Chersonesometrus wroughtoni ( Pocock, 1899 ), 2020

Prendini, Lorenzo & Loria, Stephanie F., 2020, Systematic Revision Of The Asian Forest Scorpions (Heterometrinae Simon, 1879), Revised Suprageneric Classification Of Scorpionidae Latreille, 1802, And Revalidation Of Rugodentidae Bastawade Et Al., 2005, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2020 (442), pp. 1-480 : 125-129

Chersonesometrus wroughtoni ( Pocock, 1899) ,

comb. nov.

Figures 10 , 16B , 30B , 44I–L , 61E , 62E , 63E , 80 , 81C, D , 115 , 116 , table 1

Palamnaeus wroughtoni Pocock, 1899: 745 ; 1900a: 85, 89, fig, 26; Henderson, 1919: 381; Tikader, 1973: 263.

Heterometrus wroughtoni Takashima, 1945: 93 ; Kovařík, 2004: 1 , 7, 46, 48, 49, 51, 52, tables 2, 3 (part), fig. 31; 2009: 35, 36, 45, 48, 49, 97, 101, tables 1, 2 (part), figs. 168–173, 218, 219; Tahir and Prendini, 2014: 1, 2, 6, 9.

Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) wroughtoni: Couzijn, 1981: 16 , 44, 88, 158–160, 171, 192, table 7, figs. 52, 59; Tikader and Bastawade, 1983: 575, 593–598, figs. 1566–1580; Kovařík, 1998: 137; Fet, 2000: 443.

Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) wrongtoni: Bastawade, 2002: 296 .

Heterometrus (Chersonesometrus) wronghtoni: Bastawade and Borkar, 2008: 212 , 219, 220 (part).

TYPE MATERIAL: INDIA: Karnataka: Belgaum Distr. : Palamnaeus wroughtoni : Lectotype

♀, paralectotypes: 3 ♀, 3 juv. ♂, 1 juv. ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4.11.20 [BNHS 1163, 1165, 1168, 1169, 1171]), Belgaum [Belagavi, 15°52′N 74°30′E], W.A. Talbot [examined]. Maharashtra: Kolhapur Distr.: P. wroughtoni : Paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.5.2 [BNHS 1027]), Gadingal [Gadhinglaj, 16°14′N 74°21′E], Kolhapur, Wray [examined].

Pocock (1899) did not specify types among the material listed from Belgaum and Gadingal, hence all specimens in the original description are syntypes. A single type specimen from Gadingal is numbered BMNH 1897.9.5.2 [BNHS 1027]. However, Couzijn (1981: 158) mistakenly identified one specimen as the holotype: “ Maharashtra: Gadingal (Gad-Hinglaj), Belgaum (1 ♀ ad. Holotype, 3 ♂ juv., 4 ♀ juv., leg W.A. Talbot, BM 1897.9.17.1-4.11.20).” Tikader and Bastawade (1983: 598) again referred to “the type specimen 1 ♀ ” and the type locality as Belgaum. Fet (2000: 443) followed by referring incorrectly to the “ holotype: ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4.11.20), Gadingal (Gad-Hinglaj), Kolhapur District, Maharashtra; Belgaum, Karnataka, India ” and seven paratypes with the same data and number. Examination of the BMNH specimens during the present investigation revealed that all specimens numbered BMNH 1897.17.1-4.11.20 are from Belgaum not Gadingal. Kovařík (2004: 46) correctly designated a lectotype female and the remaining specimens of BMNH 1897.17.1- 4.11.20 as paralectotypes, but misidentified the three immature males as adults, and failed to mention the specimen from Gadingal, which is also a paralectotype.

DIAGNOSIS: Chersonesometrus wroughtoni may be separated from other species of Chersonesometrus as follows. The carapace is markedly dorsoventrally compressed, the lateral surfaces sloping gently (fig. 16B), in C. wroughtoni , but vaulted, the lateral surfaces sloping steeply, in C. fulvipes , C. madraspatensis , and C. shivashankari . The carapace interocular surface is granular along the median longitudinal and anterior bifurcated sulci only in the female (fig. 16B) of C. wroughtoni , whereas the frontal lobes and medial region of the interocular surface are granular with smooth areas in the female of C. bastawadei , C. madraspatensis , C. pelekomanus , and C. shivashankari . The carapace posterolateral surfaces of the female are smooth in C. wroughtoni but granular in C. bastawadei , C. fulvipes , and C. madraspatensis . The cheliceral movable finger prodistal (DI) and retrodistal (DE) teeth are unequal, with the DE tooth considerably smaller than the DI tooth, aligned longitudinally and not opposable in C. wroughtoni , but subequal, with the DE tooth only slightly smaller than the DI tooth, and opposable, i.e., forming a bicusp, in C. beccaloniae , C. hendersoni , C. nathanorum , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis . The pedipalp patella dorsal surface is convex, with the axis of the dorsomedian carina dorsal to the axis of the retrodorsal carina (fig. 115) in C. wroughtoni but flat or nearly so, with the axes of the dorsomedian and retrodorsal carinae in the same plane, in C. beccaloniae , C. hendersoni , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis . The patella retrodorsal carina of the female is as strongly developed as or more strongly developed than the retromedian carinae in C. wroughtoni but absent or obsolete in C. nathanorum . The retromedian carinae are granular in C. wroughtoni but costate in C. nathanorum . The patella dorsal, retrodorsal, and retroventral intercarinal surfaces of the female (fig. 115) are granular in C. wroughtoni but smooth or nearly so in C. nathanorum . The pedipalp chela is infuscate and similar in color to the femur and patella in C. wroughtoni but immaculate and paler than the femur and patella in C. shivashankari . The chela manus dorsal surface (between the dorsomedian and digital carinae) is flat in the male and curved, i.e., slightly to markedly convex, in the female of C. wroughtoni , flat in the male and female of C. hendersoni , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis , and curved in the male and female of C. madraspatensis and C. shivashankari . The proximal margin (lobe) of the chela manus dorsal surface is moderately curved and proximal to the proximal margin of the retrolateral surface in the male, or aligned with the proximal margin of the condyle (articulation with patella) in the female (fig. 116) of C. wroughtoni ; moderately curved and aligned with the proximal margin of the retrolateral surface in the male, or aligned with or proximal to the proximal margin of the retrolateral surface in the female of C. beccaloniae and C. nathanorum ; and markedly curved and proximal to the proximal margin of the condyle in the male and female of C. hendersoni and C. pelekomanus . The maximum distance between the dorsomedian and dorsal secondary carinae (DMC–DSC) of the chela manus is greater than the maximum distance between the dorsal secondary and digital carinae (DSC–DC) in the male of C. wroughtoni , but greater than the DSC–DC in the male of C. beccaloniae , C. madraspatensis , C. nathanorum , and C. tristis . The dorsal secondary and subdigital carinae of the male are entirely to predominantly granular in C. wroughtoni , entirely to predominantly costate in C. nathanorum , and absent or obsolete in C. bastawadei and C. fulvipes . The digital carina is entirely to predominantly granular in C. wroughtoni , entirely to predominantly costate in C. nathanorum , and absent or obsolete in C. bastawadei , C. fulvipes , C. madraspatensis , and C. shivashankari . The manus dorsal intercarinal surface is without reticulation in C. wroughtoni but shallowly reticulate in C. nathanorum . The manus ventral surface is flat, with the axes of the retroventral and ventromedian carinae in approximately the same plane in C. wroughtoni but angled, with the axis of the retroventral carina ventral to the axis of the ventromedian carina in C. beccaloniae , C. hendersoni , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis . The legs are very dark or heavily infuscate (fig. 81C, D) in C. wroughtoni but pale or very lightly infuscate in C. bastawadei , C. fulvipes , C. hendersoni , C. madraspatensis , and C. shivashankari . Macroseta st on the retroventral surfaces of the basitarsi of legs I and II is spiniform (fig. 44I– L) in C. wroughtoni but setiform in C. nathanorum and C. shivashankari . The mesial surfaces of mesosomal tergites I–VI are smooth in the male and the lateral surfaces granular in the female of C. wroughtoni , whereas the mesial surfaces are granular in the male of C. bastawadei , C. fulvipes , C. madraspatensis , and C. shivashankari , the mesial surfaces granular in the male and the lat- eral surfaces smooth in the female of C. nathanorum , and the lateral surfaces smooth in the female of C. tristis . The ventral surface of mesosomal sternite VII bears a pair of weakly developed ventrolateral carinae in C. wroughtoni and two pairs of moderately to strongly developed ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae in C. beccaloniae , C. hendersoni , and C. pelekomanus . The dorsosubmedian carinae are granular or costate-granular on metasomal segments I–IV (fig. 61E) in C. wroughtoni but costate on segments I and II or I–III and granular or costate-granular on III and IV or IV in C. tristis , and the female of C. beccaloniae . The ventral intercarinal surfaces of segment IV are smooth in the male and female (fig. 63E) of C. wroughtoni but granular in the male and female of C. hendersoni , C. madraspatensis , C. pelekomanus , and C. tristis , the male of C. beccaloniae and C. nathanorum , and the female of C. bastawadei , C. fulvipes , and C. shivashankari . The dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segment V are strong and continuous in C. wroughtoni but weak and discontinuous to absent in C. nathanorum . The dorsal intercarinal surface of segment V is granular in the male and smooth in the female of C. wroughtoni , granular in female of C. bastawadei , C. hendersoni and C. pelekomanus , and smooth in the male of all other species.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is endemic to India and known from only two localities in the states of Karnataka and Maharashtra (fig. 80, table 1).

ECOLOGY: Little ecological data are available for this species, the known records of which occur on arid, rocky hills on the Deccan Plateau. This species probably constructs burrows under stones, similar to C. bastawadei and C. fulvipes . The habitus is consistent with the pelophilous, fossorial ecomorphotype ( Prendini, 2001b).

CONSERVATION STATUS: This species has not been seen in over a century. Its habitat has been extensively modified and it may be extinct.

REMARKS: This species was previously accommodated in subgenus Chersonesometrus of Heterometrus by various authors (e.g., Couzijn, 1981; Tikader and Bastawade, 1983; Fet, 2000). Het- erometrus pelekomanus , described by Couzijn (1981), and upheld by Tikader and Bastawade (1983), was mistakenly synonymized with H. wroughtoni by Kovařík (2004) based on the absence of sexual dimorphism in the shape of the pedipalp chela manus, cited as a putative diagnostic difference between H. wroughtoni and H. mysorensis (= C. tristis ). The absence of adult males in the type series of C. wroughtoni , the adult male of which remains unknown, suggests that Kovařík (2004) mistook ontogenetic character states for diagnostic character states.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Phylogeny of Asian forest scorpions (Scorpionidae: Heterometrinae Simon, 1879, stat. nov.), obtained by simultaneous phylogenetic analysis of 186 morphological characters and 4188 aligned DNA nucleotides from three mitochondrial and two nuclear gene loci (Loria and Prendini, in press). Maximum likelihood tree with unambiguous morphological synapomorphies optimized. Black circles indicate uniquely derived apomorphic states, white circles parallel derivations of apomorphic states. Numbers above circles indicate characters, numbers below indicate states (appendix 1).

FIGURE 16. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., carapace, dorsal aspect. A. Chersonesometrus bastawadei, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Naganath Temple, India. B. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). C, D. Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov., C. holotype ♂ (BMNH), Bellahunsi, India, D. paratype ♀ (BMNH), Hampasagar, India. E. Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov., subad. ♂ holotype (MNHN RS 3145). F. Chersonesometrus hendersoni, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Sanapura, India. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 30. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., sternum and pectines, ventral aspect. A. Chersonesometrus bastawadei, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Naganath Temple, India. B. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). C, D. Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov., C. holotype ♂ (BMNH), Bellahunsi, India, D. paratype ♀ (BMNH), Hampasagar, India. E. Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov., subad. ♂ holotype (MNHN RS 3145). F. Chersonesometrus hendersoni, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Sanapura, India. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 44. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., legs I–IV, tibiae, basitarsi and telotarsi, ventral aspect. A–D. Chersonesometrus bastawadei, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Naganath Temple, India. E–H. Chersonesometrus hendersoni, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Sanapura, India. I–L. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 61. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., metasoma and telson, dorsal aspect. A. Chersonesometrus fulvipes (C.L. Koch, 1837), comb. nov., ♂ (BMNH 1896.7.30.91-92). B. Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov., paratype ♀ (BMNH), Hampasagar, India. C. Chersonesometrus madraspatensis (Pocock, 1900), comb. nov., ♂ (CAS 9071142). D. Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov., subad. ♂ holotype (MNHN RS 3145). E. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 62. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., metasoma and telson, lateral aspect. A. Chersonesometrus fulvipes (C.L. Koch, 1837), comb. nov., ♂ (BMNH 1896.7.30.91-92). B. Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov., paratype ♀ (BMNH), Hampasagar, India. C. Chersonesometrus madraspatensis (Pocock, 1900), comb. nov., ♂ (CAS 9071142). D. Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov., subad. ♂ holotype (MNHN RS 3145). E. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 63. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., metasoma and telson, ventral aspect. A. Chersonesometrus fulvipes (C.L. Koch, 1837), comb. nov., ♂ (BMNH 1896.7.30.91-92). B. Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov., paratype ♀ (BMNH), Hampasagar, India. C. Chersonesometrus madraspatensis (Pocock, 1900), comb. nov., ♂ (CAS 9071142). D. Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov., subad. ♂ holotype (MNHN RS 3145). E. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 80. Map of South India and Sri Lanka, plotting known locality records of eight species of Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., based on material examined, and verified records from virtual museums and the literature: Chersonesometrus bastawadei, sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus beccaloniae (Kovařík, 2004), comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus hendersoni, sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus nathanorum, sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus pelekomanus (Couzijn, 1981), comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus shivashankari, sp. nov.; Chersonesometrus tristis (Henderson, 1919), comb. nov.; Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov.

FIGURE 81. Chersonesometrus Couzijn, 1978, stat. nov. et stat. rev., habitus, A, C. dorsal and B, D. ventral aspects. A, B. Chersonesometrus bastawadei, sp. nov., holotype ♀ (AMNH), Naganath Temple, India. C, D. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20). Scale bars = 10 mm.

FIGURE 115. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1-4, 11, 20), pedipalp patella: A. dorsal, B. retrolateral, and C. ventral aspects, Scale bar = 5 mm.

FIGURE 116. Chersonesometrus wroughtoni (Pocock, 1899), comb. nov., paralectotype ♀ (BMNH 1897.9.17.1- 4, 11, 20), pedipalp chela: A. retrodorsal, B. ventral, and C. prolateral aspects, Scale bar = 5 mm.