). Phenotypic variation in coloration exemplified in Tang (2022c: figs. 8–10). Additional photographs of phenotypic variation available on iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org/observations/; observation IDs = 108739616, 108740310).

REMARKS. When this taxon was considered as a subspecies of M. eupeus , its distribution in China was initially suggested by Fet (1989, 1994) and Fet & Lowe (2000). The first formal report of its presence in Xinjiang was documented in Sun & Sun (2011) from Ghulja (or Yining) County (44°00’N 81°31’E) based on 22 specimens. After examining a total number of 93 specimens (64 of which were adults) from Ürümqi County, Tang (2022c; in fact, the examination was conducted in October 2021) found no consistent differences between any putative morphological groups (see the above iNaturalist link for photographic evidences); that it is, the three features proposed by Sun & Sun (2011: 71) are ineffectual in explicitly distinguishing M. e. thersites from M. e. mongolicus . Recent molecular study based on materials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and China by Kovařík et al. (2022: 140) confirmed their synonymy.

DISTRIBUTION. China (Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Xinjiang), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.

CHINESE EQUIVALENT. ẇƚ中杀牛ĸ ( Tang, 2022a). Other Chinese names applied to this taxon include: (1) Mesobuthus eupeus [misidentification]: 条Ḧ正ffĸ ( Zhang, 2009; ETG&S, translation for the specific epithet was derived from its English common name, “mottled scorpion”), 条Ṅffĸ ( VN), 条Ṅáĸ ( VN); (2) Mesobuthus eupeus thersites: Oi正ff ĸ ( Zhu et al., 2004; ET-G&SS, TM-S), Oi条正ffĸ (Sun, 2010; ET-G&S&SS), 条Ḧ正ffĸ特氏亚Ñ ( Di et al., 2015; ET-G&S&SS); (3) Mesobuthus mongolicus : š古中杀牛ĸ (Tang; UTN); (4) Buthus eupeus mongolicus : 条Ḧffĸš 古亚Ñ ( Li et al., 2016; ET-G&S); (5) M esobuthus eupeus mongolicus : š古正ffĸ ( Zhu et al., 2004; ET-G, TMS), š条正ffĸ (Sun, 2010; ET-G&S), š古条Ḧ正ffĸ ( VN), 条Ḧ正ffĸš古亚Ñ ( Di et al., 2015; ET-G&S); (6) Mesob uthus beijiangensis : 北ḋ正ffĸ ( Zhang, 2009; ET-G).

Figures

Figures 152–154. Olivierus longichelus from Korgas County (152–153) and its natural habitat (154). Photo:Yizun Wang.