Neobuthus verae, Euscorpius & No., 2024

Neobuthus verae sp. n.

( Figs. 122–143 View Figures 122–123 View Figures 124–125 View Figures 126–131 View Figures 132–143 , 160 View Figures 160–161 , Table 2) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B3A2ED0B-

524B-4BAC-A56E-FD908D93546A

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Somaliland , Sool Region, E of Las Anod, 8.530814° N 47.420496° E, 623 m a. s. l. , FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Somaliland , Sool Region, E of Las Anod, 8.530814° N 47.420496° E, 623 m a. s. l., (LocalitY No. 21SC, fig. 59 in KovařÍk et al., 2024: 15), 8.X.2021, 1♀ (holotYpe, DNA No. 2133), leg. F. KovařÍk.

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 first name, Vera.

DIAGNOSIS (♀). Total length of female 30 mm, male unknown; carapace with area between anterior median carinae smooth, orange to partiallY 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, female with femur L/ W 1.92, patella L/ W 2.00, chela L/ W 3.77; chela movable finger with 4 complete subrows of primarY denticles and 5 external accessorY denticles flanking proximal end of each subrow; fixed finger with 3 subrows of primarY denticles; dorsoexternal carina on pedipalp patella in female absent to weaklY indicated, ventroexternal carina absent; posterior margins of tergites without macrosetae; pedipalps, legs, metasoma and telson with long, fine setae in female; female with sternites III–VII smooth without carinae; metasoma I–III with median lateral carinae indicated; lateral surfaces of metasoma I–IV denselY granulated; tarsi with relativelY sparse setation, leg III of adult female with ca 18 ventral macrosetae on telotarsus; pectine teeth 14 in female.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adult female 30 mm, male unknown; measurements of carapace, telson, segments of metasoma and pedipalps given in Table 1; positions and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps shown in Figs. 133– 136, 138–139 View Figures 132–143 ; trichobothrium d 2 present on pedipalp femur and patella; base color Yellow to light orange with variable fuscous pigmentation and reduced patterns of dark maculation on mesosoma, metasoma, pedipalps and legs; chelicerae Yellow with dark reticulation on anterior manus, dentition reddish. Sexual dimorphism: unknown.

Pedipalp ( Figs. 132–142 View Figures 132–143 ). Pedipalp mostlY sparselY hirsute; smooth in female; femur with five incomplete carinae,; patella and chela with carinae absent to weaklY indicated; chela movable finger with 4 complete subrows of primarY denticles and 5 external accessorY denticles flanking proximal end of each subrow; fixed finger with 3 subrows of primarY denticles flanking proximal end of each subrow.

Carapace ( Figs. 124 View Figures 124–125 , 126 View Figures 126–131 ). StronglY trapezoidal (narrower anteriorlY), wider than long (L/ W 0.86); 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 almost straight, finelY microdenticulate, with granules overlapping edge, bearing 6 macrosetae; anterior median carinae present, 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. 122–127 View Figures 122–123 View Figures 124–125 View Figures 126–131 ). Tergites I–VI bear three carinae of which the lateral pair maY be less conspicuous mainlY on tergites I–IV; tergite VII bears five not well-defined carinae (median, submedians and laterals); tergites I–VI granular mainlY on posterior part; tergite VII finelY granular; sternites III–VII smooth without carinae; sternite III with ca 18 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 III in female; pectine teeth 14 in female; combs with 3 marginal lamellae and 7–8 middle lamellae; marginal lamellae, middle lamellae and fulcra with dense cover of short dark reddish macrosetae; fulcra with 2–4 setae.

Legs. 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; telotarsi with two rows of short macrosetae on ventral aspect, 12 macrosetae on telotarsus III; tibial spurs reduced on legs III and IV.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 128–131 View Figures 126–131 ). Metasoma and telson sparselY hirsute, long, fine setae in female; metasomal segments I–III with 8–10 carinae (median lateral carinae indicated), IV with 8 carinae, V with 2 carinae; carinae relativelY well developed; segment V with strong, granulate to dentate-lobate ventrolateral carinae; segments I–V with dense granulation on all intercarinal surfaces except dorsal surfaces which are smooth in female; ventromedial carinae on metasoma II–III lobate; telson smooth; vesicle elongated; aculeus stout, shorter than vesicle, tip of aculeus almost verticallY directed.

Measurements. See Table 2.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish N. verae sp. n. from all other species of the genus. TheY are recounted in the keY below, the new species is most similar to N. berberensis , above all, in the light coloring, which distinguishes these two species from other species of the genus. N. verae sp. n., however, has an unique pedipalp fingers dentation. Pedipalp chela movable finger with 4 complete subrows of primarY denticles and 5 external accessorY denticles; fixed finger with 3 subrows of primarY denticles ( Figs 141–142 View Figures 132–143 ) while N. berberensis has chela movable finger with 5–6 subrows of primarY denticles and 3–5 external accessorY denticles.