Alpiscorpius omikron, Kovařík & Štundlová & Fet & Šťáhlavský, 2019

Kovařík, František, Štundlová, Jana, Fet, Victor & Šťáhlavský, František, 2019, Seven new Alpine species of the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, stat. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Euscorpius 287, pp. 1-29 : 19

Alpiscorpius omikron sp. n.

( Figures 38–42, 65–71, Tables 1, 3, 5) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CCFC65C7-

0B9A-4C10-A0E8-7B30B808C6FD

? Euscorpius gamma: Fet et al., 2001: 264 ( Slovenia, in part).

Euscorpius gamma: Graham et al., 2012: 43 ( Slovenia, Bohinj, 46º16’N, 13º 57’E).

Euscorpius (Alpiscorpius) gamma Karyotypic race II (Ega 58): ŠtundlovÁ et al., 2019: 156.

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE DEPOSITORY. Slovenia, Gorenjska : Polje, 46.270°N 13.907°E ; NMPC.

TYPE MATERIAL ( NMPC): 9♂ 1♀. Slovenia, Gorenjska : Bohinjska Bistrica, 46.279°N 13.962°E, 1♂ (paratype No. S 398); Nomenj I, 46.272°N 14.033°E, 1♀ (paratype No. S 696); Nomenj II, 46.283°N 14.042°E, 1♂ (paratype No. S 697); Polje, 46.270°N 13.907°E, 3♂ (holotype No. S 103 and paratypes Nos. S 020, S119). Osrednja Slovenija: Lesno Brdo, 46.011°N 14.321°E, 4♂ (paratypes Nos. S 693, S704, S705, S706) .

ETYMOLOGY. Di Caporiacco (1950) named three subspecies of Euscorpius germanus after the letters of the Greek alphabet alpha, beta , and gamma . We continue in this style for another cryptic species and name it omikron after Greek “ὄμικρόν”.

DIAGNOSIS. Alpiscorpius omikron sp. n. is a cryptic species of the “ gamma group” of the “ mingrelicus compleX”, defined by ŠtundlovÁ et al. (2019) as “Karyotypic race II (Ega 58)” which has 2n = 58 chromosomes. The karyotype is composed of 42 metacentric, 10 submetacentric and 4 telocentric chromosomes (fig. S2B in ŠtundlovÁ et al., 2019). The rDNA clusters are located in the subterminal region of the short arms of the metacentric chromosome pair 6 (fig. 2F and fig. S2B in ŠtundlovÁ et al., 2019). Number of pectinal teeth (Dp) in male usually 8 (63% of eXamined specimens), more rarely 7. Number of patellar ventral trichobothria (Pv) usually 6 (72%). Reduction of patellar eXternal trichobothria from 4 to 3 very common in both group et (ca. 30%) and eb a (ca. 30%) (see Figs. 65–70).

DESCRIPTION OF THE MALE HOLOTYPE.The following description is based primarily on the holotype male. Measurements of the holotype are presented in Table 2. Carapace, tergites, and pedipalps reddish-brown; carapace with some darker mottling; metasoma dark reddish-brown with dark mottling; telson, legs, and sternites dark yellow to reddish-brown; chelicerae light, slightly reticulated. Anterior edge of carapace essentially straight; smooth and lustrous, lacking any indication of carinae. There are two lateral eyes. Median eyes and tubercle are small in size. Tergites I–VII essentially smooth; tergite VII lacking lateral and median carinal pairs. Sternites III–VII smooth and lustrous; VII lacking lateral and median carinae. Stigmata are small, narrow elliptical. Metasomal segment V almost smooth to very finely granulated and without carinae. Vesicle of telson swollen and elongated, with short highly curved aculeus. Vesicle essentially void of granules. Pectinal teeth number 8/8. Pedipalp carinae well-developed ( Figs. 38–40). Movable fingers bear 7 rows of denticles with eXternal and internal denticles. Trichobothrial pattern type C, neobothriotaXic: chela ventral = 4/4; patellar eb = 4/4, eb a =4/4, esb = 2/2, em = 3/3, est = 3/3, et = 4/4; patellar ventral = 6/6. Tarsus of legs with single row of spinules on ventral surface.

VARIABILITY.We scored standard phenotypic markers for 9 type specimens (8♂ 1♀), with the following variation observed: Dp in males (n=8): 7/7 (1), 8/7 (1), 8/8 (4), 8/9 (1), 9/9 (1); in total, 7 in 18.75% (3), 8 in 62.50% (10), and 9 in 18.75% (3); mean = 8.00, SD = 0.63.

Dp in females (n=1): 6/6 (1).

Pv (n=18): 5/5 (2), 6/5 (1), 6/6 (6); in total, 5 in 27.78% (5), 6 in 72.22% (13); mean = 5.72, SD = 0.46.

et (n=9): 3/4 (5), 4/4 (4); in total, 3 in 27.78% (5) and 4 in 66.67% (39); mean = 3.72, SD = 0.46.

eb a (n=9): 4/3 (5), 4/4 (4); in total, 3 in 27.78% (5) and 4 in 66.67% (39); mean = 3.72, SD = 0.46.

DISTRIBUTION. Slovenia (Gorenjska, Osrednja Slovenija) ( Fig. 71).

NOTES. Alpiscorpius omikron sp. n. is the only so far known “ mingrelicus compleX” species where both et =3 and eb a =3 reduction is very common (ca. 30% of scored pedipalps). Interestingly, in the eXamined series it is only present in asymmetric form (3/4 or 4/3).

In Gorenjska region, A. omikron sp. n. is sympatric with A. kappa sp. n. from the “ germanus group”.