Vaejovis sierrae 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 : 71-72

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

Figures 4 , 35g , 36g , 37g , 38g , 39g , 40g , 41g , 47

Vaejovis sierrae Sissom, Graham, Donaldson & Bryson Jr., 2016: 2 –5; Figs: 2–20.

Type material. Holotype male. MEXICO: Durango, near Rancho Las Margaritas , SE Mezquital (N23.31279°, W104.30334°, elev. 2724 m). VII.18.2010. Col: R. W. Bryson, Jr. ( CNAN). Examined.

Paratypes: Four adult and two juvenile females with same data as holotype; deposited as follows : 2 ♀ ( CNAN), examined ; 1 ♀, 1 J# ( AMNH), examined ; 1 ♀, 1 J# ( CAS), not examined .

Other specimens examined. 1 ♂, 3 ♀, MEXICO: Durango, near Rancho las Margaritas, SE from Mezquital (N 23.312793, W 104.303349, elev: 2661 m). VII.18.2010|. Col: R. W. Bryson Jr. ( CNAN)

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized scorpions, adult length ranging from 22 mm to 35 mm (Fig: 47-a, b). Carapace (Fig: 35-g) on males and females shorter than metasomal segment V and pedipalp femur (Carapace L/MS V 0.86[1.04±0.06]; Carapace L/Femur L 1.08 [1.16±0.04]); anterior margin of carapace, slightly concave, without median notch. Tergite VII lateral carinae granular, composed by an irregular line of rounded granules and not reaching posterior margin; sternite V with a faint white patch at posterior margin; sternite VII bearing a pair of lateral carinae, smooth, and 10 [12] setae. Metasomal segment I wider than long (MSI L/ W 0.78 [0.71±0.03]); intercarinal surfaces on metasoma smooth to shagreened; metasomal segment V wider than deep (MSV W/D 1.11 [1.21±0.09]). Vesicle long and slender (Vesicle L/W 2 [2.09±0.03]; W/D 1.42 [1.32±0.04]), on males dorsal face with a noticeable whitish oval vesicular gland medially (Fig: 36-g), absent on females. Pedipalp femur (Fig: 37-g) usually three or more times longer than wide (Femur L/ W 3.08 [3.08±0.08]), but patella (Fig: 38-g) less than three times longer than wide (Patella L/W 3 [2.77±0.09]); prolateral median carina weak, only marked by 4 large, pointed granules. Chela manus rounded (CM L/ W 1.8 [1.96±0.2]; W/D 1[0.98 ±0.02]), with dorsal prosubmedian, prolateral median and ventral retrolateral carinae feebly granular, but noticeably elevated (Figs: 39, 40-g). Pedipalp chela fingers dentate margins straight.

Hemispermatophore: (Fig: 41–g): Lamelliform (TL: 6; LL: 3.4; LW: 1), lamina wider at the base, with an apical crest on distal third; two pointed hooks bent 90°. Capsular lobe well-sclerotized, with denticles on margin.

Variation: This species exhibits a wide variation in overall size (male size range 17–30; female size range 20–35) while other morphological characters show little variation; further studies on its life history are needed. 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 in the southeastern mountains of Durango ( Figure 4 ).

Natural history. All the known specimens are from a single collecting event in July.

Figures

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

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.

FIGURE 40. Comparison in the different shapes and trichobothrial patterns in the pedipalp chela of females, that selected species within “mexicanus” group present 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. talpa sp. nov; j—V. tapalpa sp. nov; k—V. tenamaztlei; l—V. tesselatus; m—V. trespicos; n—V. zapoteca. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURE 41. Comparison on the shapes in the hemispermatophore 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 47. Habitus of Vaejovis sierrae (♂): a—dorsal view; b—ventral view. Scale bar = 1 cm.