Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789)

Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789) View in CoL

( Fig. 17, Tab. II-III)

Material examined (54 ex.)

- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Gréoux-les-Bains, VII/2002 (E. Ythier, C. Benros-Ythier, G. Roy, J.-M. Chambon, M. Boutin), 1 ♀, 4 juvenile ♂, 8 juvenile ♀, EYCP ( EY0011 ) .

- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Manosque, VII/2002 (E. Ythier, C. Benros-Ythier, G. Roy, J.-M. Chambon, M. Boutin), 1 ♀, EYCP ( EY0109 ) .

- Ardèche, Saint-Remèze, Les Costes, 26/IV/2004 (S. Rojkoff), 1 ♀, MHNL (47036304).

- Aude, Lapalme, Cap, 01/IV/1974 (N. Jean-Pierre), 1 ♀, MHNL (47023111).

- Bouches-du-Rhône, Marseille, ca. 1840-1860 (J. M. Perret / C. Jourdan), 2 ♀, 3 juvenile ♂, 5 juvenile ♀, MHNL (44000886).

- Bouches-du-Rhône, Fontvieille, 03/X/1949 (D. Jean), 1 ♀, MHNL (47023174).

- Bouches-du-Rhône , Aix-en-Provence, Col des Portes, ca. 1970-1980 (J.-B. Lacroix), 1 juvenile ♂, J.-B. Lacroix leg. (No. 283), 1993, EYCP ( EY0306 ) .

- Drôme, Saint-Restitut, 26/ VI /1974 (P. Grivot), 1 ♂, 2 ♀, 2 juvenile ♀, MHNL (47023129, 47023130, 47023133, 47023134, 47023135).

- Gard, Souvignargues, VII/2007 (E. Ythier), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 juvenile ♂, 1 juvenile ♀, EYCP ( EY005 ); 28/X/2022 (E. Ythier, C. Benros-Ythier, L. Ythier, L. Ythier), 4 ♂, 2 ♀, EYCP ( EY0388 ) .

- Hérault, location unknown, ca. 1930-1950 (G. Favarel), 1 ♀, C. Escudé leg., 06/ VI /2017, MHNL (47023162).

- Hérault, location unknown, ca. 1970-1980 (G. Chavanon), 1 juvenile ♀, G. Chavanon leg., 26/02/2004, MHNL (47036256).

- Var , Vidauban, Plaine des Maures, along D48, 25/VII/2011 (P. Escoubas), with collecting permit (Ministère de l’écologie SEEIDD-ERNR1-11-11-30334), 2 ♂, EYCP ( EY395 ), 3 ♀, EYCP ( EY0362 , EY0374 ) .

- Var, between Plan-d’Aups and Mazaugues, along D95, VI/ 2018 (L. Laborieux), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, EYCP ( EY0389 ) .

- Vaucluse, Gordes, Garrigue, 31/III/2002 (S. Rojkoff), 1 juvenile ♀, MHNL (47036320).

Diagnosis (emended). – Scorpion of medium to moderately large size for the genus, with a total length of 50- 70 mm. General coloration pale yellow to yellowish orange; carapace with ocular tubercle marked with dark pigments; tergites with dark spots on median carina forming a dark univittate pattern; metasoma and pedipalps yellowish with some carinae slightly infuscate; legs yellowish. Carinae and granulations moderately to strongly marked on carapace and tergites. Metasoma with carinae moderately marked; dorsal and dorsolateral weakly subcrenulate to crenulate on segments II-IV; ventral feebly raised distally on II-III, stronger in female; anal arc composed of two lateral lobes and 8-11 ventral teeth; intercarinal spaces minutely granular, especially dorsally and more densely on V. Pedipalps with carinae moderately marked and all faces weakly granular on femur and patella; chela with carinae vestigial, smooth; femur with some macrosetae which are mostly concentrated along ventrodistal edge, patella with a few macrosetae scattered all over. Leg tibial spurs strongly developed. Pectines with 31 -34 teeth in male, 25-30 in female. Sexual secondary dimorphism moderate in habitus with male more slender and smaller than same size-class female (54 -64 mm in male, 50 - 70 mm in female). Sexual secondary dimorphism conspicuous in pedipalps with chela manus slenderer in male (length/ width ratio 1.68-1.87, length/depth ratio 1.43- 1.61) than in female (length/width ratio 1.44 -1.66, length/depth ratio 1.22-1.43) and narrower than patella in male (manus/patella width ratio 0.87-0.99) while wider than patella in female (manus/patella width ratio 1.04-1.22). Chela fingers with lobe/notch combination obsolete; fingers long (movable fingers/manus length ratio 1.76-2.03 in male, 1.55-1.87 in female); fixed finger with 11 -13 rows of granules, movable finger with 12 -14 rows of granules. Sexual secondary dimorphism inconspicuous in metasoma (very similar in both sexes and with size and shape standard for the genus), conspicuous in telson with vesicle small and sub-globose in male, wider than deep (length/ width ratio 1.27 -1.39, length/depth ratio 1.37- 1.50, width/depth ratio 1.06-1.10), moderately globose in female, wider than deep (length/ width ratio 1.15 -1.22, length/depth ratio 1.29- 1.38, width/depth ratio 1.06-1.17). Metasomal segment I longer than wide in both sexes (length/width ratio 1.03- 1.13 in male, 1.02- 1.07 in female).

Distribution.

France. – Departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Ardèche, Aude, Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, Gard, Hérault, Var, Vaucluse. The species has been historically considered to be absent from the mountain range of the Parc Naturel Régional de la Sainte-Baume, where the new species was found ( Fig. 19 -20).

Spain. – Provinces of Navarra, Tarragona, Zagaroza.