Archaeobuthus estephani Lourenço, 2001

Baptista, Chris, Santiago-Blay, Jorge A., Soleglad, Michael E. & Fet, Victor, 2006, The Cretaceous scorpion genus, Archaeobuthus, revisited (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae), Euscorpius 35 (35), pp. 1-40 : 5

Archaeobuthus estephani Lourenço, 2001

( Figs. 1–10 , 18 , 26 , 36–54 )

DIAGNOSIS. As for the family.

Holotype. Gender and biological age of the specimen unclear.

Repository. Deposited in the private collection of Antoun Estephan (Frankfurt, Germany).

Range. Lebanese amber, 135–120 Ma.

Measurements (in mm). Carapace. Anterior width 1.06? (right lateral edge obscured). Width of carapace at lateral eyes 0.89; median length 0.98. Carapace + mesosoma length 2.82. Chelicerae. Width at the base 0.29. Right pedipalp. Femur length 1.06, width 0.27; patella length 1.21, width 0.37; chela length 2.10, width 0.34; chela palm length 0.82, width 0.34; movable finger length 1.28. Legs. Leg III tarsus length (dorsal 0.34, ventral 0.41), tarsus basal width 0.09. Metasoma I length/width (L/W) 0.53/0.44, 1.2. Total length: extrapolated to about 6.0 (after Lourenço, 2001).

Description. Yellowish brown, with reddish brown patches on pedipalp. Weakly to moderately granular. Anterior margin of carapace with a moderate median concavity. Anterior median superciliary carinae vestigial; other carinae obsolete. All furrows moderate to weak. Median ocular tubercle distinctly anterior to the center of carapace. Median eyes separated by almost twice their diameter. With two pairs of lateral eyes, the most distal pair (the third) appears to be missing. Pedipalps: right pedipalp well visible, see below for detailed discussion of trichobothria. Chelicerae: dentition was not fully visible but the ventral distal tine of movable finger is longer than the dorsal distal denticle. Sternum not observable. Pecten not available, only a few scattered teeth observable. Without tibial spurs on legs III–IV; with pedal spurs; tarsal armature reduced. Tergites weakly granular. Tergites I to VI with three longitudinal carinae, moderate to strong. Tergite VII pentacarinate. Sternites I–III not clearly visible, IV–VII rather smooth, with median longitudinal punctations; small oval to circular stigma visible on sternites V and VI. Metasomal segments II to V (and telson) missing. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae; ventral carinae parallel; dorsolateral with spinoid granules.

Figures

Figure 1: Dorsal view of Archaeobuthus estephani.

Figures 2–5: Pedipalp trichobothrial pattern of Archaeobuthus estephani. 2. Dorsoexternal view of chela. 3. Ventral view of chelal palm. 4. Dorsal view of patella. 5. Dorsal view of femur. Compare to Figs. 6–9.

Figures 6–9: Pedipalp of Archaeobuthus estephani showing trichobothria; compare to Figs. 2–5. 6. Dorsoexternal view of chela (also see Fig. 36). 7. Ventral view of chelal palm (also see Fig. 37). 8. Dorsal view of patella (also see Fig. 44). 9. Dorsal view of femur (also see Fig. 45).

Figures 10–17: Diagrammatic trichobothrial patterns of pedipalpal chela for Archaeobuthus, Pseudochactas, and representatives of the six buthoid groups suggested by Fet et al. (2005). 10. Archaeobuthus estephani (idealized). 11. Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi (after Soleglad & Fet, 2001, in part). 12. Buthus bonito (after Lourenço & Geniez, 2005, in part). 13. Ananteris luciae (after Lourenço, 1984, in part). 14. Isometrus sankeriensis (after Tikader & Bastawade, 1983, in part). 15. Charmus indicus (after Lourenço, 2000b, in part, and Tikader & Bastawade, 1983, in part). 16. Uroplectes occidentalis (after Vachon, 1950, in part). 17. Tityus shiriana (after González-Sponga, 1991, in part). Closed circles depict location of internal trichobothria; horizontal bars depict location of V1–V2 and db–dt series.

Figure 36: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsoexternal view of pedipalpal chela showing trichobothria Eb1, Eb2, Est, Et1, eb, est, et, and db.

Figure 37: Archaeobuthus estephani. Ventral view of pedipalp chelal palm showing trichobothria Eb1, Eb2, V1 (areola only), Est, and Et1.

Figure 38: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsoexternal view of pedipalp chelal fixed finger showing trichobothria eb, est, et, db, and dt (areola only).

Figure 39: Archaeobuthus estephani. External view of pedipalp chelal fixed finger showing trichobothria Est, Et1, eb, est, et, db, and dt (areola only).

Figure 40: Archaeobuthus estephani. Pedipalp chelal fingers showing dentition on distal aspects.

Figure 41: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsoexternal view of pedipalpal chela showing trichobothria Eb1, Eb2, Est, and db.

Figure 42: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsal view of pedipalpal femur and patella showing trichobothria. Patella: d1, d3, i, eb1, esb1, est, and et1; femur: d3 and i1.

Figure 43: Archaeobuthus estephani. Pedipalpal patella showing four external trichobothria, eb1, esb1, est, and et1.

Figure 44: Archaeobuthus estephani. Pedipalpal patella showing trichobothria d1, d3, i, esb1, est, and et1.

Figure 45: Archaeobuthus estephani. Pedipalpal femur and patella showing trichobothria. Patella: d1, d3, eb1, esb1, est and et1; femur: d2, d3, d4, d5, e3, i1, i2, and i3.

Figure 46: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsal view of left pedipalpal femur and patella (basal extremity only) showing trichobothria i and e3 on femur and d1 and eb1 on patella.

Figure 47: Archaeobuthus estephani. Left pedipalpal femur dorsal view showing trichobothria i and e3, and the heavy serration of the ventroexternal carina.

Figure 48: Archaeobuthus estephani. Closeup dorsal view of chelicerae.

Figure 49: Archaeobuthus estephani. Dorsal view of carapace anterior edge and chelicerae.

Figure 50: Archaeobuthus estephani. Overall ventral view.

Figure 51: Archaeobuthus estephani. Ventral view showing sternal plates and metasomal segment I.

Figure 52: Archaeobuthus estephani. Ventral view showing right stigma (indicated by white arrows) on sternites III and IV.

Figure 53: Archaeobuthus estephani. Right leg III showing basitarsus, tarsus, epitarsus, and retrolateral pedal spur.

Figure 54: Archaeobuthus estephani. Right leg IV showing tibia (partial), basitarsus, tarsus, epitarsus, and pedal spurs.

Figures 18–25: Diagrammatic trichobothrial patterns of pedipalpal patella for Archaeobuthus, Pseudochactas, and representatives of the six buthoid groups suggested by Fet et al. (2005). 18. Archaeobuthus estephani (idealized). 19. Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi (after Soleglad & Fet, 2001, in part). 20. Buthus bonito (after Lourenço & Geniez, 2005, in part). 21. Ananteris luciae (after Lourenço, 1984, in part). 22. Isometrus sankeriensis (after Tikader & Bastawade, 1983, in part). 23. Charmus indicus (after Lourenço, 2000b, in part, and Tikader & Bastawade, 1983, in part). 24. Uroplectes occidentalis (after Vachon, 1950, in part). 25. Tityus shiriana (after González-Sponga, 1991, in part). Vertical bars depict location of external trichobothria.

Figures 26–33: Diagrammatic trichobothrial patterns of pedipalpal femur for Archaeobuthus, Pseudochactas, and representatives of the six buthoid groups suggested by Fet et al. (2005). 26. Archaeobuthus estephani (idealized). 27. Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi (after Soleglad & Fet, 2001, in part). 28. Buthus bonito (after Lourenço & Geniez, 2005, in part). 29. Ananteris luciae (after Lourenço, 1984, in part). 30. Isometrus sankeriensis (after Tikader & Bastawade, 1983, in part). 31. Charmus indicus (after Lourenço, 2000b, in part). 32. Uroplectes occidentalis (after Vachon, 1950, in part). 33. Tityus shiriana (after González-Sponga, 1991, in part). Vertical bars depict location of internal and external trichobothria; closed circles depict trichobothria d1, d3, and d4, emphasizing the alpha/beta pattern.