Vaejovis mcwesti Sissom, Graham, Donaldson & Bryson Jr., 2016

A, Contreras-Félix Gerardo & Oscar, Francke B., 2019, Taxonomic revision of the “ mexicanus ” group of the genus Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Zootaxa 4596 (1), pp. 1-100 : 43-44

Vaejovis mcwesti Sissom, Graham, Donaldson & Bryson Jr., 2016

Figures 4 , 13j , 14i , 15j , 16j , 17j , 18j , 19j , 28

Vaejovis mcwesti Sissom, Graham, Donaldson & Bryson Jr. ; 2016 5–8; Figs 21–39 .

Type material. Holotype male. MEXICO: Durango, Hwy 36, km 32, between San Andres Atotonilco and Laguna La Chaparra (W Santiago Papasquiaro)(N 25.07565°, W 105.61933°, elev: 2787 m). VIII.11.2005. Cols: O. F. Francke, W. D. Sissom, K. J. McWest, C. M. Lee, H. Montaño, J. Ballesteros, L. Jarvis, and C. Duran. ( CNAN). Examined.

Paratypes. 2 ♀, same data as holotype ( AMNH), examined ; 2 ♀, same data as holotype ( CNAN), examined; and 1 ♀, same data as holotype ( CAS), not examined .

Diagnosis. Adults 23 to 33 mm long (Fig: 28-ab). Carapace (Fig: 13-j), shorter than metasomal segment V (Carapace L/MS-V 0.88 [0.96±0.05]), longer than femur (Carapace L/Femur L 1.32 [1.25±0.03]); anterior margin of carapace concave. Mesosomal tergite VII with a pair of well developed, granular carinae present from middle of segment and never reaching posterior margin. Pectinal teeth 14–14 [12–14]; sternite V on male with a conspicuous bright semi-oval whitish patch at posterior margin; sternite VII with a pair of vestigial paramedian carinae and 12 setae [12]. Metasomal segment I sub-quadrangular in dorsal view (MSI L/ W 0.76 [0.70±0.03]); intercarinal spaces on segments I–IV smooth, may present some scattered granules; segment V with noticeably darker coloration than rest of metasoma. Vesicle slender (Fig: 14-j) (L/ W 1.70 [1.70±0.05]) and thin (W/D 1.26 [1.31±0.7]), ventral surface smooth; with two submedian longitudinal lighter bands, slightly differentiated in color; dorsal surface smooth and flat, with a long and wide (almost as wide as vesicle) whitish vesicular gland. Pedipalp femur (Fig: 15- j) and patella (Fig: 16-j) always less than three times longer than wide (Femur L/ W 2.90 [2.70±0.06]; Patella L/ W 2.78 [2.71±0.2]); patella dorsointernal carina granulose, composed by a single, continuous row of granules. Pedipalp chela (Fig: 17, 18-j) on male greatly inflated; about one-and-a-half times longer than wide (CM L/ W 1.44 [1.53±0.1]), keel-less, smooth. Pedipalp chela dentate margin of fingers straight.

Hemispermatophore (Fig: 19-j): Lamelliform (TL 3.1; LL 1.8; LW 0.3 mm); lamella simple with hooks located basally, lobed, accessory hook merged to principal lobe and not well differentiated; wider at level where hooks are located; apical crest present on distal third of lamella. Median lobe present, well-sclerotized.

Full morphometric variation is given in tables 13 and 14. Setae variation is given in tables 9–12.

Distribution. This species is only known from the type locality ( Figure 4 ).

Natural history. There is not much information regarding the history of this species, but it is known to live on the pine-oak forest in the Mexican state of Durango, and can be found under rocks and logs.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Known distribution of all the species of Vaejovis, included in the “mexicanus” group.

FIGURE 13. Comparison in shapes on carapace in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Comparison of the different shapes in the caudal gland on species within the “mexicanus” group (each caudal gland, if present, is highlighted in red): a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov.

FIGURE 15. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp femur, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp patella, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 17. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of males in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Comparison in the different shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of females, that selected species within “mexicanus” group present: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 19. Comparison on the shapes in the hemispermatophore in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. ceboruco sp. nov.; b—V. chiapas; c—V. coalcoman; d—V. darwini; e—V. dugesi; f—V. dzahui; g—V. franckei; h—V. granulatus; i—V. maculosus; j—V. mcwesti; k—V. mexicanus; l—V. montanus; m—V. monticola; n—V. morelia; o—V. nanchititla sp. nov. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 21. Habitus of Vaejovis coalcoman holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 22. Habtus of Vaejovis darwini holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 23. Habitus of Vaejovis dugesi (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 24. Habitus of Vaejovis dzahui holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 25. Habitus of Vaejovis franckei (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 26. Habitus of Vaejovis granulatus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 27. Habitus of Vaejovis maculosus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 28. Habitus of Vaejovis mcwesti holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 29. Habitus of Vaejovis mexicanus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 30. Habitus of Vaejovis montanus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 31. Habitus of Vaejovis monticola (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 32. Habitus of Vaejovis morelia holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 33. Habitus of Vaejovis nanchititla sp. nov. holotype (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view; habitus of V. nanchititla sp. nov. paratype (♀): c—dorsal view; d—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 34. Habitus of Vaejovis nigrofemoratus (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 35. Comparison in shapes on carapace in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 36. Comparison of the different shapes in the caudal gland on species within the “mexicanus” group (each caudal gland, if present, is highlighted in red): a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca.

FIGURE 37. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp femur, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 38. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp patella, in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 39. Comparison in shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of males in species within “mexicanus” group: a—V. nigrofemoratus; b—V. prendinii; c—V. pusillus; d—V. rossmani; e—V. santibagnezi sp. nov.; f—V. setosus; g—V. sierrae; h—V. smithi; i—V. sprousei; j—V. talpa sp. nov.; k—V. tapalpa sp. nov.; l—V. tenamaztlei; m—V. tesselatus; n—V. trespicos; o—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.