Barbaracurus zambonellii ( Borelli, 1902 ) Kovařík & Lowe & Šťáhlavský, 2018

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme & Šťáhlavský, František, 2018, Review of the genus Babycurus Karsch, 1886 (Arachnida, Scorpiones, Buthidae), with descriptions of Barbaracurus gen. n. and two new species from Oman and Yemen, Euscorpius 267, pp. 1-41 : 33-36

Barbaracurus zambonellii ( Borelli, 1902) comb. n.

( Figures 7 , 28, 36 , 58–61 , 79–80 , 88–89 , 219–244 , 248– 251 , 261–262 , 265, Table 1 )

Babycurus zambonellii Borelli, 1902: 1–4 ; Hirst, 1907: 209; Kraepelin, 1913: 181; Caporiacco, 1947: 232; Probst, 1973: 329; Lamoral & Reynders, 1975: 498; Kovařík, 1998: 104 (in part); Fet & Lowe, 2000: 80 (in part); Lowe, 2000: 185–191 (in part); Kovařík, 2000: 260–261 (in part); Kovařík, 2003: 137 (? in part); Chiarle et al., 2012: 21.

TYPE LOCALITY AND HOLOTYPE DEPOSITORY. Eritrea, Chenafena ; MZUT.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Eritrea, Chenafena (14.786N 39.018E), 1♀ (holotype), MZUT; Filfil , Salamuna river, 15°36'34.6"N 38°57'22.8"E, 817 m a.s.l., 3.-4.XI.2015, ( Figs. 224–225 , Locality No. 15 EH), 3♂ 3♀1♀ im.3juvs. ( No. 876, Figs. 28, 36 , 219–223 , 226–244 , 258–251, 258–259 ), leg. F. Kovařík, FKCP.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adult males 32–35 mm, adult females 46–52 mm. Coloration yellowish brown to grey with darker markings, chelicerae yellow without or with traces of reticulation. Pedipalp chela manus much wider in male than female, chela length/width ratio 3.42 in males and 4.29 in female; proximal margins of pedipalp fingers of female straight ( Figs. 61 , 231 ), of male undulate so as to leave a gap with fingers closed ( Figs. 59 , 233 ); dentate margin of movable finger armed with 7 rows of granules, and a short apical row of 3–4 denticles ( Fig. 7 ); most proximal granule row with one external accessory granule. Pectines with 17–19 teeth in both sexes. Hemispermatophore basal lobe a weak, oblique carina ( Figs. 28, 36 ). Metasoma narrow, metasoma V length/width ratio is 2.40–2.46 in males and 2.56–2.58 in females ( Figs. 76–77 ); metasoma I with 10 carinae, II–IV with 8 carinae. Telson setose, bearing numerous long macrosetae and short, pointed subaculear tubercle; vesicle smooth, elongate, ellipsoidal, slightly bulbous, telson length/depth ratio 2.27–2.37 in both sexes; aculeus slender, curved, shorter than vesicle.

NOTE. In his original description, Borelli (1902: 3) assumed that the holotype was a male, and this was accepted by most subsequent authors. Only Lowe (2000: 190–191) questioned this assumption, observing that the holotype exhibited some characters more consistent with females of other species of Babycurus sensu lato, and noted that “Study of additional material is needed to clarify variation and sexual dimorphism in B. zambonellii ”. Recently, the first author (F.K.) was able to finally settle this question by collecting additional material representing both sexes of B. zambonellii . The new specimens clearly demonstrated that the holotype is indeed female, not male. B. zambonellii is an Eritrean endemic and the female which Sissom (1994) cited from Yemen represents a new species which we describe here as B. yemenensis sp. n.

COMMENTS ON LOCALITY AND LIFE STRATEGY. The first author (F.K.) visited the locality 15EH ( Figs. 224–225 ), a montane, forested habitat along a riverbed of an occasional river, on 3–4 November 2015. At this locality, the author recorded a maximum daytime temperature of 30.3 ºC, and minimum nighttime temperatures of 19.6 ºC. The recorded humidity was between 46% and 92%. In addition to B. zambonellii the first author also recorded Hottentotta minax (L. Koch, 1875) at this locality.

Figures

Figures 1–23: Pedipalp movable finger, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. (1–10) and Babycurus (11–23) species. Figures 1–4: Barbaracurus gen. n., species with 6 non-imbricated almost linear rows of granules. Figure 1. B. ugartei comb. n., female holotype. Figure 2. B. sofomarensis comb. n., male paratype. Figure 3. B. somalicus comb. n., female from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figure 4. B. subpunctatus comb. n., female from Ethiopia, locality 14EI. Figures 5–10: Barbaracurus gen. n., species with 7 non-imbricated almost linear rows of granules. Figure 5. B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype. Figures 6–7, 10. B. zambonellii comb. n., female (6 and 10) and male (7) from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figure 8. B. winklerorum sp. n., female paratype. Figure 9. B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 12–14: Babycurus, species with 6 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 12. B. ansorgei, female, Congo, Bukama env., FKCP. Figure 13. B. centrurimorphus, female lectotype. Figure 14. B. pictus, female, Congo, Sampwe env., FKCP. Figures 11, 15–21: Babycurus, species with 7–8 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 15. B. buettneri, female, MCSN. Figure 11, 16. B. dunlopi, male paratype. Figure 17. B. jacksoni, male, Tanzania, FKCP, No. 1189. Figure 18. B. kirki, female, Cote d’Ivoire, Comoe, FKCP. Figure 19. Babycurus melanicus, female holotype. Figure 20. B. taramassoi, female, Somalia, Belet Amin, MCSN. Figure 21. Babycurus wituensis, female lectotype. Figures 22–23: Babycurus, species with 9 imbricated rows of movable fingers. Figure 22. B. gigas, female lectotype. Figure 23. B. multisubaculeatus, female holotype. Numbers in red indicate number of granule rows in series of fingers on the left of each number (red arrows).

Figures 24–39: Hemispermatophore capsules of Barbaracurus gen. n. and Babycurus species, convex and anterior views. In each figure. left image is convex view with capsule compressed to show shape of lobes, right image anterior view to show profile of basal lobe. Figures 24–31. Color images. Figures 24–28: Barbaracurus gen. n. Figure 24. B. winklerorum sp. n., holotype. Figure 25. B. exquisitus comb. n., Oman, Jabal Akhdar hotel, 23º04'N 57º38'E. Figure 26. B. sofomarensis comb. n., paratype from the type locality. Figure 27. B. somalicus comb. n., Somaliland, Borama, locality 17SR. Figure 28. B. zambonellii comb. n., Eritrea, Filfil, locality 15EH. Figures 29–31: Babycurus. Figure 29: B. jacksoni, Tanzania. Figure 30: B. gigas, Tanzania, Usambara Mts. Figure 31: B. buettneri, Cameroon, Mamba vill., 04°07.311'N 10°11.615'E. Scale bars: 200 µm. Small numbered labels indicate specimen numbers (see lists of Material Examined). Figures 32–39. Gray scale images with basal lobes outlined in red. Figures 32–36: Barbaracurus gen. n.: B. winklerorum sp. n. (32), B. exquisitus comb. n. (33), B. sofomarensis comb. n. (34), B. somalicus comb. n. (35) and B. zambonellii comb. n. (36). Figures 37–39: Babycurus: B. jacksoni (37), B. gigas (38) and B. buettneri (39). Solid red curves indicate either the distal margin of a scoop-like basal lobe (32, 34) or a well developed carina (35–37, 39). Dashed red curves indicate either the line of attachment of a scoop-like basal lobe (32, 34) or a weakly developed carina (35–36, 38).

Figures 50–69: Pedipalp chela dorsal and external views, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 50–53: B. sofomarensis comb. n., male (50–51) and female (52–53) paratypes. Figures 54–57: B. somalicus comb. n., male (54–55) and female (56–57) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 58–61: B. zambonellii comb. n., male (58–59) and female (60–61) from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figures 62–65: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (62–63) and female (64–65) paratype. Figures 66– 69: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (66–67) and female (68–69) paratype.

Figures 70–80: Metasoma and telson ventral views, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 70–71: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (70) and female (71) paratype. Figures 72–73: B. sofomarensis comb. n., male (72) and female (73) paratypes. Figures 74–74: B. somalicus comb. n., male (74) and female (75) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 76–77: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (76) and female (77) paratype. Figures 78: B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 79–80. B. zambonellii comb. n., male (79) and female (80) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 81–89: Telson, lateral views of both sexes, comparison of Barbaracurus gen. n. species. Figures 81–82: B. exquisitus comb. n., male holotype (81) and female (82) paratype. Figures 83–84: B. somalicus comb. n., male (83) and female (84) from Somaliland, locality 17SR. Figures 85–86: B. winklerorum sp. n., male holotype (85) and female (86) paratype. Figures 87: B. yemenensis sp. n., female holotype. Figures 88–89. B. zambonellii comb. n., male (88) and female (89) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 219–225: Barbaracurus zambonellii comb. n. from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figures 219, 221. Male, dorsal (219) and ventral (221) views. Figures 220, 222. Female, dorsal (220) and ventral (222) views. Figure 223. Right hemispermatophore, convex aspect. Figures 224–225. Eritrea, locality 15EH. Scale bars: 10 mm (219–222), 1 mm (223).

Figures 226–238: Barbaracurus zambonellii comb. n. from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figures 226, 228, 232–238. Male, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (226), sternopectinal region and sternite III (228), pedipalp chela, dorsoexternal (232), external (233), and ventrointernal (234) views, pedipalp patella, dorsal (235) and external (236) views, pedipalp femur and trochanter internal (237) and dorsal (238) views. Figures 227, 229–231. Female, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (227), sternopectinal region and sternites III–IV (229), pedipalp chela, dorsoexternal (230) and external (231) views. The trichobothrial pattern is indicated in Figures 233–238 (white circles).

Figures 239–247: Figures 239–244: Barbaracurus zambonellii comb. n. from Eritrea, locality 15EH. Figures 239–241. Male, metasoma and telson, lateral (239), ventral (240), and dorsal (241) views. Figures 242–244. Female, metasoma and telson, lateral (242), ventral (243), and dorsal (244) views. Figures 245–247: Barbaracurus yemenensis sp. n., Female holotype, metasoma and telson, lateral (245), dorsal (246), and ventral (247) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (239–241, 242–244, 245–247).

Figures 248–249: Barbaracurus zambonellii comb. n., in vivo habitus. Male (248) and female (249) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 250–251: Barbaracurus zambonellii comb. n. female with newborns (first instar) before first ecdysis (250) and female with juveniles (second instar) after first ecdysis (251) from Eritrea, locality 15EH.

Figures 255–264: Male postpachytene (255, 257, 261, 263), mitotic metaphase (259), and ideograms (256, 258, 260, 262, 264) (y axis - % of the diploid chromosome length) of Babycurus (255–260) and Barbaracurus gen. n. (261–264) species. Babycurus jacksoni (1189), Tanzania (2n=16) (255, 256), B. buettneri (1190) from Cameroon, Mamba vill., 04°07.311'N 10°11.615'E (2n=28) (257, 258) and B. gigas (914) from Tanzania (2n=30) (259, 260); Barbaracurus zambonelli comb. n. (876) from Eritrea, locality 15EH (2n=26) (261, 262) and B. somalicus comb. n. (1332), Somaliland, locality 17SR (2n=36) (263, 264). Scale bar: 5 µm (255, 257, 259, 261, 263).