Scorpiops wrzecionkoi, Kovařík, 2020

Kovařík, František, 2020, Nine new species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) from China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan, Euscorpius 302, pp. 1-43 : 30-32

Scorpiops wrzecionkoi sp. n.

( Figures 175–185, 240, Table 2) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B045E1F5-

E683-4909-98AC-3BBCB0112C92

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. China (Tibet), 100 km S. of Lhasa, Kamba La (29.20°N 90.58°E), 5000 m a. s. l. ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. China (Tibet), 100 km S. of Lhasa, Kamba La (29.20°N 90.58°E), 5000 m a. s. l., 8 June 2001, 1♀ (holotype) 1♀ 1juv. (paratypes), leg. A. Wrzecionko.

ETYMOLOGY. The species epithet is a patronym honoring Antonín Wrzecionko, the collector of the types of the new species.

DIAGNOSIS (♀). Total length of females 45–50 mm. Base color reddish brown to black including telson and legs. Pectinal teeth number 8–9 in females, fulcra present. Pectens have three marginal and 4 middle lamellae present. Patella of pedipalp with 18–20 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 5 est, 4–6 et) external and 9–11 ventral trichobothria. Chela of pedipalp with 4 ventral trichobothria located on ventral surface and two additional trichobothria eb1 and eb2. Chelal trichobothrium Eb3 is located in the proximal half of manus between trichobothria Dt and Db. Fingers of pedipalps flexed in female. Chela length to width ratio 2.7 in females. Pedipalp movable finger with ca 30 IAD, which form a second row, parallel to MD (ca 60 in number); there are also 4 ID and 8 OD present. Tarsomere II of legs with 6–9 stout median ventral spines in a row and two other two parallel spines. Metasoma I with 10, and metasoma II–IV with 8 carinae. Telson bulbous and sparsely granulate, length to depth ratio 2.6 in females; annular ring present.

DESCRIPTION (♀ holotype). Total length 45–50 mm of females, male unknown. The habitus is shown in Fig. 175. For position and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps, see Figs. 177– 180 and 182–184. Fingers of pedipalps are flexed in female ( Fig. 178).

Coloration ( Fig. 175). The base color is uniformly reddish brown to black including telson and legs. Chelicerae are reddish black and reticulate.

Carapace and mesosoma ( Fig. 178). The entire carapace is covered both large and minute granules; carinae are absent. The anterior margin of the carapace is markedly depressed, convex in the middle. The carapace bears three lateral eyes. The mesosoma is granulated, with one median carina. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. The sternites are finely granulated with two parallel furrows except sternite VII, which bears four sparsely granulate carinae. Pectinal teeth number 8–9 in females, fulcra are present. The pectens have three marginal and 4 middle lamellae present.

Metasoma and telson ( Fig. 176). The metasoma is very sparsely hirsute and granulated, with relatively large granules. Metasomal segment I with 10, II–IV with 8, and V with 5 carinae. The median lateral carinae of metasoma II and V are indicated by isolated granules that may coalesce into carinae. The dorsolateral carinae of segments III and IV granulate with sharp granules, which are posteriorly terminated with a pronounced tooth. The telson is bulbous and sparsely granulate, with annular ring present.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 177–184). The pedipalps are very sparsely hirsute. The patella bears 18–20 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 5 est, 4–6 et) external and 9–11 ventral trichobothria. The chela bears 4 ventral trichobothria located on the ventral surface and two additional trichobothria eb 1 and eb 2 ( Fig. 178). The femur and patella are granulated. The femur has 5 granulose carinae and the patella has 5 complete carinae with developed dorsal and ventral patellar spurs. The manus dorsally bears fine, rounded granules, which are not enlarged in the central area. The external surface of the chela is covered by minute and larger sparse granules, which indicate another carina. The movable fingers with 29–32 IAD, which form a second row, parallel to MD (ca 60 in number); there are also 4 ID and 8 OD present.

Legs. The tibia and tarsomeres of legs with several setae not arranged into bristlecombs on dorsal surfaces but with rows of spines on dorsolateral and ventrolateral surfaces. Tarsomere II of legs I–IV with 6–9 stout median ventral spines in a row and two other parallel spines. The femur bears 3–4 and patella, 4–5 incomplete carinae; both femur and patella are finely granulated.

Measurements. See Table 2.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish S. wrzecionkoi sp. n. from all other species of the genus. Among species, which have chelal trichobothrium Eb 3 located in proximal half of external surface between trichobothria Dt and Db, only two other species have more than 17 external trichobothria on the pedipalp patella. S. demisi Kovařík, 2005 from India has 18 of these trichobothria but has 14–15 ventral trichobothria on the patella ( S. wrzecionkoi sp. n. has 9–11 of these trichobothria) and has an elongate telson with length to depth ratio 3.6 in the female ( S. wrzecionkoi sp. n. has telson bulbous with the ratio 2.6 in females). S. lindbergi Vachon, 1980 from Afghanistan and Pakistan has 17–19 external trichobothria on the pedipalp patella but differs from S. wrzecionkoi sp. n. in many characters, mainly in having light color and straight fingers in females.

DISTRIBUTION. China (Tibet) ( Fig. 240).