Anomalobuthus krivochatskyi Teruel, Kovařík et, 2018

Teruel, Rolando, Kovařík, František & Fet, Victor, 2018, Revision of the Central Asian scorpion genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900, with descriptions of three new species and a generic synonymy (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 270, pp. 1-45 : 11-20

Anomalobuthus krivochatskyi Teruel, Kovařík et

Fet, sp. n.

Figures 34–64, 120–125, 128–133, 134–136, 138–141. Tables 2 , 4–5

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3936A6

8B-96D5-461C-9568-5077BEA67488

Anomalobuthus rickmersi: Soleglad & Fet, 2003a: 5 , fig. 4 (in part; Bukhara); Soleglad & Fet, 2003b: 7, 59, 156, tab. 2 (in part; Bukhara); Fet et al., 2005: 2, 6, 11; fig. 10 (in part; Bukhara); Fet et al., 2006: 2, 10, tab. 3; Graham et al., 2012: 95–106, figs. 1–2, 6 (in part; between Bukhara and Gazli); Loria & Prendini, 2014: S1: 2, S2: 2; Teruel et al., 2014: 1, 4, 6–7, 9, fig. 20, tabs. 1–2 (in part; Uzbekistan).

HOLOTYPE ♂ ( FKCP). Uzbekistan, Navoyi Province , Tamdy (=Tomdi) District, 1–2 km SSE of Zarafshan, 41º32'N 64º12'E, 18–28 April 1998, leg. A. V. Gromov .

PARATYPES. Same data as holotype, 1♂, 5♀♀ ( FKCP), 1♂, 1♀ ( RTOC: Sco-0233) . Uzbekistan, Kizylkum Desert, Bukhara Province, between Bukhara and Gazli, 40º05'N 64º04'E, 206 m a.s.l., 11 May 2002, leg. V. Fet, 1♂, 1♀, 4 juveniles ( NMPC), 1 juvenile ( ZMUH), 1 juvenile ( SOFM), 1♀ ( RTOC: Sco-0208); Bukhara , 30 April 1979 , leg. Antuš, 1♀ ( FKCP) . Kazakhstan, South Kazakhstan Province, 5 km west of Chardara , 41°16'14"N 67°53'02"E, 250 m a.s.l., 23–24 May 2016, leg. P. Kučera, 1♀, 1 juvenile ( FKCP) .

ETYMOLOGY. We are pleased to name this species after our colleague, Viktor Anatolyevich Krivochatsky (b. 1954) (St. Petersburg, Russia), an entomologist, a specialist in ant-lions ( Neuroptera : Myrmeleontidae ) and an old friend of V.F. from the time of their work in the natural reserves of Turkmenistan in the 1970s-1980s. Since 1991, Dr. Krivochatsky works in ZISP and is in charge of the famed scorpion collection of Alexei Birula.

DIAGNOSIS. Adult size 23–32 mm in males, 23–37 mm in females. Coloration orange yellow, essentially immaculate, only with some regular blackish spots on pedipalps and metasoma (slightly darker and more extended in female); metasomal segment V and telson blackish. Pedipalp fingers with 9–11 principal rows of denticles and 6–7 internal accessory denticles. Pectines with 22–25 teeth in males and 19–22 in females. Tibial spur in males absent, in females present in legs III–IV. Metasoma slightly attenuate, with most carinae weak; ventral lateral carinae of segment V composed of narrowly conical (males) to broadly lobate (females) denticles, dorsal lateral and lateral supramedian carinae of segments I–IV with terminal denticle enlarged; intercarinal areas essentially smooth, except sparsely granulose on ventrodistal and ventrolateral areas of segment V. Telson vesicle oval and densely setose.

DESCRIPTION (adult male holotype). Coloration ( Figs. 34–35) base very vivid yellow, with an orange shade; in general, the base color is paler on pedipalp chelae, legs, and pectines. Chelicerae immaculate, except for blackish finger teeth. Pedipalp femur with a conspicuous blackish spot on dorsodistal apex, which diffusely continues as a broad stripe over almost all internal surface; patella with internal surface blackish; chela immaculate, only with finger denticles blackish. Carapace immaculate, only with a blackish spot under every ocular group. Tergites immaculate. Coxosternal region and genital operculum immaculate. Pectines pale yellowish, immaculate. Sternites immaculate. Legs immaculate; claws with distal half dark brown to blackish. Metasoma conspicuously bicolor: segments I–IV yellow with a diffuse annulated appearance (basal and distal parts of each segment infuscate in the shape of thin blackish rings, which become somewhat larger and more diffuse dorsally and basally), segment V entirely blackish; carinae not infuscate nor underlined with dark pigment, except for darkened terminal denticles on dorsal laterals and lateral supramedians. Telson vesicle blackish, similar to metasomal segment V; aculeus with basal half brownish and distal half blackish.

Chelicerae ( Fig. 46). Manus smooth and shiny, dorsodistal portion with some weak granules arranged transversally, defining a depressed area; setation very dense ventrally but essentially lacking dorsally, except for many rigid macrosetae on fixed finger and a few around depressed area of manus. Fixed finger of size, shape and curvature ordinary for the family, dorsally with the four standard denticles: single d very large, sharp and falcate, single sd large, sharp and falcate, single m and b large, sharp, triangular and fused into a subrectangular bicusp; ventrally with a single denticle, which is medium-sized and placed at a level between dorsal denticles m and b. Movable finger of size, shape and curvature ordinary for the family, dorsally with the five standard denticles: single ed very large, sharp, falcate and placed at the same level of id, both closely opposable to fixed finger distal denticle, single sd large, sharp, triangular, single m very large, sharp, triangular, two ed small (basalmost smaller), sharp, triangular and adjacent to each other and m; ventrally with a single denticle which is medium-sized, small, placed at the level of dorsal denticle sd and raises from a conspicuous, translucent lamella.

Pedipalps ( Figs. 34–35). Relatively short but very slender, essentially bare. Femur subtly curved inwards, with carinae weak, granulose to subdenticulate; intercarinal tegument smooth and glossy. Patella somewhat curved inwards, with carinae obsolete to vestigial, smooth; intercarinal tegument smooth and glossy. Chela elongate and very slender; manus conspicuously narrower than patella (ratio 0.78), cylindrical (2.14 times longer than wide, as wide as deep), with carinae obsolete to vestigial, smooth; intercarinal tegument smooth and glossy; fingers very long (movable finger 2.20 times longer than underhand), only subtly curved and with 9– 10 principal rows of denticles (the two basalmost rows are poorly defined), basal lobe/notch combination absent, external accessory denticles absent, internal accessory denticles very large and claw-like (increasing in size distally), numbering seven and six on fixed and movable fingers, respectively, movable finger with one claw-like accessory denticles basal to the very large terminal denticle.

Carapace ( Fig. 46). Very strongly trapezoidal (much narrower anteriorly) and wider than long; anterior margin shallowly convex, with 6–7 pairs of thin macrosetae and some very short microsetae. Carination essentially absent: the only carinae present are the superciliaries, which are weakly granulose to smooth. Furrows: anterior median, median ocular, central median, posterior median and posterior marginal fused, wide and moderately deep; lateral oculars, lateral centrals, central transverse, and posterior laterals long, narrow and shallow. Tegument very finely and densely granulose, with many small to medium-sized granules scattered all over except on both sides of median axis, where the granules are coarser and glossy.

Sternum ( Fig. 47). Standard for the genus, relatively small and widely triangular in shape, with two pairs of inconspicuous macrosetae.

Genital operculum ( Fig. 47). Relatively large, each half roundly subtriangular in shape, with three pairs of inconspicuous macrosetae, plus a few short microsetae. Genital papillae present.

Pectines ( Fig. 47). Standard-sized for the genus: very long, extending beyond leg IV coxa-trochanter joint), subrectangular and densely setose. Tooth count 22/22. Basal plate heavily sclerotized, much wider than long, anterior margin with a very deep, narrow anteromedian furrow, posterior margin very shallowly convex.

Legs ( Figs. 34–35). Very slender, with all carinae weak to obsolete and subgranulose to smooth; intercarinal tegument smooth and glossy. Tibial spur absent.

Mesosoma ( Figs. 46–47). Tergites with the same sculpture as on carapace; I–VI irregularly tricarinate: the median longitudinal carina is moderately strong, short, and formed by irregular medium-sized granules that do not project beyond posterior margin, but the submedian carinae are undefined on I–IV, very irregular on V, and well defined only on VI; tergite VII with five well-defined carinae (median, submedians and laterals), which are long, strong and finely serrate to crenulate. Sternites essentially bare; III–VI glossy and with subtle vestiges of a pair of smooth submedian carinae, spiracles relatively short and slit-like, transversely arranged (not oblique), V with smooth patch absent; VII with two pairs of carinae (submedians and laterals) which are long and finely crenulate to serrate, intercarinal tegument coriaceous to minutely granulose.

Metasoma ( Figs. 59–61). Somewhat elongated and slightly wider both basally and distally; with 10/10/ 10/8/5 complete to almost complete carinae, almost all formed by conspicuously isolated, sharply serrate to denticulate granulation: dorsal laterals obsolete to vestigial on I–IV (with one terminal denticles enlarged), absent on V; lateral supramedians obsolete to vestigial on I–IV (with 1–2 terminal denticles enlarged), vestigial as rounded ridges on V; lateral inframedians obsolete to vestigial on I–III, absent on IV–V; ventral laterals obsolete to vestigial on I–IV, moderate to strong on V, where become progressively stronger and somewhat flared distally, formed by sharp, subequal denticles; ventral submedians moderate on I–II, weak on III, obsolete on IV, absent on V (indicated by somewhat raised tegument and irregular granulation on basal half); ventral median absent on I–IV, moderate on V. Intercarinal tegument smooth and glossy, with sparse granulation of different sizes ventrally. Dorsal furrow wide and shallow on all segments. Setation sparse, mostly represented by 4–7 dark macrosetae over every carina.

Telson ( Figs. 59–61). Moderately setose, with many setae scattered all over dorsal and lateral surfaces. Vesicle short oval (1.92 times longer than wide, 0.92 times wider than deep), tegument smooth and glossy, with vestiges of coarse granules arranged into three obsolete longitudinal carinae (ventral median and ventral submedians), and some coarse punctations ventrally. Subaculear tubercle absent, but subtly suggested by a vestigial granule. Aculeus conspicuously shorter than vesicle, thick and shallowly curved.

FEMALE (paratopotype). Very similar to described male, sexual dimorphism evident by: 1) size comparatively larger inside each size-class; 2) mesosoma and metasoma slightly less slender; 3) genital papillae absent; 4) pectines smaller, with consistently lower tooth counts; 5) tibial spur small, sharp and sinuose, present at least on both legs IV (sometimes also on one leg III); 6) metasomal segment V with ventral intercarinal tegument less granulose. See Figs. 36–37, 40–43, 48–58, 62–64, 134–136, 138–140 and Tabs. 2 , 4–5.

VARIATION. Adult size varied from 31.5–32.2 mm in males and 28.4–36.6 mm in females.

Count of teeth per pecten varied as follows ( Tab. 5 ): in males 22 (3), 23 (1), 24 (3), 25 (3), and in females 19 (2), 20 (7), 21 (6), 22 (3). No significant differences detected among specimens from the localities examined by us.

The tibial spur is always absent in males, but in females it is present always on both leg IV and occasionally also in leg III of one side only ( Figs. 130–132, 134).

Specimens from Chardara and Bukhara to Gazli are identical to those from the type locality in all diagnostic characters. They only differ by being slightly smaller and darker, with better-marked dark patterns ( Figs. 38– 45). These differences are minor and attributable to standard variation between different populations.

COMPARISON. Adults of A. krivochatskyi sp. n. can be very easily distinguished by the almost absolute smoothness of the metasomal intercarinal spaces, especially in males ( Figs. 59–64, 121); almost all other congeners have at least the ventral and lateral surfaces of segments IV–V moderately to densely granulose ( Figs. 23–25, 27–29, 31–33, 69, 75–78, 84–89).

The single exception is A. talebii , which is similarly smooth ( Figs. 98–100), but the only female known has much higher pectinal tooth count (26/26 vs. 20–23) and several quite distinct morphometric ratios (see Tab. 4 and Comparison section of that species).

DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 137). Sands of the Kizylkum Desert, from central Uzbekistan through adjacent southern edge of Kazakhstan.

NOTES. The Bukhara Province (between Bukhara and Gazli) specimens of this new species were included (under A. rickmersi ) in a DNA phylogeographic study by Graham et al. (2012), which demonstrated a derived position of this taxon within the genus.

Tables

Table 2: Measurements of four types of Anomalobuthus krivochatskyi sp. n. Abbreviations: length (L), width (W), posterior width (Wp), depth (D).

			UZB, Zarafshan		UZB, Bukhara to Gazli
Dimensions (mm)		♂ holotype (FKCP)	♂ paratype (RTO: Sco-0233)	♀ paratype (RTO: Sco-0233)	♀ paratype (RTO: Sco-0208)
Carapace	L / Wp	3.30 / 3.70	3.40 / 3.80	3.80 / 4.60	3.00 / 3.40
Mesosoma	L	7.00	6.80	9.50	7.00
Tergite VII	L / W	2.22 / 3.40	2.00 / 3.60	2.20 / 4.60	1.80 / 3.70
Metasoma + Telson	L	21.90	21.30	23.30	18.40
Segment I	L / W / D	2.60 / 1.93 / 1.60	2.40 / 1.90 / 1.62	2.50 / 2.30 / 1.96	2.10 / 1.70 / 1.47
Segment II	L / W / D	3.13 / 1.78 / 1.55	3.00 / 1.70 / 1.70	3.30 / 2.20 / 2.00	2.60 / 1.60 / 1.48
Segment III	L / W / D	3.45 / 1.85 / 1.65	3.30 / 1.80 / 1.77	3.60 / 2.20 / 2.07	2.90 / 1.70 / 1.50
Segment IV	L / W / D	4.04 / 1.89 / 1.60	4.00 / 1.90 / 1.75	4.40 / 2.40 / 2.11	3.40 / 1.80 / 1.51
Segment V	L / W / D	4.48 / 1.92 / 1.42	4.40 / 1.90 / 1.55	4.80 / 2.40 / 1.80	3.80 / 1.80 / 1.41
Telson	L	4.20	4.20	4.70	3.60
Vesicle	L / W / D	2.75 / 1.28 / 1.26	2.30 / 1.20 / 1.30	2.70 / 1.50 / 1.40	2.10 / 1.20 / 1.10
Aculeus	L	1.45	1.90	2.00	1.50
Pedipalp	L	10.51	11.00	11.40	9.50
Femur	L / W	2.78 / 0.68	2.80 / 0.70	3.10 / 0.90	2.50 / 0.70
Patella	L / W	3.33 / 0.93	3.40 / 0.90	3.60 / 1.10	2.90 / 0.90
Chela	L	4.40	4.80	4.70	4.10
Manus	L / W / D	1.22 / 0.71 / 0.75	1.50 / 0.70 / 0.70	1.40 / 0.80 / 0.90	1.20 / 0.70 / 0.70
Movable finger	L	3.18	3.30	3.30	2.90
Total	L	32.20	31.50	36.60	28.40