Orthochirus sobotniki, 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 : 20-21

Orthochirus sobotniki sp. n.

( Table 1)

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Iran, 5 km SE of Posht Chenár , 29°12’941”N, 53°20’014”E, alt. 1692 m ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. Iran, 5 km SE of Posht Chenár , 19– 20.4.2000, 29°12’941”N, 53°20’014”E, alt. 1692 m, 1♂ A (holotype) 1♀ A (allotype) 1im. ♂ A (paratype), leg. J. Šobotník, FKCP .

ETYMOLOGY: Named after Jan Šobotník, who collected the types.

DIAGNOSIS: Fourth and fifth metasomal segments ventrally punctate and without carinae. Spaces among punctae smooth, without granules. Entire metasoma glabrous (short, thin setae may issue from punctae). Dorsal surface of all metasomal segments mesially smooth, without granules (several scattered granules may be present on fifth segment). Mesosoma and metasoma black, telson reddish brown, femur of pedipalp gray. In adults legs and pedipalps yellow, in juveniles femur of legs and pedipalps black. Movable fingers of pedipalps bear 8 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 distal granules. Tarsi of all legs without bristlecombs.

DESCRIPTION: The adults are about 30 mm male and 41 mm female long. Measurements of the carapace, telson, segments of the metasoma and segments of the pedipalps, and numbers of pectinal teeth are given in Table 1. The distance between trichobothria d 1 and d 3 on the femur of pedipalp is approximately equal to that between d 3 and d 4; trichobothrium e 1 is situated between d 4 and d 5, or at the level of d 4.

COLORATION: The mesosoma and metasoma are black, the telson is reddish brown, legs are yellow, and pedipalps are yellow with a slight greenish tint primarily on femur. Only the immature male have the femora of legs and pedipalps black. The seventh sternite is black, other sternites are brown with a yellow strip on the posterior margin.

MESOSOMA AND CARAPACE: The mesosoma bears a median carina, which may be absent. Both the mesosoma and carapace are densely granulated, only the interocular area is smooth. The seventh sternite is smooth and bears four granulated carinae. The other sternites are smooth, with four or two smooth carinae. Pectinal teeth number 21 or 23.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The first segment bears 10 granulated carinae, is smooth but may bear several large granules, and lacks punctae. On the second and third segments the lateral carinae are inconspicuous or absent and shallow punctae are present. The fourth and fifth segments have inconspicuous two dorsolateral carinae and two ventrolateral carinae, which on the fourth segment are smooth or absent (males) and on the fifth segment are incomplete, present only in the posterior half, and composed of large teeth. The fourth and fifth segments are ventrally punctate. Spaces among punctae are smooth. The dorsal surface of all segments is smooth and delimited by well developed dorsolateral carinae. The entire metasoma is glabrous, but short, thin setae may issue from some punctae. The telson is punctate, lacks granules, and has several isolated hairs issuing from the punctae.

PEDIPALPS: The femur of pedipalp is smooth and has four granulose to crenulate carinae. The patella has seven smooth carinae, which may be absent, and the chela is smooth. The movable fingers bear 8 rows of granules with internal and external granules and 2 distal granules.

LEGS: All legs lack long hairs, only tibiae bear several short hairs and spines, namely on the outer side. The tarsomeres bear two rows of spines on inner sides and several hairs on the outer distal margin. Tarsi of all legs lack bristlecombs but may bear 3–5 bristles of varying length.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish Orthochirus sobotniki sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. O. sobotniki sp. n. is close to O. samrchelsis sp. n., which, however, has 17–19 pectinal teeth and 9–10 rows of granules on the movable fingers. Another difference is in the shape of metasomal segments, which are longer and narrower in O. sobotniki sp. n. ( Table 1).