Buthacus spatzi (Birula, 1911)

Kovařík, František, 2005, Taxonomic position of species of the genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 described by Ehrenberg and Lourenço, and description of a new species (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 28 (28), pp. 1-13 : 6-7

Buthacus spatzi (Birula, 1911)

( Fig. 6 )

Androctonus (Leiurus) leptochelys Ehrenberg in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1829: 355 (in part); Ehrenberg in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1831: 5 (in part), Moritz & Fischer, 1980: 317 (in part); Braunwalder & Fet, 1998: 33 (in part).

Buthus leptochelys : Kraepelin, 1891: 202 (in part); Pocock, 1895: 299 (in part); Kraepelin, 1901: 266 (in part).

Buthus (Buthacus) spatzi Birula, 1911: 137 ; Birula, 1917b: 214.

Buthacus spatzi : Caporiacco, 1937: 349; Pallary, 1937: 100; Levy et al., 1973: 138; Levy & Amitai, 1980: 76; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 85; Crucitti & Vignoli, 2002: 440.

Buthacus arenicola spatzi : Vachon, 1951: 3; El-Hennawy, 1992: 112; Kovařík, 1998: 105.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Locality unclear, labeled as Androctonus leptochelys , Syrien, Ehrenberg, No. 152, 1♀, paralectotype No. 2 of Androctonus (Leiurus) leptochelys Ehrenberg in Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1829, ZMHB.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Tunisia, Nefta , 1juv., 28– 29.V.1993, leg. R. Nerger, FKCP ; Klebia ( Nousil ), 1♀, 24.V.1995, leg. R. Nerger, FKCP ; Douz , 1♂ 2juvs., 12.IX.1996, leg. J. Batelka & H. Podroužková, FKCP ; Blidette , 1♀, 14–15.IX.1996, leg. J. Batelka & H. Podroužková, FKCP ; Kebili prov., 8 km W Douz, Zaafrane , 2♀, 28.V.2005, leg. F. Kovařík, FKCP .

DIAGNOSIS: Total adult length 45–70 mm, color uniformly yellow to yellowish green. Movable fingers of pedipalps bear 9 or 10 rows of granules that have one internal and no external granule (one minute external granule may be present at last two or three rows) and three distal granules. Tarsomeres of first to third legs with bristlecombs.

Tibial spurs on legs III and IV moderately developed but larger on IV. Pedipalp smooth, without granules. Femur with carinae that may be sparsely granulate, patella with only inconspicous and smooth carinae, chela without carinae. Female chela narrower than patella. Male chela approximately as wide as patella, base of male fingers slightly twisted. Seventh mesosomal segment ventrally with four obsolete carinae that lack granules. Pectines long, with 26–30 teeth in females and 31–35 teeth in males. First metasomal segment with 10 carinae, second to fourth segments with eight carinae (on lateral surface of second segment rows of granules cover only anterior half and do not form discrete carinae). Dorsal carinae of fourth segment may be smooth or absent. Fifth segment usually without dorsal carinae but with a ventromedian carina and two conspicuous ventrolateral carinae composed of unevenly sized granules. Metasoma and telson sparsely hirsute.

Figures

Figure 6: Buthacus spatzi, female paralectotype No. 2 of Androctonus (Leiurus) leptochelys, dorsal aspect.