Compsobuthus somalilandus Kovařík, 2012

Kovařík, František, 2012, Three new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 from Yemen, Jordan, Israel, and Somaliland (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 150, pp. 1-10 : 7-9

Compsobuthus somalilandus Kovařík , sp. n.

( Figs. 8–19, 37–42)

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Somaliland, near Berbera, 10°14'25.8"N 45°04'55.4"E, 407 m a.s.l.; author’s collection ( FKCP).

TYPE MATERIAL. Somaliland , near Berbera, 10°14'25.8"N 45°04'55.4"E, 407 m a.s.l. ( Fig. 42), 9.VII.2011, 4♂ 4♀ (holotype and paratypes), leg. F. Kovařík ; near Berbera , 10°15'30.5"N 45°06'04.2"E, 376 m a.s.l., 12. VII.2011, 1♀, leg. F. Kovařík ; near Sheikh , foothills of Goolis Mts., 09°59.881'N 45°09.762'E, 896 m a.s.l., 2♀ (allotype and paratype), XI.2010, leg . T. Mazuch and P. Novak .

ETYMOLOGY. Named after the country of occurrence.

NOTE. I intentionally use here the name Somaliland (Hargeysa) for the northern territory corresponding to the former British colony ( British Somaliland), to be distinguished from Somalia (Mogadisho). Somaliland has its own currency, a functional government with representation in several countries, and its officials contributed to our safe visit.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 28–32 mm. Sexual dimorphism minor, adult males with chela of pedipalps broader and fingers of pedipalps flexed proximally; there is no difference in length and width of metasomal segments. Base color uniformly yellow to yellowish brown, with dark spots. Movable finger of pedipalp bears 10 rows of granules, all without external and with internal granules ( acutecarinatus group). Pedipalp chela length/width ratio 4.0 in males and 4.8 in females. Manus of chela shorter than fixed finger. Trochanter of pedipalps with one to twelve spines and without setae. Anterior margin of carapace bears 8 symmetrically distributed spines. First to third metasomal segments bear 10 carinae, fourth metasomal segment bears 8 or 10 carinae. All metasomal segments longer than wide. Pectinal teeth number 18–21 in males and 15–18 in females. Sternites and ventral surface of metasoma granulated. Seventh sternite bears four crenulate carinae. Telson bulbous, aculeus shorter than vesicle. Subaculear tubercle present, long and spinoid.

DESCRIPTION. Total length 28–32 mm. The habitus is shown in Figs. 8–11. For position and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps see Figs. 16–19.

COLORATION. The base color is uniformly yellow to yellowish brown, with dark spots. All carinae on carapace, tergites and metasoma, and the surface near these carinae, are black. The anterior half of the fifth metasomal segment is dark.

CARAPACE AND MESOSOMA. The entire carapace is covered by large granules. The carinae are moderately to strongly developed and granular. The anterior margin of the carapace is straight, medially weakly concave, and bears eight symmetrically distributed spines. The tergites are granulated. Tergites I–VI bear very strong, denticulate lateral carinae. Each carina terminates in a spiniform process that extends well past the posterior margin of the tergite. Tergite VII is pentacarinate, with lateral pairs strong, serratocrenulate and the median carina moderate, crenulate and present only in the proximal half. The pectinal tooth count is 18–21 (1x18, 4x19, 2x20, 1x21) in the males and 15–18 (3x15, 2x16, 4x17, 5x18) in the females. The pectinal marginal tips extend to one-third of the fourth sternite in the female and to onethird of the fifth sternite in the male. The pectines have three marginal lamellae and six to eight middle lamellae. The lamellae bear numerous dark setae, each fulcrum with two dark setae. However, most specimens of both sexes from the type locality either lack these setae or have them only in the last third of pectens. All sternites are finely granulated. The sixth and seventh segments bear four ventral crenulate carinae, which are more strongly developed on the seventh segment. The other sternites bear two carinae.

METASOMA AND TELSON. The first to third segments bear 10 carinae, the fourth segment bears 8 or 10 carinae and the fifth segment bears five carinae. Intermediate carinae of the fourth segment are replaced by isolated granules that may also form carinae. All segments are sparsely setose and densely granulated. Accessoric rows of granules are present on dorsal surfaces of segments as well as on the ventral surface of the fifth segment. The telson is bulbous, with the aculeus shorter than the vesicle. A subaculear tubercle is present, long and spinoid.

PEDIPALPS. The pedipalps are granulated and hirsute. The femur bears five carinae. The patella bears seven granular carinae. The chela bears five carinae. The movable and fixed fingers bear 10 rows of granules, all without external and with internal granules ( acutecarinatus group). The trochanter of pedipalps has one or two spines and lacks setae in males and females from the type locality. Three other females have the trochanter of pedipalps with ca. 10 spines and without setae.

LEGS. The legs III and IV bear tibial spurs. Retrolateral and prolateral pedal spurs are present on all legs. The tarsomeres bear two rows of macrosetae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces. Bristlecombs are absent. The femur bears four carinae and the patella bears four to six carinae. The femur and patella bear only solitary macrosetae and are densely granulated except for external lateral surfaces which are smooth.

MEASUREMENTS IN MM. Total length of male holotype 28; carapace length 3.2, width 3.3; metasoma and telson length 16.8; first metasomal segment length 2.2, width 2.1; second metasomal segment length 2.5, width 1.9; third metasomal segment length 2.6, width 1.9; fourth metasomal segment length 2.9, width 1.8; fifth metasomal segment length 3.6, width 1.7; telson length 3; pedipalp femur length 2.5, width 0.8; pedipalp patella length 3.2, width 1.3; chela length 5.2; manus width 1.3; movable finger length 3.5.

Total length of female allotype 32; carapace length 3.9, width 4; metasoma and telson length 18.7; first metasomal segment length 2.5, width 2.1; second metasomal segment length 2.8, width 2; third metasomal segment length 2.9, width 1.9; fourth metasomal segment length 3.2, width 1.8; fifth metasomal segment length 4, width 1.8; telson length 3.3; pedipalp femur length 2.9, width 0.9; pedipalp patella length 3.7, width 1.4; chela length 5.8; manus width 1.2; movable finger length 3.7.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish C. somalilandus sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key. It differs from C. abyssinicus (Birula, 1903) in having lighter-colored tergites and metasoma with characteristic dark spots, much better developed subaculear tubercle, and the trochanter of pedipalp without setae.