Hottentotta finneganae, Kovařík, 2007

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 : 17-19

Hottentotta finneganae sp. n.

( Figs. 30–31 , 130–135 , Table 1)

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Pakistan, 15 km north of Rawalpindi ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. Pakistan, 15 km north of Rawalpindi , 1962, 1♂ (holotype, Figs. 30–31 ) 1im. (paratype), collector unknown, FKCP .

ETYMOLOGY. Named after Dr. Susan Finnegan who described the scorpion genus Apistobuthus in 1932.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 54 mm. For habitus see Figs. 30–31 . Trichobothrium db on the fixed finger of pedipalp situated on level with trichobothrium est. Male with fingers proximally slightly twisted, manus wider than female. Pectinal teeth number 25–26. Chelicerae yellow to yellowish brown, with reticulate only in anterior part. Entire body only sparsely hirsute. The hairs on pedipalps and metasoma are long. Color uniformly yellow to yellowish brown. Metasomal carinae may be black. Femur of pedipalp with 5 carinae. Patella with 8 carinae, of which some are indistinct. Dorsal surfaces of femur and all patella granulated. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 12 rows of granules and 5 terminal granules. Seventh metasomal segment with 4 well marked ventral granulated carinae. Dorsal surfaces of mesosoma and carapace granulated (granules are smaller than the spaces between them). First to fourth metasomal segments with 10 carinae; fifth segment with 5 carinae. Metasoma granulated between carinae except dorsal surface, which is sparsely granulated, usually smooth at center and often bears 2 short, inconspicuous carinae. Telson also granulated. Dorsal carinae of metasomal segments bear slightly larger terminal granules. First metasomal segment of adults wider than long, but second and third metasomal segment longer than wide. Second to fourth metasomal segment width ratio is less than 1.1. Length to width ratio of fourth metasomal segment less than 1.4.

DESCRIPTION: Total length 53.8 mm (male holotype). The habitus is shown in Figs. 30–31 . Measurements of the carapace, telson, segments of the metasoma and of the pedipalps, and numbers of pectinal teeth in the holotype and allotype are given in Table 1. Trichobothrium db on the the fixed finger of pedipalp is situated on level with trichobothrium est. Pectinal teeth number 25–26. Chelicerae are yellow to yellowish brown, with reticulation only in anterior part. The male has fingers proximally slightly twisted. Although I have not seen a female, morphological similarity with other species leads me to assume that its manus is narrower than in the male.

COLORATION: The color is uniformly yellow to yellowish brown. Mesosomal segments and carapace usually bear orange spots and longitudinal black stripes. Metasomal carinae may be black as well.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma has three carinae on the dorsal surface and two carinae on the ventral surface with the exception of the seventh segment, whose ventral surface bears four well marked carinae. The dorsal surface is granulated (granules are smaller than the spaces between them), whereas the ventral surface is smooth.

PEDIPALPS: The pedipalps are hirsute, but not densely. The hairs are long. The femur of pedipalp has five carinae and the dorsal surface is covered by granules. The patella is granulated and bears eight carinae, of which some are indistinct. Chela lacks carinae. The movable fingers of pedipalps bear 12 rows of granules and 5 terminal granules.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The first metasomal segment is wider than long, whereas the second and third segments are longer than wide. The first to fourth segments bear 10 carinae, and the fifth segment bears only five carinae. The surface between the carinae is granulated but dorsal granulation is diminished to absent in the center which often bears two short, inconspicuous carinae. The telson is also granulated. The dorsal carinae of metasomal segments bear slightly larger terminal granules. The second through fourth segment width ratio is less than 1.1. Length to width ratio of the fourth metasomal segment is less than 1.4.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish H. finneganae sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. H. finneganae sp. n. is closest to H. stockwelli sp. n. from India. Differences between these two species are discussed under H. stockwelli sp. n.

Figures

Figure 30: Hottentotta finneganae, sp. nov., dorsal view, male holotype.

Figure 31: Hottentotta finneganae, sp. nov., ventral view, male holotype.

Figures 130–135: Hottentotta finneganae, sp. nov., male holotype. 130–132. Pedipalp trichobothrial pattern. 130. Chela, external and ventral views; closed circle on chelal fixed finger external view designates internal trichobothrium i. 131. Femur, dorsal view; circled area shows internal trichobothria of femur from an internal perspective. 132. Patella, dorsal and external views. 133. Telson, lateral and ventral views. 134. Metasomal segment V, ventral view. 135. Chelal movable finger showing dentition; closeup of finger tip shown in ellipse.