Babycurus sofomarensis Kovařík, Lowe, Seiter, Plíšková et Šťáhlavský, 2015

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme, Seiter, Michael, Plíšková, Jana & Šťáhlavský, František, 2015, Scorpions of Ethiopia (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part II. Genus Babycurus Karsch, 1886 (Buthidae), with description of two new species, Euscorpius 196, pp. 1-31 : 5-28

Babycurus sofomarensis Kovařík, Lowe, Seiter, Plíšková et Šťáhlavský , sp. n.

( Figures 46–55, 58–61, 64–65, 67–77, 87–102, 123, Table 2) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D7544F

0F-65FB-48F5-AFB6-07BBB6373503

TYPE LOCALITY AND HOLOTYPE DEPOSITORY. Ethiopia, Oromia State, Arsi Province, Sof Omar , 06°54'19"N 40°51'04"E, 1200 m a.s.l.; FKCP.

posterior width), depth (H).

TYPE MATERIAL. Ethiopia, Oromia State, Arsi Province, Sof Omar , 06°54'19"N 40°51'04"E, 1200 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 95, locality No. 13 EC), 24-25. VI.2013 , 4♂ (paratypes) ( UV detection), leg. F. Kovařík, J. Plíšková & P. Novák, 23-24.XI.2014 , 2♂ (paratypes) 1♀ (holotype) ( UV de- tection), leg. F. Kovařík; Oromia State, West Harerge , 07°44'37"N 40°42'39.5"E, 1234 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 96, locality No. 14 EO), 24-25.XI.2014 , 1♂ (paratype) ( UV detection), Oromia State, West Harerge , 07°46'39.7"N 40°37'12.4"E, 800 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 97, locality No. 14 EP), 25.XI.2014 , 1juv. (paratype). All type specimens are in 80 % alcohol in the first author’s collection ( FKCP), except for a juvenile paratype which is alive ( Fig. 98).

ETYMOLOGY. Named after the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 32–35 mm (males) and 46 mm (female). Coloration yellowish brown to grey with darker markings. Chelicerae yellow without reticulation. Pedipalp movable fingers with 6 principal rows of denticles and an apical row of four denticles. Pectines with 18–20 teeth in both sexes. First metasomal segment has 10 carinae, second through fourth segments have eight carinae. Telson setose, smooth, with a short and pointed subaculear tooth. Vesicle elongate, ellipsoidal. Aculeus curved, shorter than vesicle. Sexual dimorphism minor, adult males with fingers of pedipalps more flexed proximally and slightly shorter fingers; there is no difference in length and width of chela of pedipalps (ratio chela length to manus width 3.5–3.8 in both sexes) or metasomal segments (ratio metasomal segment V length to width 2.8–3.0 in both sexes); posterior margin of sternite V without smooth median patch in both sexes.

DESCRIPTION. Total length 32–35 mm (males) and 46 mm (female). Measurements of the carapace, telson, segments of the metasoma and segments of the pedipalps are given in Table 2. Coloration ( Figs. 46–49, 62– 63) base yellowish brown to grey with darker markings on patella and femur of legs and pedipalps, carapace, and. Tergites I-VI almost grey. Tergite VII, tibia of legs, manus of pedipalps and metasomal segments I–III usually lighter. Chelicerae yellow without reticulation. ( Fig. 63). Sexual dimorphism minor, adult males with fingers of pedipalps more flexed proximally ( Figs. 88 and 90– 91) and shorter fingers (ratio chela length to movable finger length 1.56 in female and 1.70–1.75 in males); there is no difference in length and width of chela of pedipalps (ratio chela length to manus width 3.5– 3.8 in both sexes) or metasomal segments (ratio metasomal segment V length to width 2.8–3.0 in both sexes).

CHELICERAE ( Figs. 64). With dentition typical for the genus, teeth sharp. Tegument basally smooth and shiny without granulation.

PEDIPALPS ( Figs. 69–75). Femur granulated, with five granulate carinae developed. Patella almost smooth with seven granulate carinae developed. Chela with sparsely granulated carinae present, smooth; fingers long (ratio chela length movable finger length 1.56–1.75), curved, with 6 principal rows of denticles, 5 of them terminating in two external granules; the last row has one external granule in the middle of the row. There are also five or six internal granules. Movable fingers bear apical row of four denticles and three terminal accessory denticles.

CARAPACE ( Figs. 64–65). Slightly trapezoidal (narrower anteriorly) and slightly longer than wide, or as long as wide; anterior margin slightly convex, with some short microsetae. Carination absent. Median and posterior lateral furrows wide and deep, other vestigial to absent. Tegument densely and coarsely granulose. Median eyes large and raised; five pairs of lateral eyes: three samesized and aligned along each anterolateral corner, plus two vestigial to absent.

B. subpunctatus . B.. Dimensions ♀ Holotype ♀ 14EI ♂ 14EI ♀ Holotype Carapace L / W 3.4 / 3.2 3.6 / 3.3 2.85 / 2.6 5.1 / 4.9 Mesosoma L 10.3 9.9 6.4 15.2 Tergite VII L / W 2.17 / 3.33 2.45 / 3.75 1.75 / 2.7 3.7 / 4.7 Metasoma et telson L 18.4 18.75 13.2 25.7 Segment I L / W / H 2.2 / 1.8 / 1.43 2.3 / 2.0 / 1.7 1.55 / 1.4 / 1.25 3.1 / 2.7 / 2.45 Segment II L / W / H 2.6 / 1.6 / 1.37 2.4 / 1.8 / 1.6 1.95 / 1.3 / 1.25 3.65 / 2.5 / 2.4 Segment III L / W / H 2.9 / 1.6 / 1.36 3.05 / 1.75 / 1.6 2.05 / 1.25 / 1.2 4.1 / 2.55 / 2.4 Segment IV L / W / H 3.2 / 1.5 / 1.36 3.45 / 1.75 / 1.6 2.45 / 1.25 / 1.2 4.6 /2.45 / 2.4 Segment V L / W / H 4.0 / 1.5 / 1.38 4.15 / 1.7 / 1.6 2.85 / 1.15 / 1.1 5.6 / 2.35 / 2.2 Telson L / W / H 3.2 / 1.10 / 1.17 3.4 / 1.25 / 1.2 2.35 / 0.8 / 0.93 4.65 / 1.55 / 1.7 Pedipalp L 13 13.5 9.75 17.05 Femur L / W 3.0 / 1.0 3.35 / 1.075 2.35 / 0.8 4.2 / 1.35 Patella L / W 3.9 / 1.3 4.0 / 1.35 2.8 / 1.05 5.05 / 1.75 Chela L 6.1 6.15 4.6 7.8 Manus L / W / H 2.2 / 1.3 / 1.3 2.7 / 1.4 / 1.3 1.65 / 0.9 / 0.83 2.8 / 2.05 / 1.95 sofomarensis sp. n.

♂ ♂

14EN 14EO

3.9 / 3.5 3.9 / 3.8

10.6 9.0

2.9 / 3.4 2.6 / 3.4

20.2 19.57

2.45 / 2.25 / 2.0 2.3 / 2.15 / 1.9

2.9 / 2.2 / 1.9 2.8 / 2.05 / 1.8

3.2 / 2.15 / 1.9 3.1 / 2.05 / 1.8

3.6 / 2.15 / 1.9 3.6 / 2.0 / 1.8

4.65 / 2.1 / 1.8 4.52 / 1.9 / 1.75

3.4 / 1.2 / 1.3 3.25 / 1.1 / 1.25

14 13.45

3.3 / 1.1 3.2 / 1.05

4.05 / 1.45 3.9 / 1.45

6.65 6.4

2.8 / 1.9 / 1.75 2.7 / 1.67 / 1.67

3.85 3.7

34.7 32.37 Movable finger L 3.9 3.45 2.95 5.0 Total L 32.1 32.25 22.45 46

corresponds to posterior width), depth (H). MESOSOMA ( Figs. 46–49, 64–65). Tergites I–VI bear one conspicuous median carina; tergite VII with five welldefined carinae (median, submedians and laterals), which are long and serrate to crenulate. All tergites are densely and coarsely granulose mainly on posterior part. Sternum ( Figs. 67–68) standard for the genus: type 1, triangular in shape; medial depression large. Pectines standard-sized for the genus ( Figs. 67–68): extending to around a quorter of sternite IV in both sexes, setose. Tooth count 18–20 (1x18, 7x19, 5x20) in males and 18/ 18 in female. Pectines have 3 marginal lamellae and 7 middle lamellae. Sternites lack carinae, surfaces are smooth and sparsely setose. Posterior margin of sternite V without smooth median patch in both sexes.

LEGS ( Figs. 56–61). The tarsomeres bear two rows of macrosetae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces; bristle combs absent. Femur bears only solitary macrosetae. Femur coarsely granulose, femur and patella with carinae developed. Tibial spurs present on fourth legs.

METASOMA AND TELSON ( Figs. 50–55). All segments with granulate complete carinae developed except for carinae on segment V in males which are vestigial. The carinae are composed of minute, rounded, equal-sized, and evenly spaced granules. The first metasomal segment has a total of 10 carinae, the second through fourth segments have eight carinae, and the fifth segment has five carinae. All metasomal segments are sparsely granulated. Metasoma is very sparsely hirsute. Telson smooth with only a weakly indicated ventral carina and a dense cover of long hairs near the subaculear tooth. ( Figs. 76–77). Subaculear tooth short and pointed. Vesicle elongate, ellipsoidal. Aculeus curved, shorter than vesicle.

HEMISPERMATOPHORE ( Figs. 99–101). Trunk elongate, slender; flagellum short, filiform, pars recta 0.25 times length of trunk; pars reflecta 0.8–1.0 times length of pars recta (measured from left and right hemispermatophores of paratype male), much smaller in diameter; structure of lobes at base of flagellum similar to that described for B. exquisitus ( Lowe, 2000) , including two elongate, laminate lobes (inner and outer), lacking a third median lobe; inner lobe broad with longitudinal median carina, apex rounded; outer lobe narrow with longitudinal median carina, apex tapered; basal lobe weak, forming obliquely transverse carinae reaching outer basal edge of inner lobe; carina of inner lobe joined with basal lobe carina; measurements: trunk L (to base of flagellum) 3.73 mm, pars recta L 0.98 mm, inner lobe L (from base of flagellum) 0.30 mm, outer lobe L 0.26 mm.

CYTOGENETIC DATA ( Fig. 102). We analyzed two paratype males using standard cytogenetic methods (e.g. Kovařík et al., 2009; Šťáhlavský et al., 2014). The dip- loid complement of analyzed material is composed of 22 holocentric chromosomes ( Fig. 102A). The first two chromosomes show considerable difference in size within both analyzed males ( Fig. 102D). The first chromosome forms 10.75% (SD=0.63) of the diploid set in one male (the number of measured mitotic metaphases is 13) and 10.84% (SD=0.17) in the second male (the number of measured mitotic metaphases is 9). The second chromosome forms 7.84% (SD=0.41) in one male and 8.46% (SD=0.90) in the other. The rest of chromosomes decrease gradually in size from 6.28% to 2.48% or from 5.99% to 2.33%, respectively ( Fig. 102B, D). The conspicuous difference of the size of the first two chromosomes may be explained by reciprocal translocations between different chromosome pairs. This type of chromosomal rearrangement forms multivalents during meiosis and may cause chromosomal different- iation of size (e.g. Kovařík et al., 2013). We observed only limited number of postpachytene. However in all cases we found multivalents formed by ten chromosomes (in one cell of the first male and in four cells in the second male) ( Fig. 102C). Moreover, in one cell we found decavalent and tetravalent together. It is evident that two chromosomes from this decavalent are the largest elements of the set and correspond to the first and second chromosomes of the karyotype ( Fig. 102C, chromosomes marked 1 and 2)

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish B. sofomarensis sp. n. from all other species of the genus. B. sofomarensis sp. n. seems to be closest to B. subpunctatus from which can be unequivocally separated by: 1) total length 32–35 mm (males) and 46 mm (female) in B. sofomarensis sp. n. and 22.5 mm (male) – 32.25 mm (females) in B. subpunctatus ; 2) coloration darker in B. sofomarensis sp. n ( Figs. 64–65 versus 62– 63); 3) pectines with 18–20 teeth in B. sofomarensis sp. n. and 16–17 teeth in B. subpunctatus ; 4) chela broader in B. sofomarensis sp. n (ratio chela length to manus width 3.5– 3.8 in both sexes) than in B. subpunctatus (ratio chela length to manus width 5.1 in male and 4.3– 4.6 in females); 5) male of B. sofomarensis sp. n. with fingers of pedipalps flexed proximally ( Figs. 88 and 90– 91) and almost straight in both sexes of B. subpunctatus ( Figs. 81, 84, and 86).

COMMENTS ON LOCALITIES AND LIFE STRATEGY. We visited the type locality for the first time on 24 June 2013. We spent a night there and collected several types of Pandinus trailini Kovařík, 2013 (see Kovařík, 2013: 10, figs. 34–35). At the locality in the valley formed by the Gestro River on 24–25 June 2013 we recorded nighttime temperatures of 19.4 ºC shortly after sunset, dropping to 15.6 ºC (minimum temperature) before sunrise and up to 69% humidity. We collected at night with UV light four male paratypes. We visited the type locality again on 23 November 2014 and at night the first author (FK) recorded nighttime temperatures of 23.3 ºC shortly after sunset, dropping to 19 ºC (minimum temperature) before sunrise and up to 64% humidity. The first author (FK) collected at night with UV light two other male paratypes and the female holotype. In addition to B. sofomarensis sp. n., he recorded at this locality P. trailini , Hottentotta trilineatus (Peters, 1861) , and Iomachus sp.

Next night we spent at the locality 14EO ( Fig. 96). Here, the first author (FK) recorded on 24–25 November 2014, shortly after sunset, a nighttime temperature of 22.7 ºC, which gradually dropped to 16 ºC (minimum temperature) before sunrise. Humidity during the night varied between 70% and 65%. Several specimens of Hottentotta trilineatus and a paratype of B. sofomarensis sp. n. were found around 22:00 h (temperature 19 ºC).

The last paratype juvenile ( Fig. 98) was collected during the day under a big stone at the locality 14EP ( Fig. 97) in the valley formed by the Wabe Shebelle River. Apart from B. sofomarensis sp. n. we recorded Pandinus platycheles Werner, 1916 and Hottentotta trilineatus at this locality.