Gint maidensis Kovařík et al., 2018

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme, Just, Pavel, Awale, Ahmed Ibrahim & Sh, Hassan, 2018, Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Part XV Review of the genus Gint Kova ík et al 2013, with description of three new species from Somaliland (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 259, pp. 1-41 : 31-37

Gint maidensis Kovařík et al. , sp. n.

( Figs. 78–120, 124, 143–145, 179–182, 189–194, 197, 202, Tables 2, 3) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:27A902

B0-0636-472F-AF81-0A793B75C2AE

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Somaliland, Maid, 11°00'03"N 47°06'30"E, 52 m a.s.l. ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Somaliland, Maid, 11°00' 03"N 47°06'30"E, 52 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 120, Locality No. 17SN), 3.-4.IX.2017, 11♂ 9♀ 1im. ♂ 1im. ♀ (holotype, Figs. 78–79, 82, 84–86, 90, 92, 94–97, 100–109, 124, 143, 145, paratypes, Figs. 80–81, 83, 87–89, 91, 93, 98– 99, 110–119, 144, 179–182, 189–194, 197, Nos. 1321, 1324, 1336) leg. F. Kovařík , FKCP.

ETYMOLOGY. Named after the village of collection.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 31.5–36.43 mm (male) to 39– 48.2 mm (female); chelicerae yellow without reticulation; carapace densely granulated with only anterior median carinae developed; anterior margin of carapace straight or almost straight; pectine teeth 25–29 in females and 27–31 in males; all sternites lacking carinae; sternite VII with four indicated carinae, intercarinal surface weakly granulated; metasomal segment V length/width ratio 1.97–2.06 in male; ventral surface of metasomal segment IV smooth without granules and carinae in both sexes; metasomal segment IV bears four smooth carinae; metasomal segment V of both sexes has only ventromedial and ventrolateral carinae that in posterior halves bear several lobate granules; dorsal and lateral surfaces of this segment smooth; all metasomal segments sparsely setose; metasomal segment V bearing ca. 45 long setae in both sexes; telson rather bulbous, telson length/depth ratio 2.67–2.78 in males; aculeus slightly shorter than vesicle in both sexes; legs I–III with tarsal bristle combs composed of 7 to 11 long, thin setae; movable finger of pedipalp with 9–10 rows of granules, with external and internal accessory granules.

DESCRIPTION. Adult males are 31.5–36.43 mm long and the adult females are 39–48.2 mm long. For position and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps see Figs. 100–107. Sexual dimorphism is noticeable. Males are substantially smaller, and have a somewhat more bulbous telson and longer pectines than females. Other differences, such as in metasomal carination, are described below.

COLORATION ( Figs. 78–81, 118–119). Basic color is yellow to white with dark patterning and spots, but expression of colors is quite variable. Dorsal surfaces of metasomal segments with a conspicuous dark spot in anterior part. Metasomal segment V is usually darker than the other metasomal segments, but may also be quite light-colored. The chelicerae are yellow without reticulation; dentition is reddish.

CARAPACE ( Figs. 90–91). The surface is densely granulated. The anterior margin is straight or almost straight and bears six conspicuous macrosetae. Anterior median carinae coarsely granular. There are 5 lateral eyes on each side (3 larger, 2 smaller).

MESOSOMA ( Figs. 90–93). The tergites bear three coarsely granular carinae, of which the lateral pair on tergites I–II are inconspicuous. All tergites with dense coarse and fine granulation. The pectinal tooth count is 27–31 (28.708) (±1.233) [24] in males and 25–29 (26.688) (±1.302) [16] in females. The marginal tips of the pectines extend to the posterior quarter of sternite IV in females, and to the anterior half of sternite V in males. The pectines have 3 marginal lamellae and 8–9 middle lamellae. The lamellae bear numerous dark setae, four to six on each fulcrum. Sternites III–VI lack carinae, and their surfaces are smooth except for being finely shagreened on lateral areas of sternite III covered by the pectines, and on medial parts of other sternites mainly in males. Sternite VII has two pairs of indicated carinae weakly granulated in the area outside the lateral carinae, more so in males. All sternites bear many long macrosetae on their surfaces and margins.

HEMISPERMATOPHORE ( Figs. 179–182, 189–194, 197). Flagelliform, trunk long and slender, capsule relatively short. Flagellum as long as trunk, with shorter pars recta bearing a fin-like expansion along proximal anterior margin, and longer, hyaline pars reflecta. Capsule with 3+1 lobe structure typical of ‘ Buthus ’ group (Fet et al., 2005; Kovařík et al., 2016c). Sperm hemiduct separated from flagellum, tripartite with posterior lobe largest, median lobe shortest and apically acuminate, anterior lobe of intermediate size and apically tapered. Posterior margin of median lobe overhanging the posterior lobe, the two lobes fused along a robust carina. Basal lobe a large, tall, subtriangular hook ( Figs. 179–182, 189–194, 197). Morphology was consistent across 6 hemispermatophores extracted from 3 males.

METASOMA AND TELSON ( Figs. 82–89). Metasoma I bears 8 carinae, the ventromedial pair being obsolete. Metasoma II–III bear 10 carinae. Median lateral carinae are complete or almost complete on I–III. Ventromedial and ventrolateral carinae on metasoma II–III are smooth or only indicated as traces. Metasoma IV bears 4 to 6 smooth obsolete carinae without granules in both sexes. Metasoma V of both sexes has only ventromedial and ventrolateral carinae, which in posterior halves bear several lobate granules. Intercarinal surfaces of segments II–IV are smooth to rough in both sexes, without granules. Dorsal surfaces of these segments are smooth or finely granulated mainly in males. The anal arch lacks developed lobes in both sexes. All segments are sparsely setose; the fifth segment has ca. 45 long setae in both sexes. The telson is rather bulbous, more so in males. The aculeus is slightly shorter than the vesicle in both sexes. The surface of the telson is smooth, sparsely hirsute, without a subaculear tubercle.

LEGS ( Figs. 94–97). The tarsomeres bear two rows of macrosetae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces, which on legs I–III form bristle combs composed of 7 to 11 long, thin setae. The femur and patella may bear four to six carinae. The femur bears only solitary macrosetae.

PEDIPALPS ( Figs. 100–117). The femur is granulated and bears three to four carinae; the ventroexternal carina is absent, the other carinae are granular. The patella is smooth, with seven smooth, weakly indicated carinae. The chela is smooth, with only traces of incomplete obsolete carinae. All pedipalp segments including the trochanter are sparsely hirsute, with long, dark macrosetae in both sexes. The dentate margin of the movable finger has 9–10 rows of granules, each with one external and one internal granule, and 5 terminal granules (4 terminal and one proximal terminal). The fixed finger has nine rows of granules, each with one external and one internal granule.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish G. maidensis sp. n from all other species of the genus. G.

maidensis sp. n can be separated from all other species by: 1) larger size, total length 31.5–36.43 mm in males, 39–48.2 mm in females of G. maidensis sp. n. vs. total length 21–30.85 mm in males, 26–38 mm in females of other species; 2) ventral surface of metasomal segment IV in males smooth without granules and carinae in G. maidensis sp. n. ( Fig. 145) vs. granulated with median carinae present or indicated in other species ( Figs. 131, 134); 3) telson rather bulbous, length/depth ratio 2.67– 2.78 in males of G. maidensis sp. n. ( Fig. 143) vs. rather elongate, length/depth ratio 2.98–3.60 in males of other species ( Figs. 132, 135); 4) dentate margin of pedipalp movable finger with 9–10 rows of granules in G. maidensis sp. n. ( Fig. 109) vs. 8–9 rows in other species ( Fig. 71); 5) pectinal tooth count 27–31 in males, 25–29 in females of G. maidensis sp. n vs. 20–26 in males, 19– 23 in females of other species; 6) basal lobe of hemispermatophore large, tall, subtriangular and hook-like in G. maidensis sp. n. ( Figs. 180–182, 189–194, 197) vs. small, low, rounded and scoop-like in other species ( Figs. 149–163, 165–170, 172–174, 176–178, 183–188, 195–196).

COMMENTS ON LOCALITIES AND LIFE STRATEGY. The type locality, 17SN is sandy semi-desert to desert ( Fig. 120). The types of Gint maidensis sp. n. were obtained at night during UV collecting together with Compsobuthus sp. , Hottentotta sp. , Leiurus sp. , and Neobuthus sp. (Buthidae) . The first author arrived at the locality at night on 3th September 2017 at 21.00. At this time the temperature was 38.6 ºC and humidity 52%. Minimum temperature of 31.9 ºC and humidity of 46% were recorded on 4th September 2017 in the early morning.