Mesobuthus vignolii, Kovařík & Fet & Gantenbein & Graham & Aydin & Yağmur & Šťáhlavský & Nikita & Poverennyi & Novruzov, 2022

Kovařík, František, Fet, Victor, Gantenbein, Benjamin, Graham, Matthew R., Aydin, Ersen, Yağmur, Šťáhlavský, František, Nikita, Poverennyi & Novruzov, Nizami E., 2022, A revision of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon 1950 with a description of 14 new species (Scorpiones Buthidae), Euscorpius 348, pp. 1-189 : 151-157

Mesobuthus vignolii sp. n.

(Figures 1034–1077, 1155, 1157, Table 13) http: //zoobank. org/urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 2CBE605F-

A7E2-4274-B390-26FDD500BFF1

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Iran, Yazd Province, 32°09'299"N 53°49'542"E (32.15°N 53.82°E) , 1450 m a. s. l.; NMPC .

REFERENCES:

Mesobuthus vesiculatus (in part): Vignoli & Crucitti, 2005: 6, fig. 2c; Barahoei et al., 2020: 399.

Mesobuthus eupeus kirmanensis ((in part): Mirshamsi et al., 2010: 2867 (in part); Mirshamsi et al., 2011a: 9.

Mesobuthus eupeus: Mirshamsi et al., 2011b: 20 (in part).

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED ( NMPC). Iran, Yazd Province, W of Baghdadabad, Taft , 31°35'210"N 54°24'585"E (31.58°N 54.40°E), 1502 m a. s. l., 9 April 2004, 1♀ (paratype), leg . V. Vignoli & P. Crucitti; 23 km W of Ardakan, Yazd, 32°09'299"N 53°49'542"E (32.15°N 53.82°E), 1450 m a. s. l., 12 April 2004, 1♀ (holotype, Figs. 1036–1037, 1039, 1043– 1045, 1057–1067, 1071–1076), leg . V. Vignoli & P. Crucitti; 31º44'41"N 55º43'13"E (31.73°N 55.72°E), 1837 m a. s. l., 2015,(Ya-02), 2♂ 1♀ (paratypes, Fig. 1068), leg. S. Navidpour et al.; 31º19'56"N 54º17'12"E (31.33°N 54.28°E), 2023 m a. s. l., 2015, (Ya-07), 1♂ 2♀ (paratypes), leg. S. Navidpour et al.; 31º34'26"N 54º28'30.9"E (31.56°N 54.47°E), 2023 m a. s. l., 2015, (Ya-26, Figs. 1034–1035, 1038, 1040–1042, 1046– 1056, 1069–1070, 1077, Table 13), 2♂1♂ juv. 1♀ (paratypes), leg. S. Navidpour et al .

ETYMOLOGY. The new species is named in honor of our colleague Valerio Vignoli ( Italy) for his contributions to scorpiology.

DNA DATA. Mesobuthus vignolii sp. n., in our opinion, was represented among the populations studied by Mirshamsi et al. (2010) in their survey of Iranian Mesobuthus (a single DNA sequence from the Yazd Province, Mehriz-Marvast road, 31.11°N 54.21°E) ( Table 16).

DIAGNOSIS. Total length of adults 40 (male) – 51.64 (female) mm. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Male with fingers proximally little bit more twisted than female. Pedipalp chela length/width ratio 3.8–4 in both sexes. Pectinal teeth number 19–26 in males and 18–20 in females. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation. Pedipalps and metasoma very sparsely hirsute. Carapace and tergites yellowish to reddish brown with black pigmentation reduced; metasoma, telson, pedipalps and legs yellowish brown, only part of metasomal segment V can be black. Femur of pedipalp with 4–5 granulated carinae. Patella with 8 usually granulated carinae. Chela lacks carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps with 11–12 cutting rows of denticles and 5 terminal denticles. Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Sternite VII usually finely granulated, with 4 well marked smooth or granulated carinae. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae; segments II to IV with 8 carinae, other two carinae are indicated by incomplete row of denticles on metasomal segments II and III; segment V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma laterally smooth to sparsely granulated. Length to depth ratio of metasoma III 1.60–1.75, metasoma IV 2.10–2.15 in both sexes. Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 8–12 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Telson bulbous in females and with elongate aculeus in males; telson length to depth ratio is 2.40–2.45 in females and 2.65–2.75 in males. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

DESCRIPTION. Total length of adults 40 (male) – 51.64 (female) mm. Trichobothrium db on fixed finger of pedipalp situated between trichobothria est and esb, near to est. Female has the fingers proximally slightly twisted. For measurements, see Table 13.

Coloration (Figs. 1034–1037). Carapace and tergites are yellowish to reddish brown with pigmentation reduced. Telson, metasoma, pedipalps and legs are yellowish brown without dark spots, only part of metasomal segment V black. Chelicerae yellow, without reticulation, the tips of denticles on cheliceral fingers are black.

Mesosoma and carapace (Figs. 1068–1072). Carapace carinate, unevenly covered by granules of varying size; much of the granulation is fine but some granules are larger and distinctly rounded. Central lateral and posterior lateral carinae of carapace joined to form a continuous linear series of granules to posterior margin. Tergites I–VI with three carinae and are granulated, with some intercarinal granules small and others larger and rounded. Tergite VII is pentacarinate. Pectinal tooth count is 19–26 in males, 18–20 in females. Pectinal marginal tips extend to about one-fourth of sternite IV in females. Pectines have three marginal lamellae and eight to nine middle lamellae. Lamellae with numerous long setae, each fulcrum with three to five dark setae. Sternite VII usually finely granulated, with four well marked smooth or granulated carinae. Other sternites are smooth with two furrows.

Pedipalps (Figs. 1046–1067). Pedipalps very sparsely hirsute, more in males and generally smooth, only femur is sparsely finely granulated. Femur has four to five granulated carinae, the middle carina on internal surface consists of strong irregular granules. Patella with eight carinae, of which internal and dorsal can be granulated. Chela without carinae. Movable fingers of pedipalps have 11–12 cutting rows of denticles, each with external and internal denticles present, and five terminal denticles.

Legs (Figs. 1073–1077). Telotarsus III ventral setation represented by short and strong spiniform setae. Tarsi hirsute, in adults with 8–12 retroinferior macrosetae on basitarsus III. Femur with only several macrosetae. Femur and patella with carinae well developed. Tibial spurs present and moderate on legs III and IV and absent on the other legs.

Metasoma and telson (Figs. 1038–1045). All metasomal segments are very sparsely hirsute, almost hairless. Metasomal segment I with 10 carinae, II–III with 8 carinae but other two lateromedian carinae are indicated by incomplete row of granules, IV with 8 carinae, and V with 5 carinae. Metasoma with all carinae granulated. Intercarinal surfaces on metasoma laterally smooth to sparsely granulated. Ventrolateral carinae of metasoma V posteriorly with several slightly lobate denticles. Telson is only very sparsely hirsute, smooth and bulbous in females and with elongate aculeus in males. Anal lobe divided into three parts.

DISTRIBUTION. Iran (Yazd Province) (Figs. 1155, 1157).