Neobuthus opatovae, Euscorpius & No., 2024

Neobuthus opatovae sp. n.

( Figs. 46–75 View Figures 46–47 View Figures 48–56 View Figures 57–62 View Figures 63–75 , 160 View Figures 160–161 , Table 1) http: //zoobank. org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AEC79ADE-

042E-4903-BC6C-8CE42EC4B63E

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Somaliland , Maroodi Jeex Region, HabaaswaYn, 9.3841900° N 44.0526747° E, FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Somaliland , Maroodi Jeex Region, HabaaswaYn, 9.3841900° N 44.0526747° E, XI.2023, 2♂ (holotYpe DNA No. 947 and paratYpe DNA No. 948), leg. Hassan Elmi.

ETYMOLOGY. It is a pleasure to name this species after Vera Opatova, the Czech arachnologist. Her phYlogenetic analYses highlY contribute to the understanding of species diversitY and phYlogenY across various arachnid groups, including scorpions. The name of this species is derived from her last name, Opatova.

DIAGNOSIS (♂). Total length of male 22 mm, female unknown; carapace with area between anterior median carinae fuscous; tergites with 3 dark stripes, median stripe flanked on either side bY broad longitudinal Yellow bands that maY be broken bY fuscositY extending across anterior tergites; pedipalp relativelY slender, male with femur L/ W 2.26, patella L/ W 2.12, chela L/ W 4.26; chela movable finger with 6 subrows of primarY denticles, 5 external accessorY denticles flanking proximal end of each subrow; dorsoexternal and ventroexternal carinae on pedipalp patella in male present; posterior margins of tergites with 2–3 pairs of macrosetae; pedipalps, legs, metasoma and telson with moderatelY short in male, not verY spiniform, and long, fine setae in females; male with sternites III–VI granulated locallY, sternite VII denselY granulated with 4 granulated carinae; sternite III with 10 macrosetae; metasoma I–III with median lateral carinae present; lateral surface of metasoma V in males granulated, with granules separated; soles of telotarsi with relativelY sparse setation, leg III of adults with 18–21 ventral macrosetae on telotarsus; pectine teeth: 19–20 in males.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult males 22 mm, female unknown; measurements of carapace, telson, segments of metasoma and pedipalps given in Table 1; positions and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps shown in Figs. 63– 67, 69–70 View Figures 63–75 ; trichobothrium d 2 present on pedipalp femur and patella; base color Yellow to light orange with variable fuscous pigmentation and extensive patterns of dark maculation on mesosoma, metasoma, partiallY on pedipalps and legs; chelicerae Yellow with dark reticulation on anterior manus, dentition reddish. Sexual dimorphism unknown.

Pedipalp ( Figs. 63–75 View Figures 63–75 ). Pedipalp mostlY sparselY hirsute; finelY granulated in males; femur with five conspicuouslY granulose carinae developed in male; patella with seven granulose carinae, well developed; chela movable finger with 6 subrows of primarY denticles, 5 external accessorY denticles flanking proximal end of each subrow.

Carapace ( Figs. 48, 50 View Figures 48–56 ). StronglY trapezoidal (narrower anteriorlY), wider than long (L/ W 0.90); posterior median postocular area flat, anterior median preocular area gentlY sloped downwards towards anterior margin; lateral flanks steeplY sloped; ocular tubercle broad, prominent, located slightlY anterior of carapace; anterior margin straight, finelY microdenticulate, with coarser granules overlapping edge, bearing 6 macrosetae; anterior median carinae present, coarselY granular, other carinae indistinct; dense granulation covering most of carapace.

Chelicera. Fingers with tYpical buthid dentition ( Vachon, 1963; Lowe & KovařÍk, 2016; KovařÍk et al., 2018); fixed finger with large distal denticle, 1 subdistal denticle and 2 basal denticles fused into bicusp, single denticle on ventral surface at level of bicusp; dorsal margin of movable finger with 5 denticles: 1 large distal denticle, medium-sized subdistal and medial, and 2 small, partiallY fused basal denticles; ventral margin with 2 denticles.

Mesosoma ( Figs. 48–51 View Figures 48–56 ). Tergites I–VI bear three carinae of which the lateral pair maY be less conspicuous mainlY on tergites I–IV; tergite VII bears five indicated carinae; tergites denselY granular, with coarser granules on posterior lateral areas; tergite; sternites III–VI granulated locallY, posterior margins of tergites with 2–3 pairs of macrosetae; sternite VII denselY granulated with 4 granulated carinae; sternite III with 10 macrosetae; sternum tYpe 1, triangular in shape, smooth, with deep posteromedian invagination; genital opercula smooth; genital papillae present; pectines extending to around end of sternite IV in males; pectine teeth 19–20 in males; combs with 3 marginal lamellae and 6 middle lamellae; marginal lamellae, middle lamellae and fulcra with dense cover of short dark reddish macrosetae; fulcra with 2–4 setae. Legs ( Figs. 52–55 View Figures 48–56 ). Coxa, femora, patella and tibia of all legs bearing variable numbers of short to medium length, straight, dark-reddish macrosetae; tarsi with mix of short and longer, dark-reddish macrosetae; basitarsi I–III slightlY compressed with flat retrolateral surfaces, with bristle combs consisting of retrosuperior series of longer macrosetae, plus retroinferior and proinferior series of shorter macrosetae; telotarsi with two rows of short macrosetae on ventral aspect, 18–21 macrosetae on telotarsus III; strong tibial spurs present on leg IV and reduced on leg. III.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 56–62 View Figures 48–56 View Figures 57–62 ). Metasoma and telson sparselY hirsute, macrosetae moderatelY short, not verY spiniform, and long in male; metasomal segments I–III with 10 carinae, IV with 8 carinae, V with 2 carinae; all carinae relativelY well developed; segment V with strong, granulate to dentate-lobate ventrolateral carinae; segments I–IV with dense granulation on all intercarinal surfaces; segment V denselY granular on lateral and ventral surfaces, more coarselY so on ventral surface; telson smooth, ventral surface sparselY, weaklY granular; vesicle slightlY elongated; aculeus stout, shorter than vesicle, tip of aculeus almost verticallY directed.

Measurements. See Table 1.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish N. opatovae sp. n. from all other species of the genus. TheY are confirmed bY DNA phYlogenY (paper in preparation) but we did not include it in the keY below because the female is unknown. The new species is most similar according to DNA analYsis to N. amoudensis , which has pedipalp chela movable finger with 6 subrows ( N. opatovae sp. n. has movable finger with 5 subrows of primarY denticles). TYpe localitY of N. opatovae sp. n. is relativelY near to localities of N. factorio and N. solegladi (see Fig. 160 View Figures 160–161 ). N. factorio has pedipalp chela movable finger with 6 subrows of primarY denticles and 5 external accessorY denticles versus 5 subrows of primarY denticles and 4 external accessorY denticles in N. opatovae sp. n. N. solegladi has leg III of adults with 9–13 ventral macrosetae on telotarsus ( N. opatovae sp. n. has leg III of adults with 18–21 ventral macrosetae on telotarsus).