Research Article |
Corresponding author: Zhiyong Di ( zydi@ustc.edu.cn ) Academic editor: Wilson Lourenço
© 2022 Heyu Lv, Zhiyong Di.
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:
Lv H, Di Z (2022) Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov., the revalidation of Scorpiops atomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005, and the redescription of Scorpiops tibetanus Hirst, 1911 (Scorpiones, Scorpiopidae) from China. ZooKeys 1132: 189-214. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1132.87364
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Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. is described from Shigatse, Xizang. Scorpiops atomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005 and Scorpiops pococki Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005 were synonymized by
China, new species, Scorpiops, Xizang
Scorpiops is the main member of the family Scorpiopidae, distributed mainly in south and southeast Asia, and currently includes 104 species (
In this work, we analyze species information from the literature in tandem with newly collected material, and confirm that S. atomatus is a valid species; additionally, we redescribe S. tibetanus based on new material and describe S. lourencoi as a new species.
Specimens were collected by hand and preserved in 75% ethanol. Type series of the new species are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, China (MHBU).
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
Movable finger dentition abbreviations used in the text are as follows: ID, inner denticles; IAD, inner accessory denticles; MD, median denticles; OD, outer denticles.
Scorpiops hardwickii Gervais, 1843.
India Himalaya.
Scorpiops atomatus
Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005: 6, 10, figs 16–31;
China, Xizang, Lang County (29.02°N, 93.08°E).
2 males and 3 females, China, Xizang (Tibet), Linzhi City (Nyingchi City), Lang County (Nang County), Dongga Town (Tonga Town), 06/5/2017, Zhiyong Di leg, (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX17050601, 01–05).
(modified from
Scorpiops atomatus from Lang County 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060101) 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060102) 5, 8 carapace 6, 9 eyes and nearby area 7, 10 chelicera dorsal surface 11, 13 sternum, genital operculum, and pectines 12, 14 tergites. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops atomatus from Lang County. 15–19 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060101) 20–24 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060102) 15, 20 telson, lateral surface 16, 21 femur dorsal surface 17–19, 22–24 patella dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops atomatus from Lang County 25–28, 32 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060101) 29–31 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060102) 25–27, 29–31 chela dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces 28 dentate margin of movable finger under UV light, showing rows of granules 32 right leg I retrolateral surface. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
(based on male specimen: Ar.-MHBU-ScXZLX1705060101).
Coloration
(Figs
Prosoma
(Figs
Mesosoma
: Tergites densely covered with fine granules; tergites III–VI with median carina; tergite VII with two pairs of lateral carinae (outside lateral carinae degenerated) with large granules (Fig.
Metasoma
: Integument coarse with few setae. Metasoma segments II–V are longer than wide; segments I–V have 10-8-8-8-7 granular carinae. All dorsal carinae granular on segment I, and gradually become strongly serrated from II–IV; segment V carinae with smaller serration dorsally and larger serration ventrally. Vesicle coarse with few setae (Fig.
Pedipalps
: Integument with smooth granules and few setae. Femur with all dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, external, ventroexternal, ventrointernal carinae granulated, and internal carinae crenulated (Fig.
Legs
: Integument coarse with few setae, except ventral aspects of coxae, trochanters, femurs, and patellae smooth. Trochanter dorsally with few granules. Femur dorsally densely granular. Patella dorsally densely granular, with dorsoexternal granular carinae. Tibiae without spurs (Fig.
Chelicerae
(Fig.
Figures of adult females are provided (Figs
Measurements (in mm) of S. atomatus, S. tibetanus, and S. lourencoi sp. nov.
Species Contents | S. atomatus | S. tibetanus | S. lourencoi sp. nov. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sex | Male ScXZLX 1705060101 | Female ScXZLX 1705060102 | Male ScXZQS 1907200101 | Female ScXZQS 1907200102 | Male (holotype) ScXZRKZ 2107260101 | Female (paratype) ScXZRKZ 2107260102 |
Total length: | 42.5 | 40.3 | 57.3 | 52.7 | 46.7 | 47.3 |
Carapace: | ||||||
– Length | 6.6 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 6.7 |
– Anterior width | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
– Posterior width | 6.9 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 6.7 | 6.9 |
Mesosomal segments: | ||||||
– Length | 11.6 | 10.9 | 14.7 | 15.0 | 14.1 | 14.9 |
Metasomal segment I: | ||||||
– Length | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
– Width | 2.5 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
– Depth | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
Metasomal segment II: | ||||||
– Length | 2.9 | 2.6 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
– Width | 2.1 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
– Depth | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
Metasomal segment III: | ||||||
– Length | 3.0 | 2.8 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
– Width | 2.1 | 2.0 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
– Depth | 2.2 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.1 |
Metasomal segment IV: | ||||||
– Length | 3.5 | 3.3 | 5.5 | 5.2 | 3.9 | 3.8 |
– Width | 2.0 | 1.9 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
– Depth | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
Metasomal segment V: | ||||||
– Length | 6.0 | 5.6 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 6.1 | 5.9 |
– Width | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
– Depth | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
Telson: | ||||||
– Length | 6.4 | 5.9 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
– Width | 2.4 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
– Depth | 2.4 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
Pedipalp femur: | ||||||
– Length | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 |
– Width | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
– Depth | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
Pedipalp patella: | ||||||
– Length | 5.3 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.4 |
– Width | 3.2 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.1 |
– Depth | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
Chela: | ||||||
– Length | 11.3 | 11.3 | 11.5 | 10.9 | 9.9 | 10.4 |
– Width (manus) | 4.9 | 4.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.4 |
– Depth (manus) | 3.1 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.3 |
Movable finger: | ||||||
– Length | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.1 |
Pectinal teeth | 10/11 | 9/9 | 7/7 | 5/4 | 8/9 | 7/8 |
China (Xizang) (Fig.
Body size is an important feature in distinguishing between the Scorpiops species. In China, S. atomatus (Xizang), Scorpiops jendeki Kovařík, 2000 (Yunnan), Scorpiops lhasa Di & Zhu, 2009 (Xizang), and Scorpiops taxkorgan Lourenço, 2018 (Xinjiang) are undoubtedly small species. In this work, we tried to separate the small-type species: usually < 50 mm, such as S. atomatus; the medium-sized species, usually 50–70 mm, such as S. pococki and S. langxian; and the larger species, usually > 70 mm, including S. luridus and S. ingens Yin, Zhang, Pan, Li & Di, 2015.
The most important morphological difference is that the body length of S. tibetanus holotype is 60.4 mm, and
Scorpiops tibetanus
Hirst, 1911: 472–473;
Scorpiops pococki
Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005: 14, figs 47–61;
China, Xizang, Tsangpo Valley, Chaksam Ferry.
1 male and 1 female, China, Xizang, Lasa City (Lhasa City), Qushui County (Chushur County), Caina Town (Saena Town), 20/7/2019, Zhiyong Di leg, (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200101, Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200102); 1 male and 2 females, China, Xizang, Shannan City (Lhoka City), Jiacha County (Gyaca County), Jiacha Town (Gyaca Town), 12/8/2021, Zhiyong Di leg, (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZJC21081206, 01–03).
Adult body length 50–57 mm. Base color uniformly reddish black. Patella of pedipalp with 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external and 6–8 (usually seven) ventral trichobothria. Chelal trichobothria Eb3 is located in proximal half of manus between trichobothria Dt and Db. Chela with four ventral trichobothria. Chela with an average length/width ratio of 2.0 in both sexes, pedipalp movable finger with ca. four or five ID, 10–25 IAD, 45–62 MD, and eight or nine OD present, chela fingers on adult males and females scalloped, usually more strongly in males. Pectinal teeth count 4–7, fulcra absent. Pectinal with two marginal and one middle lamellae. Telson bulbous and granulate, annular ring present.
(based on male specimen: Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200101).
Coloration
(Figs
Prosoma
(Figs
Mesosoma
: Tergites densely covered with fine granules, tergites II–VII with median carina barely visible at first and gradually becomes distinct; tergite VII with two pairs of lateral carinae with large granules present only on posterior half (Fig.
Metasoma
: Integument coarse, segments II–V longer than wide; segments I–V with respectively 10-8-8-8-8 granular carinae; segment V with pair of vestigial lateral carinae; all ventral carinae crenulated, gradually becoming more strongly crenulated. Vesicle with dense granules and few setae (Fig.
Pedipalps
: Integument smooth with smooth granules and few setae. Femur with dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, external, ventroexternal, ventrointernal carinae granulated, and internal carinae crenulated (Fig.
Scorpiops tibetanus from Qushui County 37, 38, 39, 43, 44 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200101) 40, 41, 42, 45, 46 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200102) 37, 40 carapace 38, 41 eyes and nearby area 39, 42 chelicera dorsal surface 43, 45 sternum, genital operculum and pectines 44, 46 tergites. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops tibetanus from Qushui County 47–51 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200101) 52–56 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200102) 47, 52 telson, lateral surface 48, 53 femur dorsal surface 49–51, 54–56 patella dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps (the white dots representing dysplasia caused trichobothrial absence). Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops tibetanus from Qushui County and Jiacha County 57–59, 64 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200101) 61–63 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZQS1907200102) 60 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZJC2108120601, from Jiacha County) 57–59, 61–63 dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces of chela 60 dentate margin of movable finger under UV light, showing rows of granules 64 right leg I retrolateral surface. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Legs
: Integument coarse with few setae. Trochanter dorsal surface with few granules. Femur dorsal surface densely granular. Patella dorsal surface densely granular, with dorsoexternal and dorsal granular carinae. Tibiae without spurs (Fig.
Chelicerae
(Fig.
Figures of adult females are provided (Figs
China (Xizang) (Fig.
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.
In recent years, we found S. atomatus distributed near the “iron bridge”, and found S. pococki 28 km away from this “iron bridge” (Fig.
The list of taxa included in the S. hardwickii “complex” proposed by
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 tibetanus
Male holotype, China, Xizang, Rikaze City (Shigatse City), 26/7/2021, Zhiyong Di leg, (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260101); 3 male and 3 female paratypes (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ21072601, 02–06; Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107270501), same location data as holotype.
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 Eb3 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.
Patronym in honor of Prof. Wilson R. Lourenço, who significantly contributed to scorpion research.
(based on holotype: Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260101).
Coloration
(Figs
Prosoma
(Figs
Mesosoma
: Integument coarse. Tergites sparsely covered with large coarse granules, posterior part of tergites with larger granules; tergites III–VI with a median carina; tergite VII with two pairs of lateral carinae (outside lateral carinae degenerated) (Fig.
Metasoma
: Integument coarse with few setae. Segments II–V longer than wide; segments I–V with respectively 10-8-8-8-7 granular carinae, segments II–IV all dorsal carinae gradually become strongly serrated; segment V carinae with smaller granules dorsally and larger serration ventrally. Vesicle with few setae and granules (Fig.
Pedipalps
: Integument with smooth granules and few setae, especially the granules are larger on dorsal and external surfaces of chelae. Femur with external, dorsointernal, dorsoexternal, ventrointernal, ventroexternalcarinae granulated, and internal carinae crenulated (Fig.
Legs
: Integument coarse with few setae except ventral aspects of coxae, trochanters, femurs, and patellae smooth. Trochanter dorsal with few granules and few setae. Femur dorsal with few granules. Patella internally with a dentate carina. Tibiae without spurs (Fig.
Chelicerae
(Fig.
Feature figures of adult females are provided (Figs
Found under stones in dry mountain boscage in Shigatse City, ~ 3889 m elevation.
Rikaze City, Xizang, China (Fig.
Scorpiops atomatus is similar to the new species, but can be readily distinguished based on the following combination of characters: (i) the pectinal teeth count 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.
Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. from Rikaze City 69, 70, 71, 75, 76 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260101) 72, 73, 74, 77, 78 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260102) 69, 77 carapace 70, 73 eyes and nearby area 71, 74 chelicera dorsal surface 75, 77 sternum, genital operculum, and pectines 76, 78 tergites. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. from Rikaze City 79–83 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260101) 84–88 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260102) 79, 84 telson, lateral surface 80, 85 femur dorsal surface 81–83, 86–88 patella dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
Scorpiops lourencoi sp. nov. from Rikaze City 89–92, 96 male (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260101) 93–95 female (Ar.-MHBU-ScXZRKZ2107260102) 89–91, 93–95 chela dorsal, external, and ventral surfaces 92 dentate margin of movable finger under UV light, showing rows of granules 96 right leg I retrolateral surface. Green dots showing trichobothrial patterns of pedipalps. Scale bars: 2.0 mm.
1 | Pedipalp chela fingers with non-scalloped (nearly straight) margins in both sexes | 2 |
– | Pedipalp chela fingers with scalloped margins in male adults | 4 |
2 | Chela length-to-width ratio > 3.0 | 3 |
– | Chela length-to-width ratio < 3.0 | S. jendeki |
3 | Total length 40.0–58.0 mm, chela length-to-width ratio ~ 3.3–3.5 | S. leptochirus |
– | Total length 35.2 mm (male holotype), chela length-to-width ratio ~ 3.2 | S. taxkorgan |
4 | Manus length-to-width ratio visibly > 1 | 5 |
– | Manus with similar length and width | 12 |
5 | Total length > 61.0 mm usually | 6 |
– | Total length < 61.0 mm usually | 8 |
6 | Red brown, ventral patella of pedipalps with 7 (rarely 6 or 8) trichobothria | S. petersii |
– | Lighter than red brown | 7 |
7 | Ventral patella of pedipalps with 7 or 8 trichobothria, pectinal teeth count 7 in males and 6 in females | S. songi |
– | Ventral patella of pedipalps with 9 trichobothria, pectinal teeth count 9/10 in male holotype and 8 in female paratype | S. luridus |
8 | Dorsally flat manus of pedipalps and chela of both sexes, with length/width ratio: 2.1–2.2 (~ 2.1 in males and 2.2 in females), total length 40.0–50.0 mm in adults | S. margerisonae |
– | Dorsally round manus of pedipalps or at least the chela of one sex, with length-to-width ratio > 2.2 or total length > 50.0 mm | 9 |
9 | Body length ~ 45.0 mm–61.0 mm | 10 |
– | Body length < 40.0 mm | 11 |
10 | Patella of pedipalp with 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external trichobothria | S. lourencoi sp. nov. |
– | Patella of pedipalp with 18–20 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 5 est, 4–6 et) external trichobothria | S. wrzecionkoi |
11 | Chela of pedipalp length-to-width ratio ~ 2.6–3.0 | S. lhasa |
– | Chela of pedipalp length-to-width ratio < 2.5 | S. atomatus |
12 | Yellow-brown color, length of adults > 70.0 mm | S. ingens |
– | Red-brown to red-black color, length of adults < 65.0 mm | S. hardwickii complex (S. hardwickii, S. jingshanensis, S. langxian, S. tibetanus) |
This work was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (31970403 and 31601871), the Hebei Provincial Natural Science Foundation (C2019201273), and the Advanced Talents Incubation Program of the Hebei University (801260201276) to Zhiyong Di. We thank the editors for all the editorial work and anonymous reviewers for their comments.