Hottentotta arenaceus (Purcell, 1902)

Kovařík, František, 2007, A revision of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, with descriptions of four new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Euscorpius 58 (58), pp. 1-107 : 12

Hottentotta arenaceus (Purcell, 1902)

Buthus arenaceus Purcell, 1902: 137 ; Kraepelin, 1914: 109; Hewitt, 1918: 104; Lawrence, 1927: 71; Lawrence, 1955: 225; Lawrence, 1972: 8.

Buthotus arenaceus : Vachon & Stockmann, 1968: 97; Lamoral & Reynders, 1975: 500; Lamoral, 1979: 541.

Hottentotta (Hottentotta) arenaceus : Kovařík, 1998: 110.

Hottentotta arenaceus : Fet & Lowe, 2000: 136; Leeming, 2003: 48; Prendini, 2005: 66.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. RSA, between Henkries and Wolftoon, Little Bushmanland, Namaqualand ; SAMC.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 32 mm (male) to 43 mm (female). Trichobothrium db on the fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria et and dt, close to or on level with et. Sexual dimorphism not readily apparent, width of pedipalp chela same in both sexes. Pectinal teeth number 21–24 in males, 16–19 in females. Entire body only very sparsely hirsute, especially metasomal segments. Color yellow to yellowish brown. Carinae on mesosoma and metasoma may be black. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, only tips of teeth on fingers of chelicerae are black. Femur of pedipalp with five carinae, patella with eight carinae. Chela very narrow and with dorsal carinae incomplete. Seventh metasomal segment with 4 well defined ventral carinae. First to fourth metasomal segments with 10 carinae. Fifth metasomal segment with 5 carinae. First metasomal segment width to length ratio 0.95–1.05 in males, 1.03–1.14 in females. Telson extremely bulbous.

COMMENTS. I have not been able to examine any specimens of this species. The above diagnosis is primarily after Lamoral (1979: 541–548), who adequately defined it. In contrast to Asian species, south African species of Hottentotta do not present taxonomic problems. This species can be confused only with H. conspersus , which may be regarded as its sister species. Both species are very well characterized by the telson, which is extremely bulbous. H. arenaceus is smaller than H. conspersus , reaching at most 43 mm; a male only 32 mm long (see Lamoral, 1979: 541) is together with males of H. rugiscutis from India, of which the smallest in my collection (FKCP) measures 30 mm, the smallest adult specimen recorded for the genus.

DISTRIBUTION: Namibia ( Kraepelin, 1914: 109), South Africa (Purcell, 1902: 139).