Pseudochactas mischi Soleglad et al., 2012

Prendini, Lorenzo, Ehrenthal, Valentin L. & Loria, Stephanie F., 2021, Systematics Of The Relictual Asian Scorpion Family Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998, With A Review Of Cavernicolous, Troglobitic, And Troglomorphic Scorpions, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2021 (453), pp. 1-153 : 42-43

Pseudochactas mischi Soleglad et al., 2012 :

89–97, tables I, II, figs. 1–13, 14–18 (part),

19a, 19b, 20, 21 (part); Howard et al., 2019:

74, fig. 3G.

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype: 1 subad. ♀ ( FKPC), AFGHANISTAN: Uruzgan [Orozgan] Prov.: Tarin Kowt Distr.: Bolakh [Balagh] village, 1380 m (4300 ft), 32°32′N 65°40′E, xi.2011, M. Misch.

DIAGNOSIS: Pseudochactas mischi may be separated from the morphologically similar P. ovchinnikovi , by means of differences in coloration and carination. The coloration is paler and yellowish, the carapace, tergites, and legs immaculate, in P. mischi but darker and brownish, the carapace, tergites and legs infuscate, in P. ovchinnikovi . The lyriform anterosubmedial carinae of the carapace are absent in P. mischi but obsolete, granular in P. ovchinnikovi (fig. 10). The retrodorsal carina of the pedipalp patella is costate in P. mischi but costate granular in P. ovchinnikovi (fig. 23E, F). The pedipalp chela, metasoma, and telson vesicle are more robust (proportionally shorter and broader) in P. mischi than P. ovchinnikovi (tables 3, 6). The pectines possess 8 or 9 median lamellae and 9 or 10 teeth in P. mischi (tables 3, 5) but 9–12 median lamellae and 10–13 teeth in P. ovchinnikovi (tables 3, 5, 6). The median lateral carinae are complete on metasomal segment II, and partial on V in P. mischi but partial, becoming obsolete anteriorly, on II, and absent or obsolete on V in P. ovchinnikovi (fig. 18A, B). The telson vesicle lateral and ventral surfaces are more coarsely and densely granular in P. mischi than P. ovchinnikovi (figs. 18A, B, 20A, B).

DESCRIPTION: The following description supplements the original description of the holotype. As Soleglad et al. (2012) suggested, the holotype and only known specimen is indeed a subadult female. The adults of both sexes are unknown.

Total length: Small, 18 mm (table 3).

Color: Tegument base coloration pale yellowish orange, immaculate. Chelicerae, pedipalps (except chela fingers), legs, posterior third of tergites and sternites, metasoma, and telson slightly paler than carapace, pedipalp chela fingers, and anterior two-thirds of tergites and sternites. Pedipalp chela fingers light reddish. Sternum, genital operculum, pectines, and sternites pale yellow. Aculeus black.

Chelicerae: Fixed finger, dorsal margin with four teeth (basal, median, subdistal, distal); basal and median teeth fused into bicuspid (“conjoined on trunk”); space between median and subdistal teeth U-shaped; ventral margin with four small denticles (ventral accessory denticles). Movable finger, dorsal margin with three teeth (median, subdistal, retrolateral distal), without basal teeth; ventral margin with four small denticles (ventral accessory denticles) and serrula in distal third; retrolateral (dorsal) distal and prolateral (ventral) distal teeth subequal, retrolateral (dorsal) distal tooth smaller than prolateral (ventral) distal tooth and opposable. Ventral surface of fingers and manus with numerous long, dense macrosetae.

Carapace: Carapace slightly wider than long. Anterior margin sublinear, shallowly recessed medially; anterolateral margins entire; posteromedian margin shallowly concave (recurved); posterolateral margins angular, slanting. One pair of very small anterolateral major (ALMa) ocelli situated close to anterolateral margins of carapace, other lateral ocelli absent. Anterosubmedial depressions, medial to lateral ocelli, well developed. Median ocular tubercle situated anteromedially on carapace, distance from anterior margin 33% of carapace length (table 3); pair of median ocelli considerably larger than lateral ocelli; superciliary carinae obsolete, not protruding above ocelli; interocular sulcus shallow, obsolete. Circumocular sutures complete, connected posteriorly (postocular); circumocular triangle subtriangular (broad V-shape); median ocular curvatures present. Anteromedian depression narrow, shallow; posteromedian sulcus very shallow anteriorly, becoming slightly deeper posteriorly; posterolateral sulci very shallow, wide, weakly curved; posteromarginal sulcus narrow, shallow. Carapacial surfaces smooth, except for sparse granulation anteromedially, and acarinate.

Pedipalps: Pedipalps relatively robust; segments almost apilose, sparsely covered in short microsetae and few macrosetae. Pedipalp femur length 67% greater than width (table 3). Femur with seven carinae evident; promedian carina obsolete, reduced to few spiniform granules in proximal two-thirds of segment; prodorsal, proventral and retrodorsal carinae well developed, granular to costate granular (serrate to crenulate); dorsomedian and retromedian carinae weak, granular rows; retroventral carina vestigial, comprising short granular row; dorsal intercarinal surface sparsely granular proximally; other intercarinal surfaces smooth. Pedipalp patella length 57% greater than width (table 3). Patella with six carinae evident; prodorsal carina well developed, granular; retrodorsal carina well developed, costate; proventral and retroventral carinae well developed, costate granular (crenulate); prolateral surface, dorsoventral “vaulted” projection (“anterior process”) well developed, with prominent pair of dorsal and ventral spiniform granules (“patellar spurs”) proximally, demarcating pair of vestigial, prolateral carinae (“dorsal and ventral patellar spur carinae”), reduced to two granules; dorsomedian, retromedian, and ventromedian carinae absent; intercarinal surfaces smooth. Pedipalp chela relatively short and broad; manus globose, height 4% greater than width and length 33% greater than width (table 3); length of movable finger 4% greater than length of manus. Chela with six carinae evident; dorsomedian carina reduced to few granules at base of fixed finger, becoming obsolete proximally on manus; digital carina well developed, granular in proximal sixth, remainder costate; secondary accessory and retroventral carinae entirely fused; retroventral carina well developed, granular proximally, becoming costate distally, aligned parallel to longitudinal axis of chela, with distal margin connected to retrolateral movable finger condyle; prodorsal, promedian, and proventral carinae