Euscorpiops thaomischi Kovařík, 2012

K, František, 2012, Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. from Vietnam and a key to species of the genus (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae), Euscorpius 142, pp. 1-8 : 3

Euscorpiops thaomischi Kovařík , sp. n.

( Figs. 1–16 )

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Vietnam, Lao Cai Province, Bac Ha District, Thong Phep Bung village , 22°32'18"N 104°16'24"W, 3200 ft ( Figs. 13–16 ); author’s collection ( FKCP).

TYPE MATERIAL. Vietnam, Northern, Lao Cai Province, Bac Ha District, Thong Phep Bung village , 22°32'18"N 104°16'24"W, 3200 ft., 6♂ (holotype and paratypes) 13♀ (allotype and paratypes) 8 juveniles (paratypes) , VI.2012, leg. Michael Misch ( FKCP).

ETYMOLOGY. The species name is a combination of names of Thao Ho and Michael Misch, two scorpion workers who together discovered the specimens.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 42–62 mm. Base color uniformly reddish black. Pectinal teeth number 7–9 in males and 6–8 in females. External trichobothria on patella number 18 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et); ventral trichobothria on patella number 11 or 12. Chela length to width ratio = 3.3–3.5. Sexual dimorphism in shape of pedipalp fingers not readily apparent, fingers flexed identically in both sexes. First metasomal segment wider than long. External surface of chela densely covered by minute granules.

DESCRIPTION: Total length 42–62 mm. The base color is uniformly reddish black. For habitus see Figs. 1–2 and 4–5 . Sexual dimorphism minor, in shape of pedipalp fingers not readily apparent, fingers are flexed identically in both sexes ( Figs. 3 and 6 ). The male has relatively larger pectines.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma is granulated, with one median carina, and the seventh sternite bears four inconspicuous carinae which may be absent. The entire carapace is granulated, without carinae. The anterior margin of the carapace is markedly depressed in the middle. Pectinal teeth number 7–9 in males (1x7, 10x8, 1x9) and 6–8 in females (4x6, 19x7, 3x8).

METASOMA AND TELSON: The metasoma is finely granulated, with sparse, relatively large granules. More such granules are on dorsal surface of the first metasomal segment. The first segment bears 10 carinae, the second segment bears eight or 10 carinae, the third and fourth segments bear eight carinae, and the fifth segment bears seven carinae, all composed of granules some of which are pointed. The dorsolateral carinae of the third and fourth segments posteriorly terminate in a pronounced tooth. The telson is elongate, with minute granules.

PEDIPALPS: For position and distribution of trichobothria on the patella of pedipalps see Figs. 7–12 . External trichobothria on the patella number 18 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et) ( Fig. 11 ), and ventral trichobothria on the patella number 11( Fig. 12 ) or rarely 12 (two females only). The femur is granulated and has five granulose carinae, and the patella has five carinae with pronounced internal double tubercles. The manus dorsally bears fine rounded granules, which in the central part form a longitudinal carina. The external surface of the chela is densely covered by minute granules. The movable fingers bear straight double rows of granules with internal and external granules. The pedipalp fingers are flexed identically in both sexes. The flexures of the movable and the fixed fingers alternate perfectly, so the fingers close without any gap.

MEASUREMENTS IN MM: Total length of male holotype 45; carapace length 7.8, width 8.1; metasoma and telson length 26; first metasomal segment length 2.6, width 3.0; second metasomal segment length 2.7, width 2.6; third metasomal segment length 3.0, width 2.3; fourth metasomal segment length 3.7, width 2.2; fifth metasomal segment length 6.4, width 2.2; telson length 7.6; pedipalp femur length 8.1, width 2.9; pedipalp patella length 7.0, width 3.2; chela length 16.3; manus width 4.7; movable finger length 8.2.

Total length of female allotype 53; carapace length 8.8, width 9.7; metasoma and telson length 26,8; first metasomal segment length 2.6, width 3.2; second metasomal segment length 2.8, width 2.9; third metasomal segment length 3.0, width 2.7; fourth metasomal segment length 3.8, width 2.4; fifth metasomal segment length 6.7, width 2.4; telson length 7.9; pedipalp femur length 8.4, width 3.3; pedipalp patella length 7.6, width 3.6; chela length 17.6; manus width 5.2; movable finger length 9.0.

AFFINITIES: The described features distinguish Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. is closest to E. kubani , E. asthenurus and E. validus . The former two differ in sexual dimorphism, males having the pedipalp fingers flexed and females having them nearly straight ( Figs. 19 and 20 ). The Chinese E. validus has the pedipalp fingers flexed in both sexes, but in contrast to E. thaomischi sp. n. they are flexed strongly in males and only weakly in females (see figs. 21–28 in Di et al., 2010: 18).

Figures

Figures 1–6: Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. 1–3. Male paratype, dorsal and ventral views, and chela external. 4–6. Female allotype, dorsal and ventral views, and chela external.

Figures. 7–12: Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n., female allotype, trichobothrial pattern. 7. Chela dorsal. 8. Chela external. 9. Chela ventral. 10. Patella dorsal. 11. Patella external. 12. Patella ventral.

Figures 13–16: Type locality of Euscorpiops thaomischi sp. n. The types were found in rock fissures shown in 13 and 14. Photos Michael Misch.

Figures 17–22: Chela external of Euscorpiops species. 17. E. beccaloniae Kovařík, 2005, male holotype. 18. E. kubani Kovařík, 2004, male paratype. 19–20. E. asthenurus (Pocock, 1900), India, Meghalaya State, Nong Poh env., FKCP (author‘s collection). 19. Male. 20. Female. 21–22. E. longimanus (Pocock, 1893), India, Assam State, 50 km E of Tezpur, 1800 m a.s.l., FKCP. 21. Male. 22. Female.