Mesobuthus marusiki, Kovařík & Fet & Gantenbein & Graham & Aydin & Yağmur & Šťáhlavský & Nikita & Poverennyi & Novruzov, 2022

Kovařík, František, Fet, Victor, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Graham, Matthew R., Aydin, Ersen, Yağmur, Šťáhlavský, František, Nikita, Poverennyi & Novruzov, Nizami E., 2022, A revision of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon 1950 with a description of 14 new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 348, pp. 1-189 : 86-92

Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n.

( Figures 567–609 , 1155, 1158, Table 7) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: E81C1A94-

70F4-4176-9255-F717E063D1C1

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan Republic, Kungrad District, Ustyurt Plateau , 44.34°N 57.35°E ; NMPC.

TYPE MATERIAL. Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan Republic, Kungrad District, Ustyurt Plateau , 44.34°N 57.35°E, 2013, 1♂ (holotype) 1♀ (paratype) , NMPC.

ETYMOLOGY. The species is named in honor of our colleague and friend Yuri Marusik (Magadan, Russia), one of the foremost Russian arachnologists and an enthusiast who wears many hats; Yuri’s tireless spider collecting and publishing across the globe greatly enhanced our science.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adults 42 mm (male) to 52 mm (female). Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally slightly more twisted than in female. Pedipalpchelalength/widthratio 3.1–3.4 inbothsexes. Pectinal teeth number 29 in male, 22–23 in female. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites yellow to yellowish brown, without dark pigmentation; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs yellow, only part of metasomal segment V black. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 usually smooth carinae, dorsalointernal carina granulated. Chela smooth with carinae indicated. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 11–12 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace not joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Sternite VII smooth, with 4 well marked granulated carinae. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae; segments II to IV with 8 carinae, other two carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma laterally smooth. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.3–1.4, metasoma IV 1.6–1.7 in both sexes. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 7–10 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Telson elongated. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult male 42 mm, 52 female. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male has fingers proximally slightly more twisted than in female. For measurements, see Table 7.

Coloration ( Figs. 567–570 , 609 ). Carapace and tergites are yellowish brown without dark pigmentation. Telson is yellow. Metasoma, pedipalps and legs are yellowish brown, only part of metasomal segment V black. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of denticles on cheliceral fingers are black.

Mesosoma and carapace ( Figs. 601–604 ). Carapace carinate, unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Tergites I–VI with three carinae and are sparsely granulated. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count is 29 in males, 22–23 in females. Pectinal marginal tips extend to about half of the fifth sternite in male and one-fourth of sternite IV in females. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and seven to nine middle lamellae. Lamellae with numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five dark setae. All sternites are smooth and sparsely hirsute. Sternite VII with four well marked granulated carinae. Other sternites have two furrows.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 579–600 ). Pedipalps hirsute and smooth. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface consists of strong irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae, of which internal and dorsal are granulated. The chela is with smooth carinae indicated. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 11–12 cutting rows of denticles, each with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs ( Figs. 605–608 ). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 7–10 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and strong on legs III and IV and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 571–578 ). All metasomal segments only sparsely hirsute. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II–III with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of granules, IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma smooth. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly with several large lobate denticles. Telson is very sparsely hirsute, elongate and smooth. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

COMMENTS. M. marusiki sp. n. morphologically does not appear to be close to its eastern neighbor M. thersites , which occupies vast lowland areas of eastern Central Asia, nor to M. bogdoensis , which approaches the Caspian area from the northwest. Discovery of a new species in this area east of the Caspian Sea was unexpected.

No DNA data are yet available for this new species.

DISTRIBUTION. Uzbekistan (Figs. 1155, 1158).

Figures

Figure 609. Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n., male (top) and female alive.

Figures 567–570: Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n. Figures 567–568. Male holotype, dorsal (567) and ventral (568) views. Figures 569–570. Female paratype, dorsal (569) and ventral (570) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (567–568, 569–570).

Figures 571–578: Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n. Figures 571, 573–575. Male holotype, telson lateral (571), metasoma and telson, lateral (573), dorsal (574), and ventral (575) views. Figures 572, 576–578. Female paratype, telson lateral (572), metasoma and telson, lateral (576), dorsal (577), and ventral (578) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (573–575, 576–578).

Figures 579–600: Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n., pedipalp. Figures 579–589. Male holotype, chela, dorsal (579), external (580), and ventral (581) views. Patella, dorsal (582), external (583) and ventral (584) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (585), dorsal (586), and ventral (587) views. Movable (588) and fixed (589) fingers. Figures 590–600. Female paratype, chela, dorsal (590), external (591), and ventral (592) views. Patella, dorsal (593), external (594) and ventral (595) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (596), dorsal (597), and ventral (598) views. Movable (599) and fixed (600) fingers. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 579–583, 585–586.

Figures 601–608: Mesobuthus marusiki sp. n. Figures 601, 603, 605–608. Male holotype, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–IV (601), sternopectinal region and sternites (603), and left legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (605–608). Figures 602, 604. Female paratype, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–IV (602), sternopectinal region and sternite III (604).