Orthochirus gromovi, 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 : 11-12

Orthochirus gromovi sp. n.

( Table 1)

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Turkmenistan, Lebap [=Chardzhou, Chardzhev] Region, Chardzhou [=Chardzhev] District , Karakum Desert , Repetek Nature Reserve , NW env. of Repetek , ca. 200 m, sands (38°33’59”N, 63°09’46”E – 38°33’57”N, 63°10’13”E) ; FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL. Turkmenistan, Repetek, 14.IV– 2.V.1990, leg. J. Farkač, 1♂ 2♀ 2juvs.E (paratypes), FKCP, 2♀ 3juvs.E (paratypes), JFCP; Lebap [=Chardzhou, Chardzhev] Region, Chardzhou [=Chardzhev] District , Karakum Desert , Repetek Nature Reserve , NW env. of Repetek , ca. 200 m, sands, 38°33’59”N, 63°09’46”E – 38°33’57”N, 63°10’13”E, 15.IV.2002, leg. A.V. Gromov, 5♂ A (holotype and paratypes) 14♀ A (allotype and paratypes) 14juvs.A (paratypes), 38°33’54”N, 63°10’51”E, 16.IV.2002, leg. A.V.Gromov, 1♂ 3♀ 6juvs.A (paratypes). Holotype, allotype and 12 paratypes (3♂ 5♀ 4juvs.) in FKCP, 16 paratypes (2♂ 5♀ 9juvs.) in AVGC, two paratypes (1♀ 1juvs.) in NMPC and ZISP, one paratype (♀ or juv.)

each in BMNH, CASC, MMBC, MZUF, RTOC, SMFD, SOFM, ZMHB, ZMUH.

ETYMOLOGY. Named after Alexandr Gromov, who collected most of the types and helped me with this revision.

DIAGNOSIS: Fourth and fifth metasomal segments ventrally punctate and without carinae. Spaces among punctae smooth, without granules. Dorsal surface of all metasomal segments mesially smooth, without granules. Entire metasoma and telson hirsute. Mesosoma and metasoma black, telson reddish brown, legs yellow, pedipalps yellow to greenish yellow. Movable fingers of pedipalps bear 8 or 9 rows of granules with internal granules and without external granules. Movable fingers with 3–5 distal granules. Tarsus of first to third legs with bristlecombs, fourth without. Pectinal teeth number 15– 18 in females and 17–20 in males.

DESCRIPTION: The adults are about 35 mm 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.

COLORATION: The mesosoma and metasoma are black, the telson is reddish brown, and the legs and pedipalps are yellow to greenish 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 (two lateral carinae are granulated on the sixth and fifth sternites) and posteriorly with hairs. Pectinal teeth number 15–18 in females and 17–20 in males.

METASOMA AND TELSON: The first segment bears 10 granulated carinae, is granulated, and lacks punctae. On the second and third segments the lateral carinae are inconspicuous or absent and punctae are present in adult females but absent in juveniles. The fourth and the fifth segments have only inconspicuous dorsal carinae. The fourth and fifth segments are ventrally punctate. Spaces among punctae smooth, without granules. Dorsal surface of all metasomal segments mesially smooth, without granules. The entire metasoma and telson are hirsute.

PEDIPALPS: The femur of pedipalp has four granulose to crenulate carinae. The patella has seven smooth carinae, and the chela is smooth. The movable fingers bear 8–9 rows of granules with internal and without external granules and 3 to 5 distal granules. The entire pedipalps are hirsute.

LEGS: The femur and patella bear several hairs and spines. The tibiae bear several spines, namely on the outer side. Tarsomere I of the first to third legs bears bristlecombs. The inner sides of all legs bear two rows of spines.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish Orthochirus gromovi sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. O. gromovi sp. n. is close to O. heratensis sp. n., with which it shares the hirsuteness of metasoma and pedipalps and absence of external granules on movable fingers. O. heratensis sp. n. is somewhat smaller, has broader metasomal segments, and its metasoma and pedipalps are not as densely hirsute.

COMMENTS. This species can be easily mistaken for O. scrobiculosus ( Grube, 1873) . It is therefore likely that some references to O. scrobiculosus from Repetek in reality concern O. gromovi sp. n.