Scorpio palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1828)

Scorpio palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1828) View in CoL

( Figures 215, 217, 219, 221 View Figures 215–222 , 223-288 View Figures 223–226 View Figures 227–234 View Figures 235–242 View Figures 243–254 View Figures 255–266 View Figures 267–272 View Figures 273–278 View Figures 279–286 View Figures 287–288 , 361, 367 View Figures 359–370 , 372 View Figures 372 ; Table 4) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:974207E9-

2461-49B3-BCE1-C7A4DB2A0B93

Buthus (Heterometrus) maurus palmatus : Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828: pl. I, fig. 1.

Heterometrus palmatus : Birula, 1898: 134–135.

Scorpio palmatus View in CoL : Birula, 1900: 13–14; Birula, 1908: 147– 148.

Scorpio maurus palmatus View in CoL : Birula, 1909: 517–518; Birula, 1910: 166–169, pl. XI, fig. 8; pl. XII, fig. 7; Fet, 2000: 478 (complete references list until 1999).

NEOTYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Egypt, Alexandria, Borg El Arab, Bahig, W of Bahig village , AZMM.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Egypt, no exact locality, “Provenance d’Egypte, 2013, Don. de Mr. J. Vanni ”, 10♂ 16♀ ( IRSNB) . Egypt, Alexandria, Borg El Arab, Bahig , W of Bahig village, 1♂ (neotype), 1 September 2001 ( AZMM /SCO-2001:1).

DIAGNOSIS. Medium sized species compared with its congeners. Adults are about 47.96-50.29 mm in males, and 46.52-49.63 mm in females. General coloration yellowish in males, slightly darker in females. Carapace is slightly longer than wide; almost upright trapezoid in shape. Carapace anterior margin distinctly bilobed with a deep median indentation. Carapace lacks carinae, only posteriomedian carinae slightly visible. Smooth around median eyes and anterior region of carapace, rest of carapace shagreened, laterals with small scattered granules in females. Median ocular tubercle not distinct and located in the center of the carapace. Tergites I–VII acarinate. Tergites I–VII matt and shagreened in males; smooth and, lustrous in females. Sternite VII granular between lateral carinae with four granular carinae, granules fused. Pectines short; teeth numbers 10–13 in males; and 8–12 in females (Talal et al., 2015); with three marginal and three or four median lamellae. Metasoma I with 10, II–IV with 8, and V with 5 carinae. Ventromedian carina of metasoma V moderate with large, spinoid and pointed granules; ventrolateral carinae strong and serrated with spaced large and pointed granules, gradually increase posteriorly, continues in lateral of anal arch. Vesicle globular and smooth; granulated ventrally with spinoid granules in both sexes. The external surface of chela manus with very large and flattened granules, more distinct and rounded on anterior area, posterior part nearly smooth. Internal surface of chela manus smooth with moderate pointed granules on anterior area. Chela manus flattened, slightly longer than wide. Chela fingers are relatively short without granules, slightly longer in females. Fixed and movable fingers with 4–5 strong accessory denticles. Intercarinal surface with few setae on manus, but fingers with more dense setae. Trichobothriotaxy of type C; orthobothriotaxic (Vachon, 1974).

DESCRIPTION (♂, unless otherwise specified). Coloration ( Figs. 223–226 View Figures 223–226 ). General coloration yellowish. Carapace yellow and reticulated with light reddish yellow patches in males; light reddish yellow, medially reticular. Tergites I–VII light brownish yellow and reticulated with yellow patches medially, lustrous in females. Coxae and sternum yellow. Genital operculum and pectines lustrous and light yellow. Sternites III–VII shiny light yellowish. Pedipalp femur and patella dark reddish brown with blackish reticulations. Chela manus yellow with lateral surface with very light reddish yellow reticulation and granules light reddish yellow in males, slightly darker in females. Fingers yellow in males and yellowish red in females; dental margin and condyles dark reddish in both sexes. Metasoma I–IV uniformly yellow, V light brownish yellow in males; metasoma I–III uniformly dark yellow, IV yellowish brown, segment V brownish in females. Telson yellow in males, slightly darker in females, aculeus reddish at the base and black at the tip. Legs: Tarsi, basitarsus and pretarsus yellow, femur and tibia lustrous and dark yellow. Spinules and condyles reddish brown. Chelicera manus dark yellow with reticulations anteriorly. Chelicera fingers yellow, tips of fingers and teeth reddish.

Carapace ( Figs. 235–242 View Figures 235–242 ). Carapace is slightly longer than its wide; almost upright trapezoid in shape. Carapace anterior margin distinctly bilobed with 10 medium or large setae and a deep median indentation. Carapace lacks carinae, only posteriomedian carinae slightly visible. Carapace shagreened but a triangular region between median eyes and anterior margin smooth, anterior of carapace and along anteriomedian furrow with moderately dense small granules in males, carapace smooth and lustrous with small granules laterally in females. Median ocular tubercle not distinct and located in the center of the carapace. A pair of median eyes and three pairs of lateral eyes exist; the third located separately and slightly smaller. The anteromedian furrow is narrow and shallow, and more distinct in males. The posteromedian furrow is wide and bifurcated as an inverted T-shaped at posterior edge, and located in arrow-shaped depressions between posteriomedian carinae and posterior margin. Posterior lateral furrows wide and distinct. A few setae exist on the anterior area of carapace. Chelicerae ( Figs. 227–234 View Figures 227–234 ). Cheliceral dentition characteristic for the family of Scorpionidae (Vachon, 1963) ; subdistal tooth and basal teeth conspicuous rather than on the movable finger. No longitudinal ridges present anteriorly.

Mesosoma ( Figs. 227–234 View Figures 227–234 ). Tergites I–VII acarinate. Tergites I–VII matt and shagreened, tergite VII with scattered medium sized granules in males, while tergites I–VII smooth, lustrous, tergite VII covered with modereately medium sized flattened granules in females. Sternites III–VI smooth and wrinkled with scattered setae in males; smooth and lustrous with scattered setae in females. Sternite VII granular between lateral carinae with four granular carinae, granules fused. Genital operculum ovoid, a small posterior indentation exists in males, while cordate; anterior margin slightly convex; posterior area slightly elongated, and a small posterior indentation exist in females. Pectines short: teeth numbers 10–12 in males and 8–11 in females; three marginal and three to four median lamellae. Stigmas linear, angled 45° and conspicuous.

Metasoma and telson ( Figs. 267–286 View Figures 267–272 View Figures 273–278 View Figures 279–286 ). Metasoma I slightly wider than long, II–V longer than wide. Metasoma I with 10, II–IV with 8, and V with 5 carinae. Lateral inframedian carinae on segment I indistinct, composed by a few spaced rounded granules anteriorly. Ventral submedian carinae and ventrolateral carinae strong with moderate, rounded and fused granules on segments I–II, strong and obsolete granules on segments III–IV. Dorsolateral carinae strong and crenulated with small, spaced granules on segments I–IV. Lateral supramedian carinae strong, and obsolete on segments I–IV. Intercarinal area smooth, covered with moderately medium and small sized granules in males, while smooth at ventral and lateral surfaces on segments I–IV in females, 3–4 small granules exist between ventral submedian carinae on segment I; dorsal surfaces on segments I–V shagreened in males, nearly smooth in females. Segment V: Ventromedian carina moderate with large, spinoid and pointed granules; ventrolateral carinae strong and serrated with spaced large and conical granules, gradually increase posteriorly, continues in lateral of anal arch; dorsolateral carinae moderate and rounded with moderate granules; segment V with a row of granules laterally at posterior half. Lateral surfaces shagreened in males, smooth with a few flattened granules in females. Ventral surface densely covered with large granules. Dorsal surface shagreened in males, nearly smooth in females. Ventral of anal arch serrated with pointed denticles. Ventral and lateral surfaces covered with moderately variable sized setae in segments I-V. Vesicle globular and smooth; granulated ventrally with spinoid granules in both sexes. Vesicle with numerous macrosetae reaching the base of aculeus. Aculeus strongly curved and shorter than vesicle.

Pedipalp ( Figs. 243–266 View Figures 243–254 View Figures 255–266 ). Pedipalp femur with three carinae; dorsointernal and ventrointernal carinae moderate with spaced rounded granules; dorsoexternal carinae strong with separated, large and rounded granules. Intercarinal area shagreened with moderate sized granules dorsally and shagreened ventrally. Intercarinal surface with a few distinct setae. Patella with two carinae; dorsomedian carina strong with so flattened and fused granules; ventrointernal carinae obsolete without granules. Intercarinal area of dorsal, ventral and external surfaces smooth and lustrous, external surface with moderate flattened granules; internal surface shagreened. Intercarinal surface with a few distinct setae. The external surface of chela manus with very large and very flattened granules, more distinct and rounded on anterior area, posterior part nearly smooth. Posterior margin of external surface with a few large, rounded granules. Internal surface of chela manus smooth with moderate pointed granules on anterior area. Ventroexternal carina strong, obsolete without granules; ventrointernal carina smooth, rounded without granules. Digital and external secondary carinae not distinct; granules larger anteriorly; the granules seperated in males, fused in females; and become denser anteriorly. Chela manus flattened, slightly longer than wide. Chela fingers are relatively short without granules, slightly longer in females. Fixed and movable fingers with 4–5 strong accessory denticles. Intercarinal surface with few distinct setae in manus, but fingers with more dense setae. Trichobothriotaxy of type C; orthobothriotaxic (Vachon, 1974).

Legs ( Fig. 287–288 View Figures 287–288 ). Coxa and trochanters smooth. Tarsi of right legs I to IV with 4-5/7-8–4-6/7-9–5-6/8-10–5-7/8-10 internal and external spines arranged in series. Basitarsus of legs I with 2–3 retrolateral spines (generally with 2 spines) and on legs II with 3-4 retrolateral spines (generally with 3 spines). Measurements. See Table 4.

COMMENTS. Braunwalder & Fet (1998: 32) noted that type specimens of Buthus (Heterometrus) palmatus are unknown. Hemprich & Ehrenberg (1828) originally assigned to this taxon specimens from a very wide range they outlined as “Libyan desert (? Egypt), Egypt (Alexandria, Sinai), Lebanon (mountains), Arabia, Syria.” For the purposes of taxonomic stability, we designate here a neotype from Alexandria, Egypt .