Buthus balmensis, Ythier & Laborieux, 2022

Buthus balmensis View in CoL sp. n.

( Fig. 1 -16, Tab. I-III)

ZooBank: http://zoobank.org/ 3C1127BC-9D51-463D-80DE-4781BB072588

Holotype, ♂, France, Var , Sainte-Baume Massif, on the mountain crest, 1000 m a.s.l., 17/VI/2022 (L. Laborieux), deposited in the MNHN.

Paratypes, 2 ♀, France, Var , Sainte-Baume Massif, on the mountain crest, 1000 m a.s.l., 17/ VI /2022 (L. Laborieux), deposited in the MNHN and EYCP ( EY0390 ) .

Etymology. – The specific epithet refers to the Sainte-Baume Massif (owing its name to the cave - from the Gallic “balma” - of Sainte Marie-Madeleine), where the new species occurs.

Diagnosis. – Scorpion of moderately large size for the genus, with a total length of 68- 73 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 moderately to strongly marked on carapace and tergites. Granulations moderately marked on carapace and on lateral sides of tergites I-VI, the central areabetweenlateralcarinae almostsmooth; tergiteVII entirely smooth. Sternites smooth. Metasoma with carinae moderately marked; dorsal and dorsolateral vestigially to weakly subcrenulate on segments II-IV; ventral feebly raised distally onII-III, stronger in female; intermediate carinae complete on segment I, present on distal half of II, on distal third on III, absent on IV-V; anal arc composed of two lateral lobes and 10 ventral teeth; intercarinal spaces minutely granular on segment V, especially dorsally; other segments smooth. Pedipalps with carinae moderately marked and all faces weakly granular on femur and patella;chela with carinaevestigial, smooth;femurwithsomemacrosetae which are mostly concentrated along ventrodistal edge, patella with a few macrosetae scattered all over. Leg tibial spurs strongly developed. Pectines with 32 teeth in male, 26-29 in female. Sexual secondary dimorphism moderate in habitus with male moreslender andslightlysmallerthan female(67mm inmale, 71- 72 mm in female). Sexual secondary dimorphism conspicuousin pedipalps with chela manus slenderer in male (length/width ratio 1.52, length/depth ratio 1.37) than in female (length/width ratio1.40 -1.46, length/depthratio 1.26 -1.28) and slightly wider than patella in male (manus/patella width ratio 1.07) while wider than patella infemale (manus/patellawidthratio 1.16 -1.23). Chela fingers withlobe/ notch combination obsolete; fingers long, slightly longer in male (movable fingers/manuslengthratio2.00)thaninfemale (1.77- 1.86); fixedfinger with 12 rows of granules, movable finger with 13 rows of granules. Sexual secondary dimorphism moderate in metasoma (size and shape standard for the genusbut longer and heavier in male) and in telson with vesicle slightly less globose in male (length/width ratio 1.42, length/depth ratio 1.46, width/depth ratio 1.03) than in female (length/width ratio 1.14 -1.18, length/depth ratio 1.24 -1.29, width/depth ratio 1.05-1.13). Metasomal segment I as wide as long in male (length/width ratio 1.00), longer than wide in female (length/width ratio 1.06- 1.08).

Description (based on male holotype and female paratypes. Measurements in Table I).

Coloration. – Basically pale yellow to yellowish orange. Prosoma: carapace yellowish with median and lateral ocular tubercles marked with dark pigments; carinae slightly infuscate. Mesosoma yellowish with conspicuous dark spots on median carina forming a dark univittate pattern. Metasomal segments yellowish with some carinae slightly infuscate; telson vesicle yellowish, aculeus yellowish orange at its base and blackish at its extremity. Venter yellowish; genital operculum and pectines paler than the other zones. Chelicerae yellowish; fingers yellowish with dark red teeth. Pedipalps yellowish without spots; fingers with the oblique rows of granules dark red. Legs yellowish.

Morphology. – Carapace moderately granular; anterior margin with a weak concavity. Carinae moderately to strongly marked; anterior median, central median and posterior median carinae strongly granular, with ‘lyre’ configuration. Furrows deep. Median ocular tubercle located in the centre of the carapace; eyes separated by about two ocular diameters; three pairs of lateral eyes of moderate size in relation to median eyes. Sternum triangular, weakly narrowed, slightly wider than long. Mesosoma: three longitudinal carinae moderately to strongly crenulate in all tergites; lateral carinae reduced in tergites I and II; tergite VII pentacarinate. Tergites I-VI moderately granular on lateral sides; the central area between lateral carinae almost smooth; tergite VII entirely smooth. Venter: genital operculum divided longitudinally, each plate with a semi-oval shape. Pectines: pectinal tooth count 32 - 32 in male holotype and 26 to 29 in females paratypes; middle basal lamella of the pectines not dilated. Sternites without granules, smooth with elongated spiracles; four moderate carinae on sternite VII; four weak on posterior half of VI; other sternites acarinated and with two vestigial furrows. Metasomal segments with a weak setation; segment I with ten complete carinae, II-IV with eight, V with five; intermediate carinae complete on segment I, present on distal half of II, on distal third on III, absent on IV-V; dorsal and dorsolateral carinae vestigially to weakly subcrenulate on segments II-IV; ventral carinae moderately marked and feebly raised distally on II-

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5 - 6. Right pedipalp patella and chela, dorsal aspect, showing the trichobothrial pattern. 5. ♂ holotype. 6. ♀ paratype. 7 - 8. Right pedipalp patella, external aspect, showing the trichobothrial pattern. 7. ♂ holotype. 8. ♀ paratype.

9 - 10. Metasomal segment I, dorsal aspect. 9. ♂ holotype. 10. ♀ paratype.

11 -12. Metasomal segment V and telson, lateral aspect. 11. ♂ holotype . 12. ♀ paratype.

III, stronger in female; segment V with ventrolateral carinae crenulate with 2- 3 lobate denticles posteriorly; ventral median carina divided posteriorly, over 1/3 of the total length; anal arc composed of 10 ventral teeth and two lateral lobes. Intercarinal spaces minutely granular on segment V, especially dorsally; other segments smooth. Metasoma size and shape standard for the genus but longer and heavier in male than in female. Metasomal segment I as wide as long in male (length/width ratio 1.00), longer than wide in female (length/ width ratio 1.06 -1.08). Telson with some vestigial granulations ventrally; aculeus curved and shorter than the vesicle (aculeus/vesicle ratio 0.67 in male, 0.75-0.83 in female), without a subaculear tubercle; telson with vesicle slightly less globose in male (length/width ratio 1.42, length/depth ratio 1.46, width/depth ratio 1.03) than in female (length/width ratio 1.14- 1.18, length/depth ratio 1.24- 1.29, width/ depth ratio 1.05 -1.13). Cheliceral dentition as defined by Vachon (1963) for the family Buthidae ; external distal and internal distal teeth approximately the same length; basal teeth on movable finger small and not fused; ventral aspect of both fingers and manus covered with long dense setae. Pedipalps with a weak setation, femur with some macrosetae which are mostly concentrated along ventrodistal edge, patella with a few macrosetae scattered all over; femur pentacarinate; patella with 8 carinae moderately to strongly marked, internal with 9 -10 spinoid granules, all faces weakly granular; chela with vestigial carinae, almost smooth; chela manus slenderer in male (length/width ratio 1.52, length/depth ratio 1.37) than in female (length/width ratio 1.40 -1.46, length/depth ratio 1.26-1.28) and slightly wider than patella in male (manus/patella width ratio 1.07) while wider than patella in female (manus/patella width ratio 1.16- 1.23); fingers with lobe/notch combination obsolete; fingers long, slightly longer in male (movable fingers/manus length ratio 2.00) than in female (1.77 -1.86); fixed finger with 12 rows of granules, movable finger with 13 rows of granules; internal and external accessory granules present, stronger than principal granules; three accessory granules on the distal end of the movable finger next to the terminal denticle. Legs: tibial spurs strong on legs III and IV; pedal spurs strong on legs I to IV. Trichobothriotaxy: trichobothrial pattern of Type A, orthobothriotaxic as defined by Vachon (1974). Dorsal trichobothria of femur arranged in β (beta) configuration (Vachon, 1975).

Distribution. – Only known from the type locality, on the mountain crest (1000 m a.s.l.) of the Sainte-Baume Massif, Var, France ( Fig. 19 -26).

Comparisons. – Buthus balmensis sp. n. shows affinities with B. pyrenaeus (most similar species) and B. occitanus in respect to four key characters: general coloration yellowish with a dark univittate pattern along tergites, pedipalp chela narrower in males than females, pedipalp fingers with lob/notch combination obsolete and metasomal segments with ventral carinae feebly raised distally on II-III.

Adults of these two species can however be easily distinguished from B. balmensis sp. n. notably by the following main features:

- B. pyrenaeus

(i) size slightly smaller in female with a total length of 60-66 mm (72-73 mm in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(ii) male slightly larger than female (slightly smaller in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(iii) granulations moderately to strongly marked on carapace (moderate only in B. balmensis sp. n.)andtergites (in B.balmensis sp. n., tergites I-VI moderately granular on lateral sides only, the central area between lateral carinae almost smooth and tergite VII entirely smooth);

(iv) male pedipalp chela manus wider with length/width ratio 1.42 (1.52 in B. balmensis sp. n.) and less deep with length/depth ratio 1.42 (1.37 in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(v) fingers shorter (movable fingers/manus length ratio 1.91 in male, 1.64-1.75 in female) than in B. balmensis sp. n. (2.00 in male, 1.77 -1.86 in female);

(vi) metasomal intercarinal spaces minutely granular, especially dorsally and more densely on V (in B. balmensis sp. n., intercarinal spaces minutely granular on segment V only, especially dorsally; all other segments smooth);

(vii) metasomal intermediate carinae present on distal half of segments II-III (present on distal third in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(viii) metasomal segment I wider than long to as wide as long in female with length/width ratio 0.97- 1.00 (longer than wide in B. balmensis sp. n. with length/widthratio 1.06- 1.08) and longer than wide in male with length/width ratio 1.12 (as wide as long in B. balmensis sp. n. with length/width ratio 1.00);

(ix) male metasomal segment V narrower with length/width ratio 2.24 (2.14 in B. balmensis sp. n.) and telson vesicle deeper than wide with width/depth ratio 0.95 (wider than deep in B. balmensis sp. n. with width/depth ratio 1.03);

(x) several other distinct morphometric values (Tab. II-III).

It is interesting to notice a convergence in several key characters between both species, like e.g. the swollen pedipalp chela manus (wider than patella in both sexes) or the male metasoma longer and heavier than in female, which might be related to similarities between their habitats, e.g. the high altitude (between 500- 1000 m a.s.l. for B. pyrenaeus and 1000 m a.s.l. for B. balmensis sp. n.), in comparison with B. occitanus , occurring under 500 m a.s.l.

- B. occitanus

(i) size slightly smaller with 54 -64 mm in male (68 mm in B. balmensis sp. n.) and 50 -70 mm in female (72- 73 mm in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(ii) granulations moderately to strongly marked on carapace (moderate only in B. balmensis sp. n.) and tergites (in B. balmensis sp. n., tergites I-VI moderately granular on lateral sides only, the central area between lateral carinae almost smooth and tergite VII entirely smooth);

(iii) sternites with minute granulations laterally and on anterior half centrally (entirely smooth in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(iv) male pedipalp chela manus slenderer with length/width ratio 1.68-1.87 (1.52 in B. balmensis sp. n.) and length/depth ratio 1.43-1.61 (1.37 in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(v) male pedipalp chela manus narrower than patella, with manus/ patella width ratio 0.87-0.99 (slightly wider than patella in B. balmensis sp. n. with manus/patella width ratio 1.07);

(vi) metasoma very similar in both sexes (male metasoma longer and heavier than female in B. balmensis sp. n.) with intercarinal spaces minutely granular, especially dorsally and more densely on V (in B. balmensis sp. n., intercarinal spaces minutely granular on segment V only, especially dorsally; all other segments smooth);

(vii) metasoma with intermediate carinae present on distal half of segments II-III (present on distal third in B. balmensis sp. n.) and with dorsal and dorsolateral carinae weakly subcrenulate to crenulate on segments II-IV (vestigially to weakly subcrenulate in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(viii) male metasomal segment I longer than wide with length/width ratio 1.03-1.13 (as wide as long in B. balmensis sp. n. with length/width ratio 1.00);

(ix) male metasomal segment V narrower with length/width ratio 2.21-2.30 (2.14 in B. balmensis sp. n.);

(x) several other distinct morphometric values (Tab. II-III).

As already mentioned (Ythier, 2021), all specimens of B. occitanus from the 13 different localities studied ( Fig. 19-20, including type locality and locality nearby the Sainte-Baume Massif) showed a remarkable homogeneity in morphology in both sexes.