Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) piceus, Lourenço & Ythier, 2022

Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) piceus View in CoL sp. n.

( Fig. 1 -13 View Fig View Fig View Fig )

ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/ DE68FBB1-0CE8-4B82-BE5C-658C12F40944

Holotype, ♀, Laos, KhammouaneProvince , near TranCave , 17°27.220’N - 105°00.225’E, original forest on cliff, II/2016 (V. Q. Luu). GoogleMaps

Paratype, 1 juvenile ♂, Laos, Khammouane Province, Ban Phondon , secondary forest, 20/II/1998 (L. Deharveng & A. Bedos) .

Holotype and paratype collected together with Lychas aberlenci Lourenço, 2013 . Type material will be deposited in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France.

Etymology. – The specific name makes reference to the very dark, almost blackish pigmentation of the new species.

Diagnosis. – The new species exhibits the general characteristics of the genus Scorpiops , subgenus Euscorpiops (Vachon, 1980; Soleglad & Sissom, 2001). The female holotype measures 62.6 mm in total length, defining the new species as large in relation to other species of the genus. General coloration very dark grey to blackish, recalling Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) alexandreanneorum Lourenço, 2013 . Body rather bulk; pedipalps very strong and elongate. Internal aspect of patella with two strong spinoid tubercles, the ventral larger than the dorsal; one supplementary conspicuous granule is observed distally. Trichobothrial pattern with three trichobothria on femur: dorsal, internal and external. Patella with 2 dorsal, 1 internal, 13(12) ventral and 18(19) external trichobothria. Chela manus with 4 ventral, 2 dorsal (Dt, Db), 2 internal (ib, it), 1 Est, 5 Et, 1 Esb and 3 trichobothria in the Eb series. Trichobothrium Eb 3 is distal in relation to Eb 2 (Vachon, 1974, 1980).

Description (based on female holotype).

Coloration. –Basically very dark grey to blackish. Carapace blackish. Tergites equally blackish with inconspicuous reddish-brown spots. Metasomal segments blackish; telson blackish; base of aculeus slightly yellow with tip reddish. Chelicerae dark brown to brownish-yellow with conspicuous variegated spots; fingers blackish with reddish teeth. Pedipalps dark grey to blackish. Legs dark grey to blackish. Venter, coxapophysis and sternum brownish; sternites, genital operculum and pectines brownish-yellow.

Morphology. – Carapace strongly granular; furrows moderately deep. Median eyes anterior to the centre of the carapace; three pairs of lateral eyes, the third pair only slightly smaller than the first two. Sternum pentagonal, slightly longer than wide. Tergites moderately to strongly granular; VII with five carinae, strongly marked. Pectines rather small; pectinal tooth count 6-6 (female), 8-8 (male); fulcra absent. Sternites almost smooth and punctate; sternite VII with four weakly marked carinae and some granulations. Metasomal segments I to V with 10-8-8-8-7 carinae; dorsal carinae on segments II to IV with a stronger posterior spinoid granule; metasomal tegument weakly granulated; ventral carina on segment V without spinoid granules. Telson vesicle smooth, without granulations; annular ring conspicuous. Setation weak on metasomal segments and telson. Pedipalps: femur with dorsal internal, dorsal external, ventral internal and ventral external carinae strongly marked; tegument moderately granular. Patella with dorsal internal, dorsal external, ventral internal, ventral external and external carinae strongly marked; two strongly marked spinoid granules present on internal aspect, ventral bigger than dorsal; tegument moderately granular. Chela with dorsal marginal, external secondary, ventral internal and ventral carinae strongly marked; other carinae moderate; tegument globally granulated. Chela fingers with two longitudinal series of granules, almost fused in a single one and with a few inner and outer accessory granules. Cheliceral dentition as defined for the family (Vachon, 1963); 4-5 teeth on ventro-internal face of movable finger. Trichobothriotaxy type C, as shown in Fig. 7-13 View Fig (Vachon, 1974, 1980: see diagnosis for additional details).

Morphometric values (mm) (femelle holotype).

– Total length (including the telson): 62.6.

– Carapace

length 9.8;

anterior width 6.3;

posterior width 10.6.

– Mesosoma : length: 23.6.

– Metasomal segments

I: length 3.0, width 3.4;

II: length 3.2, width 2.9;

III: length 3.6, width 2.6;

IV: length 4.4, width 2.4;

V: length, 6.9, width 2.4, depth 2.2.

– Telson: length 8.1;

– Vesicle: width 2.3, depth 2.2.

– Pedipalp

femur length 11.1,width 3.8; patella length 10.1, width 3.9; chela length 21.6, width 5.2, depth 4.4.

– Movable finger: length 10.2.

Relationships. – The new species can be clearly separated from the other species of Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) described from Laos and Vietnam by the following main features:

- S. (Euscorpiops) dakrong (Lourenço & Pham, 2014) ( Vietnam) (i) much paler coloration pattern;

(ii) much smaller size (26-27 mm);

(iii) 9 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12-13 in the new species; (iv)17 external trichobothria on patella vs 18-19 in the new species;

1 cm 3 4

- S. (Euscorpiops) sejnai (Kovařík, 2000) View in CoL ( Vietnam)

(i) smaller size (32- 43 mm);

(ii) granulation of carapace very fine (strongly granular in the new species);

(iii) 9 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12- 13 in the new species;

- S. (Euscorpiops) kaftani (Kovařík, 1993) ( Vietnam)

(i) smaller size (31 - 52 mm);

(ii) paler coloration pattern;

(iii) chela movable finger with 6 inner accessory granules (4 -5 in the new species);

(iv) different morphometric values of female telson with length/depth ratio 3.4 (3.7 in the new species);

- S. (Euscorpiops) alexandreanneorum Lourenço, 2013 ( Laos) (i) dark coloration pattern but more reddish;

(ii) smaller size (38 mm);

(iii) 14 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12 - 13 in the new species;

(iv) 21 external trichobothria on patella vs 18 - 19 in the new species;

- S. (Euscorpiops) kubani (Kovařík, 2004) ( Laos, China)

(i) smaller size (39- 50 mm);

(ii) 9- 10 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12-13 in the new species;

- S. (Euscorpiops) solegladi Kovařík, Lowe, Stockmann & Št’áhlavský, 2020 ( Vietnam)

(i) paler coloration pattern;

(ii) much smaller size (32 - 35 mm);

(iii)10-11 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12 -13 in the new species;

- S. (Euscorpiops) thaomischorum (Kovařík, 2012) ( Vietnam) (i) paler coloration pattern;

(ii) markedly different morphometric values of pedipalps notably female chela length/width ratio (3.3- 3.5 vs 4.2 in the new species);

- S. (Euscorpiops) cavernicola (Lourenço & Pham, 2013) ( Vietnam) (i) much paler coloration pattern;

(ii) smaller size (42 -43 mm);

(iii) fulcra reduced (absent in the new species);

(iv)15- 17external trichobothria on patella vs 18-19 in the new species.

Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) piceus sp. n. can also be clearly separated from the other species of Scorpiops (Scorpiops) and Scorpiops (Alloscorpiops) described from Laos and Vietnam by the following main features:

- S. (Scorpiops) oligotrichus Fage, 1933 ( Laos)

(i) paler coloration pattern;

(ii) smaller size (32 - 50 mm);

(iii) 9 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12-13 in the new species;

(iv)17 external trichobothria on patella vs 18-19 in the new species;

- S. (Scorpiops) pakseensis Kovařík, Lowe, Stockmann , Št’áhlavský, 2020 ( Laos)

(i) paler coloration pattern, especially on legs and telson;

(ii) much smaller size (34 -41 mm);

(iii) 9 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12-13 in the new species;

- S. (Scorpiops) farkaci Kovařík, 1993 ( Vietnam, Thailand)

(i) paler coloration pattern;

(ii) much smaller size (25- 33 mm);

(iii) 9 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12- 13 in the new species; (iv) 17 external trichobothria on patella vs 18 -19 in the new species;

- S. (Alloscorpiops) wongpromi (Kovařík, Soleglad & Kosulic, 2013) ( Laos, Thailand)

(i) fulcra reduced (absent in the new species);

(ii) 11- 12 ventral trichobothria on chela vs 4 in the new species;

(iii)21 -22 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12-13 in the new species;

(iv)33- 41 external trichobothria on patella vs 18 - 19 in the new species;

- S. (Alloscorpiops) calmonti (Lourenço, 2013) ( Laos)

(i) paler coloration pattern;

(ii) 13- 14 ventral trichobothria on chela vs 4 in the new species;

(iii)18 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12 -13 in the new species;

(iv)30 external trichobothria on patella vs 18- 19 in the new species;

- S. (Alloscorpiops) troglodytes (Lourenço & Pham, 2015) ( Vietnam)

(i) much paler coloration pattern;

(ii) 9 ventral trichobothria on chela vs 4 in the new species;

(iii)14 ventral trichobothria on patella vs 12 -13 in the new species;

(iv) 21 external trichobothria on patella vs 18 -19 in the new species.

Ecological notes on the Khammouane Province and region nearby Tran Cave

The zone where most caves are located in Khammouane Province is placed in the Northern Annamite ecoregion (Mouret, 2001; Lourenço, 2007). The area exhibits a mosaic of semi-evergreen and mixed deciduous forests ( Fig. 15 View Fig ), whilst pockets of closed canopy evergreen forest are found within the karstic zones. Further, there are areas of secondary forest, shifting cultivation and bamboo forest. Due to difficult access, much of the forest from the area is free from extensive exploitation, with the exception of areas near roads and villages. Frequently, the vegetation types are divided in upper and lower varieties; in this case the region of Tran Cave would be defined in the lower section since the location is lower than 200 m. In fact, very close to Tran Cave there is now a National Road N12 connecting Laos to Vietnam, which leaves little space for remaining primary forests. Only the karst towers and cliffs are yet covered with dark green vegetation; in fact these limestone towers have their own characteristic vegetation ( Fig. 16 View Fig ).