Buthus fulvipes C.L. Koch, 1837

Prendini, Lorenzo & Loria, Stephanie F., 2020, Systematic Revision Of The Asian Forest Scorpions (Heterometrinae Simon, 1879), Revised Suprageneric Classification Of Scorpionidae Latreille, 1802, And Revalidation Of Rugodentidae Bastawade Et Al., 2005, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2020 (442), pp. 1-480 : 45-48

Buthus fulvipes C.L. Koch, 1837

[= Chersonesometrus fulvipes (C.L. Koch, 1837) ]; 1981: 80, 83, 131, 133, 161, 169–171, 180, 182, 184, 186–188, 192, figs. 21, 57–59, 66b, 68, 69 (part); Tikader and Bastawade, 1983: 519, 520, 573 (part); Fet, 2000: 438; Francke, 1985: 8, 18; Prendini, 2000a: 44; Prendini et al., 2003: 222, 252, appendix 1; Bastawade, 2004: 290 (part); Bastawade et al., 2004: 48 (part); Kovařík, 2004: 1; Bastawade, 2005: 417; Bastawade and Borkar, 2008: 212, 219.

Heterometrus: Kovařík, 2004: 1 , 2, 7, 49, 51, tables 1, 2 (part); 2009: 34, 35, table 1 (part); Mirza et al., 2012: 1, 2 (part); Kovařík et al., 2016: 96, 100 (part); Rossi, 2016a: 6–9, 15, 19, 20, 25 (part); Aswathi and Sureshan, 2017: 9847 (part).

DIAGNOSIS: Species of Chersonesometrus may be separated from other Asian scorpionid genera as follows. The carapace is slightly to markedly dorsoventrally compressed, the lateral surfaces sloping gently (figs. 15, 16A, B, E, F), in all except three species of Chersonesometrus , C. fulvipes , C. madraspatensis , and C. shivashankari , in which the carapace is vaulted, the lateral surfaces sloping steeply (figs. 16C, D, 17), as in Gigantometrus , Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , two species of Deccanometrus , D. latimanus and D. xanthopus , two species of Sahyadrimetrus , S. mathewi and S. scaber , and all except three species of Srilankametrus , S. indus , S. pococki , and S. serratus . The carapace anterolateral margins converge gradually anteriorly (figs. 15–17) in Chersonesometrus but are subparallel anteriorly in Javanimetrus and Srilankametrus ; the mediolateral margins diverge or converge slightly posteriorly (at the posterolateral sulci) in Chersonesometrus , but converge markedly posteriorly (at the posterolateral sulci) in Gigantometrus , Heterometrus , and three species of Sahyadrimetrus , S. kanarensis , S. mathewi , and S. scaber . The carapace rostrolateral margin is entire in Chersonesometrus but distinctly incised adjacent to the posterior lateral ocelli in Heterometrus . Anterocular extensions of the superciliary carinae are present in Chersonesometrus but absent in Srilankametrus . The median ocelli are relatively small, the distance between them equal to or greater than the width of an ocellus in Chersonesometrus but relatively large, the distance between them less than the width of an ocellus in Heterometrus ; the median ocular tubercle is situated posteromedially, the distance from carapace anterior margin: carapace length (CAM:CL) 0.51–0.62 in Chersonesometrus , but anteromedially to medially, CAM:CL 0.40–0.50 in all other genera. The interocular suture is present in Chersonesometrus but absent in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , one species of Deccanometrus , and two species of Srilankametrus . The carapace posterior sutures are present, extending past the median ocular tubercle, and connected anteriorly to the posterior bifurcations of the interocular suture in Chersonesometrus ; present, extending to the median ocular tubercle, and connected by a short cross-suture anterior to the postocular depression in Heterometrus ; and absent in Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , and two species of Srilankametrus . The cheliceral movable finger prodistal (DI) and retrodistal (DE) teeth are unequal, with the DE tooth considerably smaller than the DI tooth, aligned longitudinally and not opposable in some species of Chersonesometrus , as in Gigantometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , Srilankametrus , and most Deccanometrus , but subequal, with the DE tooth only slightly smaller than the DI tooth, and opposable, i.e., forming a bicusp, in other species, as in Heterometrus . The pedipalp patella dorsomedian carina of the female is entirely to predominantly granular or costate in Chersonesometrus , but absent or obsolete in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , all except one species of Sahyadrimetrus , S. rugosus , and all except one species of Srilankametrus , S. caesar . The patella retromedian carinae of the female are granular or costate (figs. 82, 85, 93, 103, 112, 115) in Chersonesometrus , but absent or obsolete in Gigantometrus , Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , all except three species of Deccanometrus , D. bengalensis , D. obscurus , and D. phipsoni , all except two species of Srilankametrus , S. gravimanus and S. yaleensis , and three species of Sahyadrimetrus , S. kanarensis , S. mathewi , and S. scaber . The prominent spiniform granule of the patella proventral carina is absent (figs. 82, 85, 89, 93, 96, 99, 103, 107, 112, 115) in Chersonesometrus but present in Heterometrus . The patella dorsal, retrodorsal, and retroventral intercarinal surfaces of the female are granular (figs. 82, 85, 93, 103, 112, 115) in all species of Chersonesometrus except C. nathanorum , in which the surfaces are smooth or nearly so, as in Gigantometrus , Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Srilankametrus , all species of Deccanometrus except D. obscurus and D. phipsoni , and all species of Sahyadrimetrus except S. rugosus . The distance between the chela manus dorsomedian and promedian carinae or setal rows (DMC–PMC) is slightly to markedly greater than the distance between the promedian and proventral carinae or setal rows (PMC–PVC) in Chersonesometrus whereas the DMC–PMC is similar to the PMC– PVC in Heterometrus . The dorsomedian carina is continuous to the proximal edge of the manus in Chersonesometrus but becomes obsolete proximally in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , Srilankametrus , and all species of Deccanometrus except D. obscurus and D. phipsoni . The proximal half of the chela manus dorsal secondary carina, distal half of the subdigital carina and distal third of the digital carina are closely adjacent in Chersonesometrus whereas the dorsal secondary, subdigital and digital carinae (or setal rows) are well separated along their entire length in all the other genera except Gigantomentrus. The dorsal secondary and subdigital carinae of the male are present and entirely to predominantly granular or costate (figs. 87, 97, 100, 104, 108, 113A) in all species of Chersonesometrus , except C. bastawadei and C. fulvipes , in which the carinae are absent or obsolete (fig. 90), as in Deccanometrus , Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , and two species of Srilankametrus , S. indus and S. pococki . The dorsal secondary carina comprises a double row of separate or confluent granules in Chersonesometrus whereas it comprises a single row in Srilankametrus . The chela manus retromedian carina is more pronounced than the digital carina (figs. 83, 86, 87, 90, 91, 94, 97, 98, 100, 104, 105, 108, 109, 113, 116) in Chersonesometrus whereas the digital and retromedian carinae are similarly developed in all the other genera. The retromedian carina of the male is entirely to predominantly costate in Chersonesometrus but entirely to predominantly granular in Gigantometrus , Srilankametrus caesar and S. serratus , and absent or obsolete in Deccanometrus , Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , Srilankametrus indus , and S. pococki . The depression in the dorsal surface of the chela manus, proxi- mal to the fixed finger of the adult male, is absent or obsolete (figs. 87, 90, 97, 100, 104, 108, 113A) in Chersonesometrus but present and distinct in Heterometrus . The chela manus dorsal surface is usually without reticulation in Chersonesometrus but shallowly reticulate in Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , all except two species of Deccanometrus , D. obscurus and D. phipsoni , and three species of Heterometrus , H. glaucus , H. longimanus and H. thorellii ; the dorsal surface is finely to coarsely granular in Chersonesometrus but smooth in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , two species of Sahyadrimetrus , S. kanarensis and S. tikaderi , and one species of Deccanometrus , D. ubicki . The chela manus retrolateral intercarinal surfaces are granular in Chersonesometrus but smooth or nearly so in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , and some species of Sahyadrimetrus . The chela manus ventral surface is flat, with the axes of the retroventral and ventromedian carinae in approximately the same plane, in all except four species of Chersonesometrus , C. beccaloniae , C. hendersoni , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis , in which it is angled, with the axis of the retroventral carina ventral to the axis of the ventromedian carina, as in Javanimetrus and two species of Srilankametrus , S. indus and S. pococki . The pro- and retrolateral surfaces of the tibiae of legs I and II each bear a row of two or three spiniform macrosetae in Chersonesometrus and scattered, setiform macrosetae, not arranged in a definite row, in Heterometrus . Macroseta st on the retroventral surface of the basitarsus of leg I is spiniform (figs. 43–45) in Chersonesometrus but usually setiform in Heterometrus , and sb on the retroventral surface of the basitarsus of leg III is usually setiform in Chersonesometrus but spiniform in Javanimetrus and Sahyadrimetrus . The pseudonychium (dactyl) of the telotarsi of legs I–IV is reduced and rounded in Chersonesometrus but prominent and acuminate in Heterometrus . The pectinal first proximal median lamella (scape) of the female is distinctly angular,> 90° but <180° (figs. 29–31) in Chersonesometrus but straight or shallowly curved in Srilankametrus . The lengths of metasomal segments I and II are approximately equal to or less than their respective widths (figs. 58–63) in Chersonesometrus but markedly greater than their respective widths in Gigantometrus . The ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae are granular or costate-granular on metasomal segment IV only and costate on segments I–III (figs. 59, 60, 62, 63) in Chersonesometrus but granular on segments I–IV, II–IV (costate on I), or III and IV (costate on I and II) in Gigantometrus . The dorsosubmedian carinae of metasomal segment V are vestigial (figs. 58, 61) in Chersonesometrus but partial in Gigantometrus and absent in Heterometrus . The telson is paler than metasomal segment V in Chersonesometrus but as dark as segment V in most species of Srilankametrus and some species of Deccanometrus and Heterometrus . The width of the telson vesicle is approximately equal to or less than the width of metasomal segment V in the female of Chersonesometrus but greater than the width of segment V in the female of Gigantometrus and the vesicle is globose in Chersonesometrus but elongate in Heterometrus , Javanimetrus , Sahyadrimetrus , and all except three species of Srilankametrus , S. indus , S. pococki , and S. serratus .

INCLUDED SPECIES: As redefined in the present contribution, Chersonesometrus accommodates 10 species, five of which were formerly assigned to subgenus Chersonesometrus of Heterometrus by various authors ( Couzijn, 1981; Tikader and Bastawade, 1983; Fet, 2000), whereas four are newly described, recovered as a monophyletic group by phylogenetic analysis of morphological characters and DNA sequences from the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes (fig. 10): Chersonesometrus bastawadei , sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus beccaloniae ( Kovařík, 2004) , comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus fulvipes (C.L. Koch, 1837) , comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus hendersoni , sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus madraspatensis (Pocock, 1900) , comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus nathanorum , sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus pelekomanus ( Couzijn, 1981), comb. nov. et stat. rev.; Chersonesometrus shivashankari , sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus tristis ( Henderson, 1919) , comb. nov.; and Chersonesometrus wroughtoni ( Pocock, 1899) , comb. nov.

DISTRIBUTION: Chersonesometrus is endemic to India (figs. 1, 79, 80) and has been recorded in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, National Capital Territory of Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and the union territory of Puducherry (table 1). A single record of C. fulvipes from Sindh, southeastern Pakistan, on the border with India ( Kovařík, 2009) requires confirmation ( Tahir and Prendini, 2014).

ECOLOGY: The species of Chersonesometrus for which data are available, occur in semiarid savanna or deciduous woodland, mostly on the Deccan Plateau or in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats (Sahyadri), at elevations of 150−1020 m above sea level. Based on morphology and available habitat data, all species of the genus appear to be pelophilous and fossorial, constructing shallow burrows under stones, or semilithophilous, inhabiting rock crevices or scrapes under stones.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Chersonesometrus fulvipes and C. tristis , traded as Heterometrus mysorensis , are occasionally harvested for the commercial trade in exotic pets.

REMARKS: Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978 , stat. nov., originally created as a subgenus of Heterometrus , and subsequently synonymized with the latter ( Kovařík, 2004), is hereby revalidated and elevated to the rank of genus.