Troglotayosicidae, Lourenco, 1998

Botero-Trujillo, Ricardo, Ochoa, José A., Tovar, Oscar A. & Souza, Julio E., 2012, A new species in the scorpion genus Troglotayosicus from forest leaf litter in Southwestern Colombia (Scorpiones, Troglotayosicidae), Zootaxa 3506, pp. 63-76 : 65-75

Family Troglotayosicidae

Lourenço, 1998

Troglotayosicus Lourenço, 1981

Troglotayosicus hirsutus sp. nov.

Figures 1–28; Table 1

Type material. Holotype male (adult): COLOMBIA: Nariño department, Buesaco , 0.1º22’39.2’’ N 0.77º 0.9’29’’ W (error margin ~ 22 m), 1959 m, UV light at night, O. A. Tovar & J. E. Souza, March 2011 (MPUJ-SCO-401) . Allotype female (adult): COLOMBIA: same data of holotype (MPUJ-SCO-402) . Paratypes: COLOMBIA: 1 adult male (dissected for hemispermatophore extraction) , 2 juvenile females, same data of holotype (ICN-As-835) ; 1 adult male (dissected for hemispermatophore extraction), 2 adult females, 3 juvenile females, same locality of holotype, J. A. Ochoa, O. A. Tovar & J. E. Souza, 01–02 December 2011 ( CARN) ; 3 juvenile females, same locality of holotype, J. A. Ochoa, O. A. Tovar & J. E. Souza, 01–02 December 2011 (MPUJ-SCO-405) . All specimens preserved in 70% ethanol.

Etymology. Epithet is derived from the latin word hirsutus , meaning hairy and referring to the hirsuteness of the whole body of males and females of the new species, one of its most distinctive features.

Diagnosis (male and female). Troglotayosicus hirsutus sp. nov. differs from T. humiculum in the following respects: i) entire body densely hirsute ( Figs. 8–11, 12–13), ii) pedipalp hand and fingers without granulations, or hand infrequently barely granular distally on DMA and DI carinae, iii) carapace with pronounced anterior epistome ( Fig. 12), iv) metasomal segments III and IV predominantly smooth ventrally, without VSM or VL carinae and with no granulations (or with only very few irregularly-arranged granules in segment IV ventrally), and v) LIM carinae less developed in segments I through III and absent in IV where replaced by disaggregated granules ( Figs. 23–24). In contrast, in T. humiculum i) the body does not have abundant setae, ii) at least the DS, DMA and DI carinae on hand are conspicuously granular, iii) the anterior margin of carapace is sublinear with weak epistome, iv) metasomal segments III and IV are ventrally granulose with presence of VSM (often absent in segment III of females) and VL carinae, and v) LIM carinae are well-developed in segments I to IV. Besides, the shape of the male pedipalp hand is different between both species, being bulkier in T. hirsutus sp. nov. (L:W = 2,74–2,11:1; L:H = 2,84–2,99:1) as compared to T. humiculum (L:W = 3,06:1; L:H = 2,80:1). Troglotayosicus hirsutus sp. nov. differs from T. vachoni in the following respects: i) ventral setae in the telotarsus of all legs regularly arranged into a pair of parallel rows, ii) lateral ocular areas each with three ocelli (median ocellus present but greatly reduced), iii) pedipalp chela with D, DS, DMA, DI, E, VI and VE carinae identified by subtle differences in angles between adjacent surfaces, and iv) metasomal segments I and II without VL carinae. In contrast, in T. vachoni the ventral setae of telotarsi are not regularly arranged into rows, the lateral ocular areas bear two ocelli each, the pedipalp hand lacks carinae, and metasomal segments I and II have VL carinae. The hemispermatophore morphology provides additional diagnostic features to further separate T. humiculum from T. hirsutus sp. nov.: the lamina is broader medially and inclined towards the ventrointernal surface in T. humiculum , but is slightly more elongated and almost straight in T. hirsutus sp. nov.; the external lobe ends in small dorsal process in T. humiculum , but is vestigial without process in T. hirsutus sp. nov. ( Figs. 25–28). The hemispermatophore of T. vachoni remains unknown.

Description. Based on three adult males, three adult females and eight juveniles. Measurements in Table 1.

Color. Description from preserved specimens. Base color, chelicerae and legs yellowish to light chestnut; carapace, tergites, metasoma, and pedipalps yellowish to pale orange (juveniles) or carapace, tergites and pedipalps orange to dark chestnut, becoming darker on metasomal segments (adults); sternites and coxosternal region yellowish (juveniles) or light chestnut (adults); pectines whitish ( Figs. 4–7). Carapace (more evident in juveniles), pedipalps (more in adults) and coxosternal region with slight pigmentation, lighter than base color, remaining areas unpigmented. Anterior and posterior pairs of lateral ocelli surrounded by black pigment.

Chelicerae. Manus, dorsal and external surfaces smooth, sparsely setose; ventral and internal surfaces densely setose. Fixed finger, dorsal margin with four teeth (distal, subdistal, median, and basal); median and basal teeth separate, not fused into bicusp. Movable finger, internal distal and external distal teeth not opposable, internal distal tooth at most partially overlapping external distal tooth in dorsal view; dorsal margin with five or infrequently six teeth [distal, two (or three on one of each chelicerae of two adult females and one juvenile) small subdistal, median, and basal]; ventral surface with long, well-developed serrula and a vestigial internal basal teeth by the position of the basal beginning of serrula.

Carapace. Anterior margin with pronounced epistome medially projected and a variable number of pairs of macrosetae (more in number in males); posterior margin sublinear, with few setae ( Fig. 12). Median ocelli absent; three pairs of lateral ocelli present, anterior pair largest, median pair greatly reduced, posterior pair slightly smaller than anterior pair. Median longitudinal sulcus well developed; posterolateral and posterior transverse sulci obsolete. Surfaces acarinate, smooth, and hairy ( Fig. 12).

Pedipalps. Femur tetra- (males) or tricarinate (females); DI carina complete, granular; DE carina restricted to proximal two-thirds of segment and part of distal third, granular; VI carina complete, granular (stronger in males); VE carina incomplete, restricted to proximal two-thirds of segment (males) or absent (females); dorsal intercarinal surface with few scattered granules (more in males) ( Fig. 18); external surface smooth; internal surface with nine to fourteen prominent granules and five to seven additional granules on proximal margin (males) or eight to ten granules and five additional granules on proximal margin (females); ventral surface smooth; all surfaces setose except for ventral surface; overall femoral carination is less evident in juveniles. Patella tri- (males) or bicarinate (females); DI and VI carinae complete, granular (more so in males); DPP with three to five granules proximally (slightly more developed in males, often obsolete in juveniles); VPP with one or two granules proximally, or infrequently with no granules at all (males), vestigial or absent in females and juveniles); DE carina restricted to median third of segment (males) or absent (females); all other carinae absent; intercarinal surfaces smooth; overall patellar carination is less evident in juveniles. Chela manus notably bulky, wider than deep (males) or slightly incrassate, as wide as deep (females), fingers shorter than (males) or movable finger subequal to/longer than (females) manus length. Chelal carinae obsolete; the position of D, DS, DMA, DI, E, VI and VE carinae interpreted by subtle differences in angles between adjacent surfaces (more pronounced in males) and without granulations (except for DMA and DI of holotype which barely granular distally). Manus, intercarinal surfaces smooth, covered with macro- and microsetae, becoming more numerous on fingers. Fixed finger, median denticle row comprising six oblique, slightly imbricate primary subrows of denticles, flanked by five external and six internal denticles; terminal denticle considerably larger than preceding denticles, hook-like, fingertips interlocking unevenly when closed such that movable finger displaced to exterior. Movable finger, median denticle row comprising seven oblique, slightly imbricate primary subrows of denticles, flanked by six external and seven internal denticles; terminal denticle enlarged, hook-like, accommodated in subdistal diastema of fixed finger.

Trichobothria. Femur with three trichobothria: one external (e), one dorsal (d), one internal (i) ( Fig. 18). Patella with 19 trichobothria, two petite (et 2, esb 2), one accessory (em 3): two ventral (v 1, v 2); 14 external (et 1 –et 3, est, em 1 –em 3, esb 1, esb 2, eb 1 –eb 5); two dorsal (d 1, d 2); one internal (i) ( Figs. 19–21). Chela with 26 trichobothria, five petite (Et 4, Et 5, Esb, Db, dsb), one accessory (dm): 15 on manus, four ventral (V 1 –V 4), ten external (Et 1 –Et 5, Est, Esb, Eb 1 –Eb 3), one dorsal (Db); 11 on fixed finger, four external (et, est, esb, eb), five dorsal (dt, dst, dm, dsb, db), two internal (it, ib) ( Figs. 14–17).

Legs. Legs I–IV, all segments with abundant setae variable in length; carination more developed on III and IV than I and II; carinae less pronounced, rather obsolete in females. Following description based on legs III and IV of males: femur tetracarinate; VI and VE carinae continuous, granular, fusing into a single carina in the distal third of femur; VE carina absent on basal third; EM carina incomplete, absent on basal third and located very close to VE in a rather ventral position, granular; DE carina incomplete, restricted to basal and median thirds; DI carina absent. Patella with only VE carina present, made up of small granules on distal two-thirds, obsolete on basal third; other carinae absent. Remaining segments of legs acarinate. Tibial spurs absent; prolateral pedal spurs present; retrolateral pedal spurs vestigial. Basitarsi I–IV setose, each (except IV) with one dorsal, one pro-median and one or two ventral rows of brush-like spinules distally; dorsal retrolateral brush usually well developed on legs I–III, absent on IV; median prolateral brush well developed on I–III, absent on IV; ventral retrolateral brush obsolete on legs I–III, absent on IV; ventral prolateral brush well developed on I and II, absent on III and IV. Telotarsi I–IV, dorsomedian lobe with one large microseta; ventral surface without spinules, subspiniform setae regularly arranged into pair of parallel ventrosubmedian rows, comprising 6–7 prolateral and 7–8 retrolateral setae on I, 6–7/8 on II, 8–9/9–10 on III, 9–10/10–12 on IV; ungues well developed, curved, equal in length; dactyl shorter than ungues.

Tergites. Pretergites smooth. Posttergites I–VI, surfaces finely granular (males) or smooth (females). Posttergite VII, surface finely granular, posterior half with scattered granules in position of DSM carinae; DL carinae present in posterior half, each terminating in tubercle comprising four or five granules; posterior margin coarsely granular ( Fig. 12).

Sternum. Shape subpentagonal with rounded apex and lateral margins converging anteriorly such that posterior width greater than length; posterior depression shallow. Surface with 6–8 macrosetae and several microsetae ( Fig. 13).

Pectines. Pectinal plate, wider than long (more so in males), surface with several macrosetae ( Fig. 13). Marginal lamella with the standard three segments; middle lamella comprising one large basal segment and an additional rounded segment (fused to basal segment in two females). Tooth count 7 to 8 in males (n = 6, mode 7) and females (n = 22, mode = 7); 7– 7 in most specimens (holotype included) but two juveniles (8–8, 7–8) and one male (7–8); proximal and distal teeth slightly larger than others; pectines longer and with larger teeth in males ( Fig. 13).

Sternites. Sternites III–VI, surfaces smooth, each with pair of small, rounded spiracles, situated mediolaterally; VII, surface smooth, acarinate; III–VII each with abundant setae throughout and on lateral and posterior margins ( Fig. 13).

Metasoma. Segments I–V progressively increasing in length ( Figs. 22–24). Segments I–IV, dorsal intercarinal surfaces entirely smooth to sparsely and finely granular on posterior half only; lateral intercarinal surface sparsely granular; ventral surfaces smooth, or with segment IV very sparsely granular on posterior half. Segment V, dorsal intercarinal surfaces sparsely and finely granular; lateral and ventral surfaces densely and coarsely granular, mainly on distal two-thirds, granules increasing in size posteriorly. DL carinae complete, costate-granular, converging distally on segments I–IV, complete, granular on V; LSM carinae vestigial, comprising row of granules between DL and ML carinae, in medial third of segments I–IV, more pronounced on III and IV than on I and II, weakly granular and restricted to medial third of V; ML carinae complete, costate-granular on segments I–IV, less pronounced on IV, and complete, but obscured by dense granulation on lateral surfaces of V; LIM carinae less pronounced than DL and LSM carinae, comprising incomplete row of granules on medial third or posterior half of segments I–III, replaced on segment IV by sparse disaggregated granules, undistinguishable on V where probably obscured by surrounding granulation; VL and VSM carinae absent on segments I–IV; VL, VSM and VM carinae restricted to posterior two-thirds of segment V, obscured by scattered granulation. Metasoma, with one macroseta in place of DSM carinae on segments I–III (males), or on segments II and III (females), absent in segment I (females), IV and V; DL carinae each with one (females) or two (males) macrosetae on segment I, one (females) or three (males) on segments II–III, two to three on segment IV, seven to eight on segment V; LSM carinae sometimes with one macroseta (otherwise absent); ML carinae each with two macrosetae on segments I–II, two (females) or three (males) on segment III, four on segment IV, five on segment V; LIM carinae each with two macrosetae on segments I–III, segments IV and V each with three macrosetae and one to three macrosetae on place of LIM carinae, respectively; two macrosetae in place of each VL carinae on segments I–III, three on segment IV, five on V; ventral surface, segment I with four macrosetae (in one transverse row), II with three to four, III with four, IV with five to six, V with 21–25; posterior margin with four to eight additional setae on segments I–IV.

Telson. Vesicle elongated ( Figs. 22–24); anterodorsal lateral lobes present; surfaces smooth dorsally and laterally, coarsely granular ventrally (more so in females); with abundant long macrosetae and several short microsetae. Aculeus long, gently curved.

Hemispermatophore. Lamelliform ( Figs. 25–28). Lamina pale and weakly sclerotized; apex elongated, without crests, broad proximally and medially, progressively tapering distally, and terminating in a small dilatation; articular flexure present; trunk well developed, twice as broad as lamina. Capsule simple; external lobe vestigial, without dorsal process; internal lobe relatively more developed, truncated distally (spatulate-shaped in ental and ectal view), with one sclerotized external spur-like projection; median lobe absent.

Distribution and ecology. Troglotayosicus hirsutus sp. nov. is known only from the type locality in the municipality of Buesaco (Nariño department) ( Fig. 1). The area is in southwestern Colombia in the middle of the Andes mountain chain, 60 miles to east of the known distribution of T. humiculum . According to Holdridge’s (1987) classification the area belongs to the humid premontane forest. The area is notably affected by deforestation, predominating grasslands and vegetable crops ( Figs. 2–3). All specimens were collected at night by ultraviolet light detection between 20:00 and 23:00 hours. Troglotayosicus hirsutus sp. nov. is a humicolous species; the specimens were found in a small patch of vegetation by the border of the cultivation area, and most of them were captured in mounds of leaf litter that had accumulated at the base of large trees. A species of Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Buthidae) and a species of Chactas Gervais, 1844 (Chactidae) were also recorded in the area.