Research Article |
Corresponding author: Diego A. Barrales-Alcalá ( diego.barrales@st.ib.unam.mx ) Academic editor: José Antonio Ochoa
© 2018 Diego A. Barrales-Alcalá, Oscar F. Francke, Tom R. Van Devender, Gerardo A. Contreras-Félix.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Barrales-Alcalá DA, Francke OF, Van Devender TR, Contreras-Félix GA (2018) A new Sky Island species of Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 from Sonora, Mexico (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae). ZooKeys 760: 37-53. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.760.22714
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Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. is described from the Sierras Elenita and La Mariquita, Municipio de Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. This species belongs to the “vorhiesi” group of the genus Vaejovis and inhabits pine-oak forests in northern Mexico. This species is compared to its most similar species. This new species presents an interesting morphological difference from the rest of the species in the species-group: the absence of a subaculear tubercle or spine.
Se describe Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. de las Sierras Elenita y La Mariquita, en el Municipio de Cananea, Sonora, México. Esta especie pertenece al grupo “vorhiesi” dentro del género Vaejovis y que habita en los bosques de pino y encino del norte de México. Se le compara con las especies más similares morfológicamente. Esta nueva especie presenta una característica morfológica interesante para las especies del grupo: la ausencia de un tubérculo o espina subaculear.
Diversity, pine-oak forests, scorpions, Speciation
Approximately 2300 species of scorpions have been described worldwide (
The Madrean Archipelago (
The Sierra La Mariquita and La Elenita are two interconnected Sky Islands in northern Sonora located northwest of the copper mining town of Cananea, only 26 km south of the Arizona border. The Sierra La Mariquita and Sierra Elenita are connected by oak woodland in Puerto Cananea. They are geographical sister ranges to the Huachuca Mountains of Arizona.
On the southwestern side, the Sierras La Mariquita rise from 1230 to 2498 m and La Elenita from 1230 to 2305 m at the summits. The vegetation varies from desert grassland and oak woodland on the lower slopes to pine-oak forest above. The montane forest is dominated by Apache pine (Pinus engelmannii) and southwestern white pine (piñón, Pinus strobiformis). The Sierra Elenita has similar vegetation but the pine-oak forest is better developed in a large area. Both ranges are in the San Pedro River drainage, which flows northward into Arizona.
The Sierra La Mariquita was visited in June 2009, September 2010, and August 2013 as part of the Madrean Archipelago Biodiversity Assessment (MABA) program of the Sky Island Alliance. The Sierra Elenita was visited in September 2016 as part of the Madrean Discovery Expedition program of GreaterGood.org. Animal and plant observations and collections from these and other Sonoran Sky Islands are available in the Madrean Discovery Expedition (MDE) database (madreandiscovery.org; linked to the MABA database). Here we describe Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. in the “vorhiesi” complex collected during these expeditions, as an addition to the scorpion biodiversity of the Sky Island Region.
Nomenclature and mensuration follows
Holotype Male, MEXICO: Sonora, Municipio Cananea, vicinity of Observatorio Astrofísico Guillermo Haro, Sierra La Mariquita (31.05444°N, 110.38244°W, 2422 m elev) 03-VIII-2013. Cols: T. R. Van Devender, J. D. Palting, and G. Molina. 1 ♂ (CNAN-T01207).
Paratypes: Same data as the holotype 4 males and 5 females (CNAN-T-01208); 2 males and 2 females (AMNH). MEXICO: Sonora, Cananea, Sierra La Elenita. Near “El 15” (31.00252°N, 110.38944°W, 1911 m) 30-IV-2016. Cols: D. Barrales, J. Cirett, I. Ochoa. Pine-Oak forest.
The specific epithet is regarding the distribution of the species in the highlands of the Sonoran desert and it is composed by the words in Spanish “isla” in reference of island and “sierra” as in mountain range, being the adjective “serrano” and together they compose the name islaserrano, which is used as a noun in apposition.
Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. belongs to the “vorhiesi” group due to the presence of the following characters: the presence of a sclerotized mating plug in the spermatophore; trichobothria ib – it on the base of the fixed finger of the pedipalp chela; the absence of setae on the prolateral and retrolateral sides on the first pair of legs. This is a relatively small scorpion, with adult total length ranging from 18 mm to 24 mm (Table
Measurements on selected specimens of Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. The measurements are given in mm.
Holotype ♂ | Paratype ♂ | Paratype ♂ | Paratype ♂ | Paratype ♂ | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total L | 19.5 | 20.3 | 18.3 | 18.3 | 20 |
Carapace L | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 2.7 |
Carapace W | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
Mesosoma L | 5.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
SMI L/W/D | 1.2/1.5/1.2 | 1.3/1.5/1.2 | 1.1/1.4/1.1 | 1.2/1.5/1.2 | 1.21.5/1.3 |
SM II L | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
SM III L | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
SM IV L | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2 |
SM V L/W/D | 3/1.3/1.1 | 31.2/1.1 | 2.6/1.3/1 | 2.71.2/1 | 2.9/1.3/1.2 |
Metasoma L | 9.4 | 9.5 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 9 |
Vesicle L/W/D | 2.2/0.9/0.8 | 2.2/0.9/0.8 | 2/0.9/0.7 | 2.1/0.8/0.6 | 2.2/1/0.8 |
Femur L/W/D | 2.1/0.6/0.5 | 2.3/0.7/0.5 | 2.1/0.7/0.4 | 2.2/0.6/0.4 | 2.4/0.7/0.4 |
Patella L/W/D | 2.4/0.8/0.7 | 2.5/0.8/0.6 | 2.3/0.8/0.5 | 2.4/0.7/0.6 | 2.7/0.8/0.6 |
Chela L/W/D | 2/0.8/0.8 | 2/0.8/0.8 | 1.7/0.7/0.8 | 1.8/0.8/0.8 | 2/0.8/0.8 |
Movable finger L | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
Fixed finger L | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.1 |
Pectinal tooth counts | 13–14 | 14–14 | 13–13 | 14–15 | 14–15 |
Paratype ♀ | Paratype ♀ | Paratype ♀ | Paratype ♀ | Paratype ♀ | |
Total L | 20.3 | 23.8 | 24.1 | 23.1 | 23.9 |
Carapace L | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
Carapace W | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
Mesosoma L | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.4 | 7.6 |
SMI L/W/D | 1/1.4/1.1 | 1.4/1.8/1.5 | 1.4/1.9/1.5 | 1.3/1.6/1.4 | 1.4/2/1.5 |
SM II L | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
SM III L | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
SM IV L | 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.3 |
SM V L/W/D | 2.4/1.2/1 | 3.31.6/1.3 | 2.91.6/1.4 | 3.21.6/1.3 | 3.3/1.6/1.4 |
Metasoma L | 7.7 | 10.1 | 10 | 10 | 10.3 |
Vesicle L/W/D | 2/0.9/0.7 | 2.6/1/1.1 | 2.8/1.2/1 | 2.4/1.1/0.9 | 2.6/1.2/0.9 |
Femur L/W/D | 2.1/0.7/0.4 | 2.80.9/0.5 | 3/1/0.6 | 2.8/0.9/0.6 | 3/1/0.7 |
Patella L/W/D | 2.4/0.7/0.6 | 3.1/1/0.8 | 3.2/1/0.8 | 3.2/1/0.8 | 3.4/1.1/0.9 |
Chela L/W/D | 1.8/0.8/0.8 | 2.3/1/1 | 2.5/1.1/1.1 | 2.3/1.1/1.1 | 2.5/1.1/1.1 |
Movable finger L | 2.1 | 3 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.2 |
Fixed finger L | 1.9 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
Pectinal tooth counts | 12–13 | 13–14 | 12–12 | 12–12 | 13–13 |
Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. is most similar to Vaejovis bandido Graham, Ayrey & Bryson, 2012, from Sierra Los Ajos, Sonora, but it is easily differentiated by the following characters: the presence of a subaculear spine in V. bandido, whereas in V. islaserrano sp. n. does present a vestigial subaculear spine: the presence of a caudal gland of the telson evident on adult males of V. islaserrano sp. n., whereas in V. bandido it is not evident; the hemispermathophore presents an apical crest on the lamella in V. bandido, whereas V. islaserrano sp. n., presents a lamella without crest. Another species closely related to V. islaserrano sp. n. is V. vorhiesi Stahnke, 1940, from the nearby Huachuca Mountains, Arizona, that can be differentiated as follows: V. vorhiesi presents a subaculear spine, whereas V. islaserrano sp. n. does not present a subaculear spine. Finally, Vaejovis cashi Graham, 2007, from the Chiricahua Mountain in Arizona, differs from V. islaserrano sp. n. in the following characters: smaller size (19 to 22 mm); a small aculear spine present in V. cashi, absent in V. islaserrano sp. n.; the hind laminar hook on the hemispermathophore weakly developed, almost fused with the other hook in V. islaserrano sp. n. versus hooks well differentiated with a deep depression between them in V. cashi.
(Fig.
Prosoma. Chelicerae: Serrula present, well-developed. Dorsal margin of movable finger with the basal denticle smaller than the median followed by two small subdistal denticles and a larger distal denticle; ventral edge of movable finger smooth. Fixed finger with basal denticle bicuspid, subdistal denticle small and distal denticle larger compared to each other. Carapace (Fig.
Mesosoma: Tergites I-II, shagreened, with a granular pattern confined to posterior margin; tergites III-VI with anterior half shagreened and posterior half noticeably granular, with median carina present on posterior half of each segment (Fig.
Metasoma (Fig.
Metasomal setal counts on selected segments of the type series of Vaejovis islaserrano sp. n. Abbreviations: DL: Dorsal lateral; LM: Lateral median; LI: Lateral inframedian; VL: Ventral lateral and VS/M; ventral submedian/median carinae.
Metasomal setae counts | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DL | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 1-0/1/1/2/3 | 1-0/1-0/1/2/3 | 1-0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/3 |
LM | 0/1/1/2/3-2 | 0/1/1/2/2 | 0/1/1/2/2 | 0/1/1/2/2 | 0/1/1/2/2 | 1/1/2-1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/2 | 0/1/1/2/3 | 0/1/1/2/2-3 | 0/1/1/2/2 |
LI | 1/0/0/0 | 1/0/0/0 | 1/0/0/0 | 1/0/0/0 | 1/0/0/0/ | 1/0/0/0/ | 1/0/0/0/ | 1/0/0/0/ | 1/0/0/0/ | 1/0/0/0/ |
VL | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/2/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/2-3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 | 2/3/3/3/3 |
VS/M | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3-1/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 | 3/3/3/3/3 |
Telson (Fig.
Pedipalp (Fig.
Legs: Telotarsi on legs I-IV with a single line of spinules ventrally and with two distal spinules on each leg (Table
Telotarsi setal counts on selected specimens of the type series of Vaejovis islaserrano. Abbreviations: DTS: Distal terminal setae; Pi/Ri: Prolateral internal/Rotrolateral internal.
Legs Distal Terminal Setae counts | ||||||||||
DTS | 4-4-4-4 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-3-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | x-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-x-2 | 2-2-2-2 |
4-4-4-4 | 2-2-x-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-2-2-2 | 2-4-2-2 | 2-2-2-x | 2-2-x-x | 2-2-2-2 | |
Prolateral and retrolateral setae counts | ||||||||||
Pi/ri | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/0:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/0:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | x/x:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:x/x:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 |
0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:X/X:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 1/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/2 | 0/0:1/1:1/1:x/x | 0/0:1/1:x/x:x/x | 0/0:1/1:1/1:1/1 |
Hemispermatophore (Fig.
Variation: The sexual dimorphism in the species is little, but the total length of adult males and females differ by 18.3 to 20.3 mm on males and 20.3 to 24.1 mm on females; the presence of a white patch on mesosomal sternite V and the dorsal face of vesicle present on males and absent in females. The inner denticles, on the pedipalp chela movable finger, vary from five (on three specimens) to six (eight specimens). Carapace longer than pedipalp femur in males (CL/FL: 1.18) than in females (CL/FL: 1.5), but shorter than metasomal segment V (CL/MS V: 0.8) in males, whereas in females it is longer than metasomal segment V (CL/MS V: 1.33). Mesosomal sternite VII, setal counts ranges between eleven and twelve setae. Full variation of measurements is given in Table
This species is known from a few localities in the higher elevations of the Sierra La Mariquita and Sierra La Elenita in Sonora, Mexico at 1911–2422 m. This currently represents the southwestern-most record for the “vorhiesi” group of the genus Vaejovis (Fig.
(Fig.
Thanks are extended to the Graduate Program in Biological Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Programa de Becas (PAEP). The first and last authors thank the scholarship and financial support provided by the National Council of Sciences and Technology (CONACYT) (Scholarships 269851 and 416029 respectively). To Edmundo Gonzáles Santillán, Andres Ojanguren Affilastro and an anonymous reviewer for providing good advice which really improved this work. To the Institute of Biology (UNAM) for the infrastructure provided. To S. Guzmán-Gómez, technician of the Laboratory of Microscopy and Photography of Biodiversity (II) of the IBUNAM, for assistance in the use of the Leica equipment. John D. Palting, Guillermo Molina-P., Ana L. Reina-G., Jesús Sánchez-E., and Erik F. Enderson helped with field inventories. M.C. Gustavo A. Escobedo-L. of INAOE provided access to the Sierra La Mariquita. Thanks to GreaterGood.org for its programs to document the biodiversity of the Sonoran Sky Islands. Thanks to all the personnel of the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Bavispe ascribed to the Comision Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) for the facilities and valuable support provided. Thanks to all the people that contribute their time and effort on the MDE Expeditions. The specimens were collected under scientific permit FAUT-0175 from SEMARNAT to Oscar Francke.