Chaerilus alberti, Kovařík, 2019

Kovařík, František, 2019, Chaerilus alberti sp. n. from Malaysia (Scorpiones Chaerilidae), Euscorpius 274 : -

Chaerilus alberti sp. n.

( Figs. 1–37, Table 1)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D8EF4C6E-

2130-49C9-B910-AC2C08454D08

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Malaysia, Perak, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata env., Gunung Jasar , 04°28'41.876"N 101°21'37.141"E, ca 1600 m a. s. l. , FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. Malaysia, Perak, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata env., Gunung Jasar , 04°28'41.876"N 101°21'37.141"E, ca 1600 m a. s. l. ( Figs. 34–35), 12.X.2018, 2♂ (holotype and paratype, No. 1585), sifting montane cloud forest, leg. A. Albert , FKCP; Pahang / Perak border, Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata env., Gunung Brinchang , 04°31'17.8"N 101°22'53.9"E, ca 2000 m a. s. l. ( Fig. 36), 14.X.2018, 1♀ (paratype), sifting montane cloud forest, leg. A. Albert , FKCP.

ETYMOLOGY. The selected epithet is a patronym honoring A. Albert, the collector of types of the new species. He is also the author of the photographs of localities ( Figs. 34–36).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 21–25.2 mm. Two or three pairs of lateral eyes and one pair of median eyes. Male differs from female in having pedipalp chela much wider with manus swollen anteriorly. Chela length/width ratio in male 2.265; in female 2.95. Movable finger of pedipalp with 7–8 imbricated granule rows. Fingers straight in both sexes. Chela of pedipalp with 8 carinae. Pectinal teeth number 5 in males, 3 in female. Carapace and mesosomal tergites granulated. All sternites smooth without carinae and granules. Glabrous zone on posterior part of sternite V present medially. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae, second to fourth segments with 8 carinae, but all carinae are smooth, several solitary granules can be present only on dorsal carinae. Metasoma I–IV smooth.

DESCRIPTION. Total length 21 (female, probably subadult) – 25.2 mm (male holotype). Two or three well developed pairs of lateral eyes and one pair of median eyes. The chelicerae ( Figs. 13–14) are typical for genus, smooth, and strongly reticulate, anteriorly black. The male differs from the female in having pedipalp chela much wider and having lobe in anterior part of chela. The chela length/width ratio in the male 2.265; in female 2.95. There is no sexual dimorphism in shape of metasoma and telson. For the position and distribution of trichobothria, see Figs. 23–30. For measurements, see Table 1. Coloration ( Figs. 1–4). The color is reddish black to black, legs and telson yellowish brown.

Carapace and mesosoma ( Figs. 5–8). The carapace is partly covered by granules that do not form carinae and are absent from two strips in the median area. The anterior margin of the carapace is almost straight to weakly concave. The mesosomal tergites are irregularly granulated. All sternites are smooth without carinae and granulation. Sternite V with glabrous zone on posterior part of sternite V present medially. Pectinal teeth number 5 in males, 3 in female.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 15–22). The first metasomal segment bears 10 carinae, the metasoma II–IV bear eight carinae, and the fifth segment bears five carinae. All carinae except metasoma V ventral are smooth and weak without granules. Several solitary granules can be only on dorsal carinae. The three ventral carinae on metasoma V granulated; the ventral median carina posteriorly branches in a “Y” configuration. The spaces between carinae are smooth, only ventral surface of metasoma V is partly granulated. All segments are very sparsely hirsute. The telson is elongate, smooth and very sparsely hirsute. Pedipalps ( Figs. 23–32). The pedipalp chela is stout, with anteriorly swollen manus in the male. The movable and fixed fingers bear 7–8 imbricated rows of granules. Fingers are straight in both sexes. The chela has eight mostly granulated carinae. The surfaces of chela with reticulate granulation patterns. The patella is smooth with dorsal carina developed and granulated, other carinae are absent or weakly indicated. The femur has four carinae and is finely granulated mainly on dorsal surface.

Legs ( Figs. 9–12). The legs are smooth, sparsely hirsute, without bristlecombs and carinae. The tarsomeres bear four rows of spiniform setae. Spiniform setal formula of inner rows is 7–8/7–8: 8–9/8–10: 8–9/8–10: 9–10/9–10; of outer rows is 6–9/6–9 on all legs.

AffINITIES. Chaerilus alberti sp. n. is reliably distinguished from all other Chaerilus species by the unique shape of chela which is stout with anteriorly swollen manus in the male ( Fig. 37). Other Chaerilus species have manus of pedipalp chela parallelsided in shape or swollen posteriorly or medially ( Figs. 38–58). Other main taxonomically important characters are total length 21–25.2 mm; chela length/width ratio in males 2.265; movable and fixed fingers with 7–8 imbricated rows of granules; fingers are straight in both sexes; metasoma I–IV smooth without granules; sternite V with glabrous zone on the posterior part of sternite V in male; the measurements cited in Table 1.