Heterometrus wroughtoni ( Pocock, 1899 )

Kovařík, František, 2004, A review of the genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, with descriptions of seven new species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae), Euscorpius 15 (15), pp. 1-60 : 46-49

Heterometrus wroughtoni ( Pocock, 1899)

( Figs. 1–7 , 31)

Palamnaeus wroughtoni Pocock, 1899: 745 ; Henderson, 1919: 381.

Heterometrus wroughtoni Pocock, 1900: 89 ; Takashima, 1945: 93; Khatoon, 1999: 223.

Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) wroughtoni : Couzijn, 1981: 158; Tikader & Bastawade, 1983: 593; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 443.

Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) wrongtoni : Bastawade, 2002: 296.

= Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) pelekomanus Couzijn, 1981: 137 ; Tikader & Bastawade, 1983: 641; Kovařík, 1998: 136; Fet, 2000: 440; Bastawade, 2002: 296; Kovařík, 2002: 17. Syn. n.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. India, Belgaum ; BMNH.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. India, Karnataka, Belgaum , 1♀ (lectotype) 3♂ 4juvs. (paralectotypes), leg .

W. A. Talbor, BMNH No. 1897.9.17.1-4.11.20; Maharshtra, Deccan, Nilgiris, 2♂ (holotype and paratype of Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) pelekomanus Couzijn, 1981 ), SMFD No. 1088/19, Bombay, Deccan, 1♂ 2♀ 18juvs. (paratypes of Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) pelekomanus Couzijn, 1981 ), SMFD No. 329 .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. India, Maharshtra, Decan, 1920, 2ims., FKCP ; Mysore , 6 mi. NE Ramanagaram, 750 m., 25.II.1962, 1im., leg. E. S. Ross & D. Cavagnaro, CASC ; Bandipur , 950 m, 18.III.1962, 1im., leg. E. S. Ross & D. Cavagnaro, CASC .

DIAGNOSIS. Adults 95–130 mm long. Color of adults uniformly reddish brown. Juveniles lighter colored and usually with yellow legs. Pectinal teeth number 13–17 in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism in proportions of pedipalps not noticeable. Chela lobiform, its adult length to width ratio 1.8–2.0. Entire manus covered by rounded granules which may merge and dorsally form up to five usually incomplete rows. Patella of pedipalp without pronouced internal tubercle. Carapace with smooth disc, granulose margins and tuberculate anterior portion. Telson hirsute, elongate, vesicle usually shorter than aculeus.

COMMENTS. When describing Heterometrus pelekomanus, Couzijn (1981: 139) compared it with H. fulvipes which he regarded as similar to and considered H. wroughtoni Pocock, 1900 as related to H. phipsoni (see 1981: 158). He entirely diregarded differences in sexual dimorphism of these species. The males of H. fulvipes and H. phipsoni have longer femur, patella and chela of pedipalp than the females, whereas in H. wroughtoni this dimorphism is absent. Examination of types of H. wroughtoni and H. pelekomanus convinces me that there is only one species involved, and that H. pelekomanus is a synonym of H. wroughtoni .

DISTRIBUTION. India: Karnataka, Maharashtra ( Pocock, 1899: 745), Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu (Couzijn, 1981: 138, Fet, 2000: 440), Mysore (first report), and was cited also from Pakistan.

Figures

Figures 1–7: Heterometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), specimen labeled as paratype of Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) pelekomanus Couzijn, 1981 syn. n. In Figs. 1 to 3 the first capital letters denote trichobothria situated on the manus, and the first lower-case letters denote those situated on the fixed finger of pedipalp. Figs. 4 to 6 show the distribution of trichobothria on the patella of pedipalp. Fig. 7 shows the distribution of trichobothria on the femur of pedipalp. Explanation: First letters: D, dorsal, E, external, I, internal, V, ventral. Second or second plus third letters: b, basal, sb, suprabasal, m, medial, st, subterminal, t, terminal, v, ventral. Numerals distinguish individual trichobothria of the same classification. Designation and description of trichobothria after Vachon (1974). Morphological terminology after Stahnke (1970).