Orthochirus flavescens (Pocock, 1897)

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 : 10-11

Orthochirus flavescens (Pocock, 1897)

Butheolus flavescens Pocock, 1897: 110 ; Kraepelin, 1899: 36; Pocock, 1900: 30; Kraepelin, 1913: 131; Takashima, 1945: 77; Pérez Minnocci, 1974: 20.

Orthochirus pallidus flavescens: Birula, 1917: 241 .

Orthochirus flavescens: Roewer, 1943: 208 ; Tikader & Bastawade, 1983: 114; Fet, 1989: 116; Kovařík, 1993: 203; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 194.

Orthochirus bicolor flavescens: Levy & Amitai, 1980: 94 ; Kovařík, 1998: 116.

= Orthochirus luteipes Roewer, 1943: 209 (TL: Anamalei, Dekan, India SMFD);? Levy & Amitai, 1980: 94; Kovařík, 1996: 180; Kovařík, 1998: 116; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 196; Kovařík, 2002: 9. Syn. n.

Orthochirus fuscipes luteipes: Pérez Minnocci, 1974: 28 .

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Karagora in Kathiawar ; BMNH.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. India, Karagora , Khandesh, 1♂ A (lectotype designated by Stahnke), BMNH No. 1896.7.30.70; Dekan, Anamalei., 1♂ 1♀ A (lectotype and paralectotype of Orthochirus luteipes Roewer, 1943 (lectotype designated by Kovařík, 1996)), SMFD No. 2124/21 .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. India, Deccan , 5 mi SE Indapur, alt. 450 m, 9.II.1962, 1im. ♀ A, CASC .

DIAGNOSIS: Fourth and fifth metasomal segments ventrally without carinae and deeply punctate. Spaces among punctae nearly smooth and without hairs. Dorsal surface of all metasomal segments bears median strip of densely spaced, pointed granules. Mesosoma and metasoma brown to reddish brown. Legs and pedipalps yellow. Femur of pedipalp with four granulose to crenulate carinae. Patella and chela smooth, with smooth carinae conspicuous namely on fixed finger. Movable fingers bear 7 or 8 rows of granules that have internal and external granules and 3 distal granules. Tarsomere I of first to third legs with bristlecombs.

COMMENTS. Pocock (1897: 110) mentions only one male, which thus should be the holotype. However, it bears Stahnke’s lectotype label.

In 1996, I published the opinion that Orthochirus luteipes Roewer, 1943 is a valid species; however, examination of the type of O. flavescens convinces me that it is the same species. Especially characteristic are the punctation and granulation of metasomal segments. It needs to be pointed out that the lectotype is damaged and bristlecombs on tarsomere I of legs are mostly broken off.

DISTRIBUTION. India (Pocock, 1897: 110; Tikader & Bastawade, 1983: 119). Levy & Amitai (1980: 94) list also Afghanistan and Pakistan, but due to a strong possibility of misidentifications only the occurrence in India can be regarded as unequivocal.