Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905

Soleglad, Michael E. & Fet, Victor, 2008, Contributions to scorpion systematics. III. Subfamilies Smeringurinae and Syntropinae (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Euscorpius 71 (71), pp. 1-115 : 84-85

Subfamily Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905

Type Genus. Syntropis Kraepelin, 1900 .

References:

Syntropinae : Kraepelin, 1905: 340; Birula, 191 7a:

163, 184, 191; Birula, 1917b: 57; Werner, 1934:

281; Mello-Leitão, 1945: 118; Gertsch, 1958: 14;

Stahnke, 19 74: 112, 113 (in part).

Composition. This subfamily, as defined here, includes two tribes: Stahnkeini and Syntropini .

Distribution. Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, and most of mainland Mexico), USA (Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah).

This large subfamily is distributed over most of southwestern United States, Baja California peninsula, and mainland Mexico; see maps in Figs. 202–204 and discussions below for individual tribes, subtribes, and genera.

Diagnosis. Scorpions in the subfamily Syntropinae can be distinguished by the following characters: Genital operculum sclerites of female connected their entire length, operating as a single unit, connected to mesosoma on extreme distal aspect, 0.727 –0.833 (0.780) of sclerite separate from mesosoma; hemispermatophore lamellar hook is well developed with conspicuous basal constriction, distally usually conspicuously bifurcated or with slight cleft, and extends at least 30 percent of the length of the lamella from dorsal trough 0.292 –0.450 (0.366) [21]; mating plug well developed and sclerotized, distal barb either smooth or toothed; chelal trichobothrium Dt positioned close to or distal of palm midpoint, never basally; ib–it positioned adjacent to basal inner denticle (ID) to midfinger, never considerably proximal of basal ID; chelal trichobothria V 2 – V 3 distance approximately same as V 1 – V 2 ; fixed finger trichobothria dsb and dst positioned adjacent to or distal of esb and est, respectively; setal combs absent on legs; cheliceral ventral edge of movable finger without denticles or serrations; serrula medium to well developed, never vestigial; carapace anterior edge straight or with small shallow median indentation, never widely or deeply indented; dorsal carinal terminus of metasomal segments I– III essentially straight (not rounded) terminating with an enlarged denticle; dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segment IV conspicuously flared at the terminus, not coinciding with articulation condyle .

Taxonomic history. Subfamily Syntropinae was established by Kraepelin (1905) as a monotypic taxon for a large, distinct genus Syntropis . The subfamily remained monotypic until Stahnke (1974) included here also genus Vejovoidus . Vaejovid subfamilies were last defined by Stahnke (1974). Due to further removal of Iurinae, Scorpiopsinae, and Hadrurinae from this family (Francke & Soleglad, 1981; Stockwell, 1992), two formally remaining subfamilies of Vaejovidae were Syntropinae (with Syntropis and Vejovoidus ) and Vaejovinae . Sissom (2000: 504) listed Syntropinae as a synonym of Vaejovidae , noting that “it is not practical at this point to recognize subfamilies.” Soleglad & Fet (2003b) formally synonymized Syntropinae with Vaejovidae . Here, we restore subfamily Syntropinae from synonymy and revise its diagnosis and scope; we also establish a new subfamily Smeringurinae . The nominotypic subfamily Vaejovinae is now also valid by default, albeit in a dramatically reduced scope. This subfamily so far remains unrevised; it includes only four genera: Franckeus , Pseudouroctonus , Uroctonites , and a considerably reduced Vaejovis (see below).

Discussion. See discussion of genera below.

Figures

Figure 202: General distribution of scorpion subfamily Syntropinae (tribe Stahnkeini) in North America with the ranges of genera Stahnkeus, Serradigitus, Gertschius, and Wernerius delineated.

Figure 203: General distribution of scorpion subfamily Syntropinae (tribe Syntropini, subtribe Syntropina) in North America with the ranges of genera Hoffmannius and Syntropis delineated.

Figure 204: General distribution of scorpion subfamily Syntropinae (tribe Syntropini, subtribe Thorelliina) in North America with the ranges of genera Kochius and Thorellius delineated.