Orthochirus jalalabadensis, Kovařík & 1996, 2004

Kovařík, Baloorthochirus becvari & 1996, 2004, Revision and taxonomic position of genera Afghanorthochirus Lourenço & Vachon, Baloorthochirus Kova ík, Butheolus Simon, Nanobuthus Pocock, Orthochiroides Kova ík, Pakistanorthochirus Lourenço, and Asian Orthochirus Karsch, with descriptions of twelve new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae), Euscorpius 16, pp. 1-33 : 15-17

Orthochirus jalalabadensis sp. n.

( Fig. 8, Table 1)

Orthochirus scrobiculosus?: Kovařík, 1993: 202 and 203.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Afghanistan, Prov. Nengrahar, Jalalabad ; MMBC. For locality details see Jakeš & Povolný (1967) .

TYPE MATERIAL. Afghanistan, Prov. Nengrahar, Jalalabad , I–III.1965, 1♂ A (holotype), 4♂ 5♀ 2juvs.A (paratypes), leg. D. Povolný; 9 km EES Jalalabad, 28.III. 1966, 580 m (loc. No. PT 46), 1♀ A (allotype), leg. D. Povolný & Tenora; Prov. Nengrahar, 8 km EES Jalalabad, 8.II. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 3), 1♀ A (paratype), 2 km EES Jalalabad, 13.II. 1966, 600 m (loc. No. PT 8), 1♀ A (paratype), 10 km EES Jalalabad, 23.II. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 18), 1♀ A (paratype), 8 km EES Jalalabad, 28.II. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 22), 3♀ A (paratypes), 8 km EES Jalalabad, 1.III. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 23), 3♀ A (paratypes), 8 km EES Jalalabad, 2.III. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 24), 1♂ E 4♀ A (paratypes), 8 km EES Jalalabad, 5.III. 1966, 620 m (loc. No. PT 25), 2♀ A (paratypes), 12–20 km EES Jalalabad, 7.III. 1966, 600 m (loc. No. PT 26), 3♀ A (paratypes), 16.III. 1966, 600 m (loc. No. PT 36), 3♀ A (paratypes), Jalalabad, V. 1967, 580 m, 1♀ A (paratype), leg. D. Povolný & coll. For locality details see Jakeš & Povolný (1967). Holotype, allotype and 22 paratypes in MMBC , 10 paratypes in FKCP , one paratype (♀) each in BMNH, CASC and MZUF .

ETYMOLOGY. Named after the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Fourth and fifth metasomal segments ventrally without median carinae and usually only shallowly punctate. Spaces among punctae granulated equally on fourth and fifth segments. Entire metasoma glabrous (short, thin setae may issue from some punctae). Dorsal surface of all metasomal segments mesially smooth. Several solitary granules may be present. Females with mesosoma and metasoma black, telson brown to reddish brown, legs yellow, and pedipalps yellowish gray. Males with mesosoma and first to fourth segments of metasoma yellow, fifth metasomal segment and carapace dark brown to black, and legs and pedipalps light yellow. Movable fingers bear 8 or 9 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 or 3 distal granules. Tarsomere I of first to third legs with bristlecombs, tarsomere I of fourth legs lacks bristlecombs.

DESCRIPTION: Most adults are about 33 mm long, but some females may reach 42.4 mm. The habitus is shown in Fig. 8. Measurements of the carapace, telson, segments of the metasoma and segments of the pedipalps, and numbers of pectinal teeth are given in Table 1. In contrast to female, the male has much lighter coloration and higher numbers of teeth in the pectens.

COLORATION: Females have the mesosoma and metasoma black, the telson brown to reddish brown, legs yellow, and pedipalps yellowish gray. Males have the mesosoma and the first to fourth metasomal segments yellow, the fifth metasomal segment and carapace dark brown to black, and legs and pedipalps light yellow.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma bears a median carina. Both the mesosoma and carapace are densely granulated, only the interocular area is smooth. The seventh sternite is smooth or granulated and bears four granulated carinae. The other sternites are smooth or granulated, with four smooth carinae and posteriorly with several solitary hairs. Pectinal teeth number 20–23 in the males and 16–21 (usually 18–19, in one instance 21) in the females.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The first to third segments bear 10 granulated carinae, which are especially pronounced in juveniles. Central lateral carinae on the third segment may be obliterated or lacking. Spaces among the carinae are finely granulate and shallowly punctate. The third segment is more conspicuously punctate than the first. The fourth and fifth segments lack ventral median carinae, bear two lateral carinae, are shallowly punctate ventrally, and spaces among the punctae are granulated. The dorsal surface of all segments is mesially smooth, with a few isolated granules occasionally present only on the first two segments. The entire metasoma is glabrous, but short, thin setae may issue from some punctae.The telson is tuberculate and punctate, lacks granules, and bears several isolated hairs.

PEDIPALPS: The femur of pedipalp has four granulose to crenulate carinae. The patella and chela are smooth, with smooth carinae which may be difficult to discern. The movable fingers bear 8 or 9 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 or 3 distal granules.

LEGS: The femur and patella bear only several solitary hairs and bristles. The tibiae of the first to third legs bear several spines and bristles, namely on the outer side. Tarsomere I of the second and third legs bears bristlecombs composed of approximately 10 long bristles on the outer side; on the first legs the number of bristles is lower. The inner sides of all legs bear one or two rows of spines. The fourth legs lack bristlecombs and bear only sparse, short spines.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish Orthochirus jalalabadensis sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. This species has an extraordinarily thin metasoma. Its unusual sexual dimorphism causes the males look like O. bicolor and the females like O. scrobiculosus .