Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837

Kovařík, FrantIšek, Fet, Victor & Yağmur, Ersen Aydın, 2020, Further review of Orthochirus Karsch, 1892 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Asia: taxonomic position of O. melanurus, O. persa, O. scrobiculosus, and description of six new species, Euscorpius 318, pp. 1-73 : 3

Family Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837 Orthochirus Karsch, 1892

( Figures 1–352 , Tables 1–4) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 79D5A7E7-

F14F -4D64-90ED -89BF47023562

Orthochirus Karsch, 1892: 306 .

Type species. Orthodactylus olivaceus Karsch, 1881 = Orthochirus sp. (syn. by Kraepelin, 1895: 84 to O. scrobiculosus ( Grube, 1873) ; doubtful synonymy, see below).

SYNONYMS:

= Orthodactylus Karsch, 1881: 90 , a junior homonym of Orthodactylus Hitchcock, 1858 (Reptilia) , type species: Orthodactylus olivaceus Karsch, 1881 = Orthochirus sp. (syn. by Kraepelin, 1895: 84 to O. scrobiculosus ( Grube, 1873) ; doubtful synonymy, see below).

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= Simonoides Vachon & Farzanpay in Farzanpay, 1987: 162, type species: Simonoides farzanpayi Vachon & Farzanpay in Farzanpay, 1987 = Orthochirus farzanpayi (Vachon & Farzanpay in Farzanpay, 1987) (syn. by Kovařík & Fet, 2006: 2).

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E7C915F8-1EE7-4A20-856A-AD3183BE5A04

= Paraorthochirus Lourenço & Vachon, 1995: 299 , type species: Paraorthochirus stockwelli Lourenço & Vachon, 1995 = Orthochirus stockwelli (Lourenço & Vachon,

1995) (syn. by Navidpour et al., 2008: 17).

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3E0EC04C-

0897-4126-B2CD-7373B4475A40

= Afghanorthochirus Lourenço & Vachon, 1997: 330 , type species: Afghanorthochirus erardi Lourenço & Vachon, 1997 = Orthochirus persa (Birula, 1900) , stat. n., syn. n., see below (syn. by Kovařík, 2004: 5).

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436B-404B-A482-6694659380F5

REFERENCES:

Orthochirus: Fet & Lowe, 2000: 193–200 (complete reference list until 1998); Kovařík, 2004: 4–23, figs. 1–8, Table 1; Fet et al., 2003: 69–72, figs. 1–5; Kovařík & Fet, 2006: 1–10, figs. 1–9; Navidpour et al., 2008: 14–22, figs. 19, 23–30, 93–102; Kovařík, 2009: 31; Kovařík et al., 2019: 1–31, figs. 1–176, tabs. 1–2; Kovařík & Navidpour, 2020: 1–41, figs. 1–234, tabs. 1–3.

Simonoides: Farzanpay, 1988: 40 ; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 223.

Pseudorthochirus [nomen nudum; lapsus calami]: Lourenço & Vachon, 1995: 304.

Paraorthochirus: Lourenço & Vachon, 1997: 329 , Fet & Lowe, 2000: 211.

Afghanorthochirus: Kovařík, 1998: 120 ; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 57.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adults 22–55 mm. Tergites I–VI with weak median or lateral carinae, or carinae indistinct. Patellar trichobothrium d 3 located between dorsomedian and dorsointernal carinae. Dorsal trichobothria of femur arranged in beta-configuration. Trichobothrium d 2 of pedipalp femur absent or present on dorsal surface. Chelicerae with typical buthid dentition (Vachon, 1963), ventral aspect of fixed finger with two denticles. Tibial spurs present on legs III and IV; in all legs, mid-ventral aspect of tarsomere II sparsely setose with 1 or 2 rows of short spiniform setae. Pectines with fulcra, densely hirsute. Proximal dentate margins of pedipalp fingers not strongly undulate; movable fingers of pedipalps with 7–10 rows of denticles and 2–5 subterminal denticles. Carapace strongly trapezoidal, lacking distinct carinae; in lateral view distinctly inclined downward from median eyes to anterior margin; 5 pairs of lateral eyes. First and second metasomal segments with carinae. Metasoma posteriorly widened; metasomal segments IV and V ventrally punctate. Telson elongate with subaculear tubercle absent, aculeus robust, as long as or longer than vesicle; hemispermatophore capsule with 3 laminate lobes + 1 hook-like basal lobe; spiracles slit-like.

NOTES. The identity of Orthodactylus olivaceus Karsch, 1881 is unclear, and its original locality (“Sicily”) is clearly incorrect. Herein, we limit O. scrobiculosus ( Grube, 1873) to western Turkmenistan (see below). Karsch’s single specimen (ZMB-3628), obtained from Gustav Schneider (1834–1900), a famous taxidermist and merchant in Basel, Switzerland, possibly originated from Egypt since there are other Egyptian buthids obtained from Schneider in ZMHB collection (J. Dunlop, pers comm.).

Figures

Figures 1–2: Orthochirus spp. in vivo habitus. Figure 1: O. melanurus, male from Uzbekistan. Figure 2: O. nordmanni sp. n., male (right) and female paratypes.

Figures 3–4. Orthochirus birulai sp. n., holotype female, dorsal (3) and ventral (4) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 5–20: Orthochirus birulai sp. n., holotype female. Figures 5–14. Segments of pedipalps. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (5), external (6), and ventral (7) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (8), external (9), and ventral (10) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (11), internal (12), and ventral (13) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (14) dentate margins. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 6–9, 11–12 (white circles). Figures 15–16. Carapace and tergites I–IV (15), and sternopectinal region and sternites (16). Figures 17–20. Right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect.

Figures 21–22. Orthochirus birulai sp. n., holotype female, carapace and tergites (21), and sternopectinal region and sternites (22) under UV light.

Figures 23–28. Orthochirus birulai sp. n., holotype female, metasoma and telson, lateral (23, 26), dorsal (24, 27) and ventral (25, 28), under white light (23–25) and UV light (26–28). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 29–32: Orthochirus formozovi sp. n. Figures 29–30. Holotype male, dorsal (29) and ventral (30) views. Figures 31–32. Paratype female from type locality, dorsal (31) and ventral (32) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 33–53: Orthochirus formozovi sp. n., segments of pedipalps. Figures 33–43. Holotype male. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (33), external (34), and ventral (35) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (36), external (37), and ventral (38) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (39), internal (40) and ventral (41) views. Pedipalp chela, movable (42) and fixed (43) fingers dentate margin. Figures 44–53. Paratype female from type locality. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (44), external (45), and ventral (46) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (47), external (48), and ventral (49) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (50), internal (51), and ventral (52) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (53) dentate margin. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 45–48, 50–51 (white circles).

Figures 54–59: Orthochirus formozovi sp. n., metasoma and telson under white light. Figures 54–56. Paratype female from type locality, lateral (54), ventral (55), and dorsal (56) views. Figures 57–59. Holotype male, lateral (57), ventral (58), and dorsal (59) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 60–65: Orthochirus formozovi sp. n., metasoma and telson under UV light. Figures 60–62. lateral (60), ventral (61), and dorsal (62) views. Figures 63–65. Holotype male, lateral (63), ventral (64), and dorsal (65) views.

Figures 66–67. Orthochirus formozovi sp. n., holotype male, carapace and tergites (66) and sternopectinal region and sternites (67) under UV light.

Figures 68–69. Orthochirus formozovi sp. n., paratype female from type locality, carapace and tergites (68) and sternopectinal region and sternites (69) under UV light.

Figures 70–78: Orthochirus formozovi sp. n. Figures 70–71, 74–77. Holotype male, carapace and tergites (70), sternopectinal region and sternites (71), and distal segments of right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (74–77 respectively). Figures 72–73, 78. Paratype female from type locality, carapace and tergites I–III (72), sternopectinal region and sternites (73), and distal segments of right leg III, retrolateral aspect (78).

Figures 79–80. Orthochirus grosseri sp. n., holotype female, dorsal (79) and ventral (80) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 81–97: Orthochirus grosseri sp. n., holotype female. Figures 81–82. Carapace and tergites I–IV (81), and sternopectinal region and sternites (82). Figures 83–86. Right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect. Figures 87–97. Segments of pedipalps. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (87), external (88), and ventral (89) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (90), external (91), and ventral (92) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, internal (93), dorsal (94), and ventral (95) views. Pedipalp chela, movable (96) and fixed (97) fingers dentate margins. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 87–91, 93–94 (white circles).

Figures 98–99. Orthochirus grosseri sp. n., holotype female, carapace and tergites (98), and sternopectinal region and sternites (99) under UV light.

Figures 100–105. Orthochirus grosseri sp. n., holotype female, metasoma and telson, lateral (100, 103), dorsal (101, 104) and ventral (102, 105), under white light (100–102) and UV light (103–105). Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 106–107. Orthochirus kryzhanovskyi sp. n., holotype male, dorsal (79) and ventral (80) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 108–115: Orthochirus kryzhanovskyi sp. n., holotype male. Figures 108–111. Carapace and tergites (108, 110), and sternopectinal region and sternites (109, 111), under white light (108–109) and UV light (110–111). Figures 112–115. Right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect.

Figures 116–122. Orthochirus kryzhanovskyi sp. n., holotype male, metasoma IV–V and telson ventral (116), metasoma and telson, lateral (117, 120), dorsal (118, 121), and ventral (119, 122), under UV light (116–119) and white light (120–122). Scale bar: 10 mm. (117–122).

Figures 123–132. Orthochirus kryzhanovskyi sp. n., holotype male, segments of pedipalps. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (123), external (124), and ventral (125) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (126), external (127), and ventral (128) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, internal (129), dorsal (130), and ventral (131) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (132) dentate margins. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 123–127, 129–130 (white circles).

Figures 133–138: Orthochirus melanurus, lectotype female. Figures 133–134. Dorsal (133) and ventral (134) views. Figures 135–137. Metasoma and telson, lateral (135), dorsal (136), and ventral (137) views. Figure 138. Original labels. Scale bars: 10 mm (133–134, 135–137).

Figures 139–140. Original registered cards (ZISP) of Orthochirus melanurus (139) and O. persa stat. n. (140) types.

Figures 141–144: Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP. Figures 141–142. Male, dorsal (141) and ventral (142) views. Figures 143–144. Female, dorsal (143) and ventral (144) views. Scale bars: 10 mm 141–142, 143–144).

Figures 145–164: Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP, segments of pedipalps. Figures 145–155. Male. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (145), external (146), and ventral (147) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (148), external (149), and ventral (150) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (151), internal (152) and ventral (153) views. Pedipalp chela, movable (154) and fixed (155) fingers dentate margin. Figures 156–164. Female. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (156), external (157), and ventral (158) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (159), external (160), and ventral (161) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (162), and ventral (163) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (164) dentate margin. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 146–149, 151–152 (white circles).

Figures 165–170: Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP, metasoma and telson under white light. Figures 165–167. Female, lateral (165), dorsal (166), and ventral (167) views. Figures 168–170. Male, lateral (168), dorsal (169), and ventral (170) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 171–176: Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP, metasoma and telson under UV light. Figures 171–173. Female, lateral (171), ventral (172), and dorsal (173) views. Figures 174–176. Male, lateral (174), ventral (175), and dorsal (176) views.

Figures 177–178. Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP, male, carapace and tergites (177) and sternopectinal region and sternites (178) under UV light.

Figures 179–180. Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP, female, carapace and tergites (179) and sternopectinal region and sternites (180) under UV light.

Figures 181–188: Orthochirus melanurus, Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda Province, Baigakum, 44°20'29" to 37"N 66°27'07" to 09"E, FKCP. Figures 181–182, 185–188. Male, carapace and tergites (181), sternopectinal region and sternites (182), and distal segments of right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (185–188 respectively). Figures 183–184. Female, carapace and tergites (183) and sternopectinal region and sternites (184).

Figures 189–192: Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n. Figures 29–30. Holotype male, dorsal (189) and ventral (190) views. Figures 191–192. Paratype female from type locality, dorsal (191) and ventral (192) views. Scale bars: 10 mm.

Figures 193–210: Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n., segments of pedipalps. Figures 193–202. Holotype male. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (193), external (194), and ventral (195) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (196), external (197), and ventral (198) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (199), internal (200) and ventral (201) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (202) dentate margin. Figures 203–210. Paratype female from type locality. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (203), external (204), and ventral (205) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (206), external (207), and ventral (208) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (209) and ventral (210) views. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 193–197, 199–200 (white circles).

Figures 211–219: Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n. Figures 211–212, 215–218. Holotype male, carapace and tergites (211), sternopectinal region and sternites (212), and distal segments of right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (215–218 respectively). Figures 213–214, 219. Paratype female from type locality, carapace and tergites I–IV (213), sternopectinal region and sternites (214), and distal segments of right leg III, retrolateral aspect (219).

Figures 220–221. Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n., holotype male, carapace and tergites (220) and sternopectinal region and sternites (221) under UV light.

Figures 222–223. Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n., paratype female from type locality, carapace and tergites (222) and sternopectinal region and sternites (223) under UV light.

Figures 224–229: Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n., metasoma and telson under white light. Figures 224–226. Paratype female from type locality, lateral (224), ventral (225), and dorsal (226) views. Figures 227–229. Holotype male, lateral (227), ventral (228), and dorsal (229) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (224–226, 227–229).

Figures 230–235: Orthochirus nordmanni sp. n., metasoma and telson under UV light. Figures 230–232. Paratype female from type locality, lateral (230), ventral (231), and dorsal (232) views. Figures 233–235. Holotype male, lateral (233), ventral (234), and dorsal (235) views.

Figures 236–240: Orthochirus persa stat. n.. Figures 236–237. Lectotype male, dorsal (236) and ventral (237) views. Figures 238–239. Paralectotype female, dorsal (238) and ventral (239) views. Figure 240. Top: ZISP label (in Birula’s hand but not the original one, judging from post-1918 orthography); bottom: H. L. Stahnke’s identification (as ‘serobicularis’!). Stahnke loaned some ZISP material in the 1960s, to use in his key for Buthidae genera (Stahnke, 1972). Scale bars: 10 mm (236–239).

Figures 241–258: Orthochirus persastat. n., segments ofpedipalps.Figures 241–250. Lectotype male.Pedipalp chela, dorsal (241), external (242), and ventral (243) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (244), external (245), and ventral (246) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (247) and ventral (248) views. Pedipalp chela, movable (249) and fixed (250) fingers dentate margin. Figures 251–258. Paralectotype female. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (251), external (252), and ventral (253) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (254), external (255), and ventral (256) views. Pedipalp femur, dorsal (257) view. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (258) dentate margin.The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 241–245, 247 (white circles).

Figures 259–267: Figures 259–260, 263–2164. Lectotype male of Orthochirus persa stat. n., carapace and tergites I–IV (259), sternopectinal region and sternites (260), and distal segments of right legs III–IV, retrolateral aspect (263–264 respectively). Figures 261–262, 265–266. Paralectotype female of Orthochirus persa stat. n., carapace and tergites I–II (261), sternopectinal region and sternites (262), and distal segments of right legs III–IV, retrolateral aspect (265–266 respectively). Figure 267. Holotype female of Afghanorthochirus erardi, sternite VII and metasoma I ventral under UV light.

Figures 268–273: Orthochirus persa stat. n., metasoma and telson under white light. Figures 268–270. Paralectotype female, lateral (268), ventral (269), and dorsal (270) views. Figures 271–273. Lectotype male, lateral (271), ventral (272), and dorsal (273) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 274–276. Orthochirus scrobiculosus, lectotype female, dorsal (274) and ventral (275) views and MNHW label (276) (not the original one, ‘Lenkoran’ misspelled as ‘Lenkoan’). Scale bar: 10 mm (274–275).

Figures 277–282. Orthochirus scrobiculosus, lectotype female,carapace and tergites (271), sternopectinal region and sternites (278), metasoma V and telson lateral (279), and metasoma and telson, lateral (280), ventral (281), and dorsal (282) views. Scale bar: 10 mm (280–282).

Figures 283–295: Orthochirus scrobiculosus, lectotype female. Figures 283–293. Segments of pedipalps.Pedipalp chela, dorsal (283), external (284), and ventral (285) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (286), external (287), and ventral (288) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (289) and ventral (290) views. Pedipalp chela, movable (291, 293) and fixed (292) fingers dentate margins. Figures 294–295. Metasoma II–V and telson, ventral (294) and dorsal (295) views under UV light. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 283–287, 289 (white circles).

Figures 296–299: Orthochirus sejnai sp. n. Figures 296–297. Holotype male, dorsal (296) and ventral (297) views. Figures 298–299. Paratype female, dorsal (298) and ventral (299) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 300–318: Orthochirus sejnai sp. n., segments of pedipalps. Figures 300–310. Holotype male. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (300), external (301), and ventral (302) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (303), external (304), and ventral (305) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (306), internal (307) and ventral (308) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (309) dentate margin. Figures 310–318. Paratype female. Pedipalp chela, dorsal (310), external (311), and ventral (312) views. Pedipalp patella, dorsal (313), external (314), and ventral (315) views. Pedipalp femur and trochanter, dorsal (316) and ventral (317) views. Pedipalp chela, movable finger (318) dentate margin.The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 300–304, 306–307 (white circles).

Figures 319–326: Orthochirus sejnai sp. n. Figures 319–320, 323–326. Holotype male, carapace and tergites (319), sternopectinal region and sternites (320), and distal segments of right legs I–IV, retrolateral aspect (323–326 respectively). Figures 321–322. Paratype female, carapace and tergites I–IV (321), sternopectinal region and sternites III–VI (322).

Figures 327–328. Orthochirus sejnai sp. n., holotype male, carapace and tergites (327) and sternopectinal region and sternites (328) under UV light.

Figures 329–330. Orthochirus sejnai sp. n., paratype female, carapace and tergites (329) and sternopectinal region and sternites (330) under UV light.

Figures 331–336: Orthochirus sejnai sp. n., metasoma and telson under white light. Figures 331–333. Paratype female, lateral (331), dorsal (332), and ventral (333) views. Figures 334–336. Holotype male, lateral (334), dorsal (335), and ventral (336) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 337–342: Orthochirus sejnai sp. n., metasoma and telson under UV light. Figures 337–339. Paratype female, lateral (337), dorsal (338), and ventral (339) views. Figures 340–342. Holotype male, lateral (340), dorsal (341), and ventral (342) views.

Figure 343. Geographic distribution of the Orthochirus spp. found from Turkey to India. An approximate area where the lectotype of O. melanurus was collected is marked by red ellipse.

Figures 344–349: Orthochirus pallidus, lectotype female, dorsal (344) and ventral (345) views, sternite VII, metasoma and telson ventral (346), metasoma and telson dorsal (347), metasoma IV–V and telson ventral (348) and dorsal (349) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (344–345).

Figure 350. Orthochirus melanurus (Kessler, 1874), reproduced from Kessler (1874, Tab. I).

Figure 351. Orthochirus melanurus (Kessler, 1874) from the Kizylkum Desert, reproduced from Bogdanov (1882, fig. on p. 48), accompanied by a Galeodes sp. (Solifuga: Galeodidae).

Figure 352. Buthus schneideri L. Koch, 1878, a junior synonym of Orthochirus scrobiculosus (Grube, 1873), reproduced from Koch (1878, Taf. II).