﻿Scorpiopslourencoi sp. nov., the revalidation of Scorpiopsatomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005, and the redescription of Scorpiopstibetanus Hirst, 1911 (Scorpiones, Scorpiopidae) from China

﻿Abstract Scorpiopslourencoisp. nov. is described from Shigatse, Xizang. Scorpiopsatomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005 and Scorpiopspococki Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005 were synonymized by Kovařík et al. (2020) as two junior synonyms of Scorpiopstibetanus Hirst, 1911 but based on several field surveys in Xizang in recent years, and a careful survey of the literature, S.atomatus is reaffirmed as a valid species and S.tibetanus is redescribed, both based on newly collected specimens. This brings the total number of species of Scorpiops recorded in China to 32.

Illustrations and measurements were produced using a Leica M205 stereomicroscope. The photographs were taken with a Canon 650D camera and a Leica M205FA stereomicroscope (with a digital color microscope camera Leica DFC495). Measurements (in mm) follow Sissom (1990). Trichobothrial notations are done according to Vachon (1974), and the morphological terminology mostly follows Hjelle (1990). The terminology of metasomal carination is that of Vachon (1952), and the terminology of pedipalp chelal carinae follows Soleglad and Sissom (2001).
Movable finger dentition abbreviations used in the text are as follows: ID, inner denticles; IAD, inner accessory denticles; MD, median denticles; OD, outer denticles.
Chelicerae (Fig. 7): Integument smooth, dorsally with an irregular pattern, ventrally with long hairs. Fixed finger of chelicera with three large triangular teeth on inner margin. Ventral of movable finger with five teeth on inner margin. Dorsal of movable finger with three teeth on inner margin.
The most important morphological difference is that the body length of S. tibetanus holotype is 60.4 mm, and Kovařík (2000) recorded S. tibetanus as 50-65 mm; although there may be different measurement methods used by different authors, it suggested S. tibetanus significantly longer than S. atomatus. Here, we reaffirm the validity of S. atomatus based on newly collected materials.
Coloration (Figs 33,34; after three years of preservation in alcohol): Carapace reddish black. Median and lateral ocular tubercles dark brown. Tergites and metasomal segments dark brown. Vesicle dark brown, with dark brown aculeus. Chelicerae unevenly dark brown and fingers uniformly dark reddish. Pedipalps dark reddish brown. Legs dark brown. Tarsal claws brown. Sternum reddish brown. Genital operculum and sternites brown. Pectinal teeth light brown.
Morphology. Prosoma (Figs 37,38): Integument coarse, carapace with dense, fine granules; anterior median furrow broad and deep; lateral furrow broad; posterior median furrow broad and deep. Median eyes situated anteriorly compared to center of carapace; three pairs of lateral ocelli with posterior-most the smallest. Median ocular tubercle with granules and median furrow. Lateral ocular tubercle with some coarse granules around lateral eyes.
Chelicerae (Fig. 39): Dorsally with irregular pattern, ventrally with long hairs. Fixed finger of chelicera with three large triangular teeth on inner margin; ventral of movable finger with five teeth on inner margin, dorsal of movable finger with four teeth on inner margin.
Remarks. Hirst (1911) erected S. tibetanus based on a male specimen from "Tsangpo Valley, Chaksam Ferry", for which the species information is brief, and no figures provided.
The type locality is therefore the most crucial information on the species. Followed the Internet and literature information for "Chaksam Ferry": "Chaksam" means "iron bridge", located in Dagar village and under the Quwori Mountain, Qushui County. It was created by the famous bridge designer, Tangdongjiebu, and is the first cable bridge across the Brahmaputra River, completed in 1420 or 1430. "Chaksam Ferry" subsequently became a famous place, also called "Qushui Ferry" or "Daga Ferry" in ancient times (Fig. 97). However, with the disappearance of the "iron bridge" and the construction of Qushui Bridge (Qushuidaqiao) near where the ancient "iron bridge" used to be in 1966, "Chaksam Ferry" has now been replaced by Qushui Bridge and is the probable type locality of S. tibetanus.
In recent years, we found S. atomatus distributed near the "iron bridge", and found S. pococki 28 km away from this "iron bridge" (Fig. 97).
The list of taxa included in the S. hardwickii "complex" proposed by Kovařík and Ahmed (2009) included S. tibetanus. Kovařík (2000) examined the holotype (male) of S. tibetanus and recorded some important information: "length 60.4 mm, ventral trichobothria on the patella number 8, and pectinal teeth number 7 or 8". Kovařík (2000) concluded that the characters of S. tibetanus were "length 50-65 mm, ventral trichobothria on the patella number 7-10 (usually 9, in one young of 37 specimens, 7 on one side), pectinal teeth number 5-11". In his revision, the new localities of S. tibetanus included Lhasa, Shigatse, and Kambu batsi. Kovařík et al. (2020) proposed S. pococki as a junior synonym of S. tibetanus and provided figures of S. tibetanus (one male identified as "S. pococki" and donated by Di).
During several surveys in Shigatse and the surrounding counties, we found S. lourencoi sp. nov. and S. luridus. The body length of S. lourencoi sp. nov. is no more than 50 mm, while S. luridus is a distinctive species. Scorpiops pococki (from Chaksam Ferry 28 km away) has the diagnosis as followed: fulcra absent, body length ~ 55 mm, the ventral trichobothria on the patella number seven or eight, and the pectinal teeth number 4-7. Scorpiops pococki fits the characteristics of S. tibetanus, and we agree that S. pococki is a synonym of S. tibetanus. Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. https://zoobank.org/92D21DC0-794E-4D76-B2F8-28AB9D88520B Figs 65-96, Table 1 Scorpiops tibetanus Di et al., 2013: 75, 77, 80, 81, 83, 85, figs 102-118, tab Diagnosis. Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. differs from all other species in the genus based on the following combination of characters: reddish black color, length 45-50 mm; patella of pedipalp with 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external and eight or nine (usually nine) ventral trichobothria. Chelal trichobothria Eb 3 located in proximal half of manus between trichobothria Dt and Db, chela with four ventral trichobothria; chela with an average length/width ratio of 1.9 in males (n = 4 adults) and 2.4 in females (n = 3 adults); pedipalp movable finger with ca. four or five ID, 10-14 IAD, 44-45 MD, and seven or eight OD present; pedipalp chelal fingers on adult males and females scalloped, usually more strongly in male. Pectinal teeth count 8-11 (usually 10) in four males and seven or eight (usually seven) in three females, fulcra present; pectinal with three marginal and five or six middle lamellae. Telson bulbous and granulate, annular ring present.
Etymology. Patronym in honor of Prof. Wilson R. Lourenço, who significantly contributed to scorpion research.
Coloration (Figs 65,66; after one year of preservation in alcohol): Carapace, dark red-brown. Median and lateral ocular tubercles dark brown. Tergites and metasomal segments dark red-brown to dark brown. Vesicle dark brown, with brown aculeus. Chelicerae dark brown; with the fingers dark brown and gradually lighter toward the tip. Pedipalps dark red-brown. Legs dark brown. Tarsal claws yellowish brown. Sternum, genital operculum, and sternites yellowish brown. Pectinal teeth yellowish.
Morphology. Prosoma (Figs 69, 70): Carapace with dense, coarse granules; shallow anterior median furrow; broad and flat lateral furrow; posterior median furrow broad and deep. Median ocular tubercle high and coarse, with a shallow median furrow, median eyes situated anteriorly compared to center of carapace; three pairs of lateral ocelli, posterior smallest, some large granules near lateral ocelli, and presence of smooth oval area behind the lateral ocular tubercle.
Chelicerae (Fig. 71): Integument smooth and shiny, dorsal with irregular pattern, ventrally with long hairs. Fixed finger of chelicera with three large triangular teeth on inner margin; ventral of movable finger with six teeth on inner margin, dorsal of movable finger with four teeth on inner margin.
Habitat. Found under stones in dry mountain boscage in Shigatse City, ~ 3889 m elevation. 8-11 (with 10-11 (usually 11) in males and eight or nine (usually nine) in females) in S. atomatus, while there are 7-11 (with 8-11 (usually 10) in males and seven or eight (usually seven) in females) in S. lourencoi sp. nov. (ii) length of adults 40-45 mm in S. atomatus, while the length of adults 45-50 mm in S. lourencoi sp. nov. (iii) chela with an average length/width ratio of 2.3 in males (n = 2 adults) and 2.5 in females (n = 3 adults) in S. atomatus, while 1.9 in males (n= 4 adults) and 2.4 in females (n = 3 adults) in S. lourencoi sp. nov. (iv) chela surface with small granules in S. atomatus, while large granules in S. lourencoi sp. nov. Kovařík (2000), Kovařík andAhmed (2009), andKovařík et al. (2020) examined the type specimen of S. tibetanus, however, they provided confusing information that led to S. pococki and S. atomatus being considered synonyms of S. tibetanus. Influenced by this, Qi et al. (2005) incorrectly erected S. pococki. The precise information on Chaksam and Chaksam Ferry was not easily available in 2005, and the revision of the family Scorpiopidae by Kovařík (2000) was undoubtedly the most important basis for Qi et al. (2005). Di et al. (2011Di et al. ( , 2013Di et al. ( , 2014, Di and Qiao (2020), Li et al. (2016), and Yin et al. (2015) also relied on Kovařík's (2000) information when reviewing the Scorpiops species from China. This led to mistakes in the keys related to Scorpiops from China by Di et al. (2011Di et al. ( , 2013Di et al. ( , 2014, Di and Qiao (2020), Li et al. (2016), and Yin et al. (2015). Those keys of Scorpiops species from China should be corrected and the new revised key is presented below. Updated key to Chinese species of the genus Scorpiops with chelal trichobothria Eb 3 located in the proximal half of the manus between trichobothria Dt and Db (modified from Di and Qiao 2020) Red brown, ventral patella of pedipalps with 7 (rarely 6 or 8) trichobothria ..