Hottentotta polystictus (Pocock, 1896)

Kovařík, František, 2007, A revision of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, with descriptions of four new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Euscorpius 58 (58), pp. 1-107 : 57

Hottentotta polystictus (Pocock, 1896)

( Figs. 16 , 84–87 )

Buthus polystictus Pocock, 1896a: 178 ; Pocock, 1897b: 402; Kraepelin, 1899: 22; Pocock, 1900b: 57; Kraepelin, 1901: 266; Hirst, 1911b: 217; Lönnberg, 1912: 2; Masi, 1912: 96; Kraepelin, 1913: 170; Birula, 1916: 51; Borelli, 1919: 363; Borelli, 1925b: 316; Borelli, 1931: 218; Moriggi, 1941: 87.

Buthus polysticus : Borelli, 1904a: 1.

Buthus emini polystictus : Kraepelin, 1903: 560.

Buthus (Hottentotta) polystictus : Birula, 1915b: 12; Vachon, 1940b: 255; Caporiacco, 1947: 231.

Buthotus polystictus : Vachon & Stockmann, 1968: 99; Probst, 1973: 320; Lamoral & Reynders, 1975: 503; El-Hennawy, 1992: 117.

Hottentotta (Hottentotta) polystictus : Kovařík, 1998: 110; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 142.

Hottentotta polysticta : Kovařík, 2001b: 84.

Hottentotta polystictus : Kovařík, 2003: 140; Kovařík & Whitman, 2005: 107.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Somalia, Goolis Mountains , inland of Berbera ; BMNH.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Somalia, Goolis Mountains , inland of Berbera, 2♀ 1im. (holotype and paratypes, Fig. 84 ), leg. E. Lort Phillips, BMNH No. 1895.6.1.46–7 .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Ethiopia, Assab, 2♀ 3ims., 1940, FKCP. Kenya, North Horr, 3.IX.2003, 2♀ ( Figs. 16 and 85 ), leg. T. Mazuch, FKCP. Somalia, tra Villabruzzi e Bolo Burti, 100 km da Villabruzzi, Staz. 8, 14.VII.1962, 1♂ 1juv., leg. B. Lanza, MZUF No. 837; duna consolidata 4 km da Mogadiscio, 3– 4.VII.1962, 1♂ 1♀ 1juv., MZUF No. 836; Vittoria d´Africa, sotto pietra in boscaglia xerofila su duna, 29.IV.1968, 2♀, leg. B. Lanza, MZUF No. 838; Bud Bud, 15.VIII.1968, 5♂ 22♀ 5juvs., MZUF No. 839, 16.VIII.1968, 2♀, MZUF No. 840, 16. –17.VIII.1968, 1♂, MZUF No. 835, 17.VIII.1968, 1♀, MZUF No. 834; Run, valle del Nogal, VIII.1969, 1♀, MZUF No. 841; Oasi di Galgala , X.1973, 2♂ ( Figs. 86–87 ) 14♀ 19juvs. and 21juvs. before first ecdysis, MZUF No. 842; 1♀ (im.), VIII.1968, MZUF No. 952; 1♀ 1juv., circa 1972, MZUF No. 843 .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 40–60 mm, some males may be only 35 mm long. For habitus see Figs. 84–87 . Trichobothrium db on the fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria et and est. Sexual dimorphism not pronounced; manus of pedipalp of approximately same width in both sexes, but males have fingers of pedipalps slightly twisted. Pectinal teeth number 23–27 in males, 18–22 in females. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, only tips of teeth on cheliceral fingers are black. Pedipalps sparsely hirsute. Metasoma with only a few hairs. Color uniformly yellowish brown, only mesosoma and carapace may be black. Femur of pedipalp with 5 carinae that may be incomplete. Patella with 8 carinae, of which some are smooth, without granules and obsolete. Chela lacks carinae but is usually granulate. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 12–14 rows of granules and 5 or 6 terminal granules. Seventh metasomal segment bears 4 well marked ventral carinae, usually with granules. First to third metasomal segments with 10 carinae; fourth segment with 8 or 10 carinae; fifth segment with 5 carinae. All carinae granulated, dorsal carinae bear larger terminal granules. Metasoma very narrow. First metasomal segment of adults usually longer than wide or as long as wide, second metasomal segment always longer than wide. Second to fourth metasomal segment width ratio less than 1.1. Length to width ratio of fourth metasomal segment less than 1.4. Telson bulbous.

DISTRIBUTION: Eritrea, Ethiopia ( Kraepelin, 1903: 560; Borelli, 1931: 218; Vachon & Stockmann, 1968: 107), Djibouti ( Kraepelin, 1903: 560), Kenya ( Lönnberg, 1912: 2), Somalia (Pocock, 1896a: 178), Tanzania (Probst, 1973: 320).

Figures

Figure 84: Hottentotta polystictus, dorsal view, female holotype.

Figure 85: Hottentotta polystictus, dorsal view, female from Kenya, North Horr, FKCP.

Figure 86: Hottentotta polystictus, dorsal view, male from Somalia, Oasi di Galgala, MZUF No. 842.

Figure 87: Hottentotta polystictus, ventral view, male from Somalia, Oasi di Galgala, MZUF No. 842.

Figures 13–16: Carapace and chelicerae. 13. H. judaicus, female from Jordan, Zoubia, FKCP. 14. H. niloticus, male from Sudan, Khartoum, Sunt Forest, FKCP. 15. H. pachyurus, female from India, Tamil Nadu, Deccan, FKCP. 16. H. polystictus, female from Kenya, North Horr, FKCP.