Mesobuthus birulai, 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 : 19-23

Mesobuthus birulai sp. n.

( Figures 104–126 , 1155, 1157, Table 1) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: F24CCA40-

7CB7-4CB2-B55B-CCF8F03825E4

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Iran, Fars Province, Abadeh, Semirom road, 31°08'03"N 52°19'50"E (31.13°N 52.31°E), 2288 m a. s. l. ; NMPC.

REFERENCES:

Mesobuthus eupeus persicus: Navidpour et al., 2012: 11 (in part).

TYPE MATERIAL. Iran, Fars Province, Abadeh, Semirom road, 31°08'03"N 52°19'50"E (31.13°N 52.31°E), 2288 m a. s. l. (Locality No. Fa-857), September 2008, 4♂ (holotype and paratypes), leg. Masihipour, Hayader, Bahrani , NMPC.

ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named in honor of one of the greatest scorpion researchers of all time, Alexey Andreevich Byalynitsky-Birula (1864–1937).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 28–35 of males; female unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally a little bit twisted. Pedipalp chela length/ width ratio 3.5–3.6 in males. Pectinal teeth number 22–24 in males. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites reddish brown, with black pigmentation; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs yellow or reddish brown with dark spots. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 usually smooth carinae, only dorsal and internal are granulated. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 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 medially smooth with 4 usually granulated carinae. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae; second to fourth with 8 carinae, other two carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; fifth with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasomal segments smooth. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.4– 1.45, metasoma IV 1.7–1.8 in males. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, adults with 7–9 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Tibial spur on both legs III and IV moderate. Telson elongated. Anal lobe divided in three parts.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult males 28–35 mm; female unknown. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male has the fingers proximally a little bit twisted. For measurements, see Table 1.

Coloration ( Figs. 104–105 ). Carapace and tergites reddish brown with black pigmentation. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs reddish brown with dark spots. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of teeth on cheliceral fingers black.

Mesosoma and carapace ( Figs. 121–122 ). Carapace carinate, unevenly covered with 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 granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count 22– 24 in males. Pectinal marginal tips extend almost to the end of the fourth sternite in males. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and seven to eight 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 usually granulated carinae. Other sternites have two furrows.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 110–120 ). Pedipalps sparsely hirsute and smooth. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface consists of several strong irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae from which internal and dorsal are granulated. Chela without carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 12 cutting rows of denticles, every row with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs ( Figs. 123–126 ). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, adults with 7–9 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present, moderate to strong on legs III and IV, and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 106–109 ). Metasomal segments are sparsely hirsute. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, segments II–III with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of granules, segment IV with 8 carinae, and segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma smooth. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly with several large lobated denticles. Telson very sparsely hirsute, elongate in male, bumpy and smooth. Anal lobe divided in three parts.

COMMENTS. No DNA data on this new species are yet available.

DISTRIBUTION. Iran (Fars Province) (Figs. 1155, 1157).

Figures

Figures 104–109: Mesobuthus birulai sp. n., male holotype. Figures 104–105. Dorsal (104) and ventral (105) views. Figures 106–109. Telson lateral (106), metasoma and telson, lateral (107), dorsal (108), and ventral (109) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (104–105, 107–109).

Figures 110–122: Mesobuthus birulai sp. n., male holotype. Figures 110–120. Pedipalp. Chela, dorsal (110), external (111), and ventral (112) views. Patella, dorsal (113), external (114) and ventral (115) views. Femur and trochanter, internal (116), dorsal (117), and ventral (118) views. Movable (119) and fixed (120) fingers. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 110–114, 116–117. Figures 121–122. Chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (121), sternopectinal region and sternites (122).

Figures 123–126: Mesobuthus birulai sp. n., male holotype, left legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect.