Orthochiroides insularis (Pocock, 1899)

Kovařík, František & Lowe, Graeme, 2022, Review of Orthochiroides Kovařík 1998 with description of a new species (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Euscorpius 349, pp. 1-42 : 4

Orthochiroides insularis (Pocock, 1899)

( Figures 1–4 , 82 , 87–94, 111–112, 119, 130–133, 140–142, 166, 205–211; Tables 1, 3)

Butheolus insularis Pocock, 1899: 8–9 ; Pocock, 1903: 180– 181; Kraepelin, 1903: 565; Francke, 1977: 112; Vachon, 1979: 237.

Orthochirus insularis: Birula, 1917: 215 .

Orthochirus bicolor insularis: Levy & Amitai, 1980: 94 ; ElHennawy, 1992: 129; Fet & Lowe, 2000: 194; Kovařík, 2000: 64–66.

Orthochiroides insularis: Kovařík, 2004: 23 .

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Socotra, Mt. Raggit ; BMNH.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Yemen , Socotra Island, Hadibu Plain (Mt. Raggit, 1000 feet), 1♀ (holotype), leg. Grant and Forbes , BMNH No. 1899.7.4.180.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED ( FKCP). Yemen , Socotra Island, Qalansiyah env., Ditwah (lagoon), 23 m a. s. l., 12°41'42"N 53°30'08"E, 9.XII.2003, 1♂ ( Figs. 1–2 , 82 , 87–90, 111), leg. D. Král ; Gubbah village env., 7 m a. s. l., 12°36'35"N 53°46'56"E, 23.XI.2003, 1♀ ( Figs. 3–4 , 91–94, 112) 1juv., leg. D. Král ; Qaariah village env., 11 m a. s. l., 12°38'05"N 54°12'39"E, 28.XI.2003, 1♂, leg. J. Farkač.

DIAGNOSIS (ADULT ♂ ♀). Total length of adults 22–32 mm. Petite ‘trichobothria’ d 2 on dorsal surfaces of pedipalp femur and patella reduced or absent. Chela smooth, carinae E and D1 weak or obsolete on manus. Pectinal tooth count: 18–19 (♂), 16–18 (♀). Movable finger of pedipalp chela with 7 rows of median denticles, flanked by 7 ID and 7 OD. Metasoma IV–V laterally and ventrally punctate, without carinae except for smooth, rugose dorsosubmedian carinae, and ventrolateral carinae on metasoma V which are anteriorly smooth and posteriorly denticulate. Metasoma III either laterally and ventromedially punctate (♂), or laterally punctate and ventromedially granulate-reticulate (♀). Punctae small with diameters less than the mean distance between their centroids, together occupying much less area than smooth surfaces between them. Dorsal surfaces of all metasomal segments smooth, without punctae or granules. Aculeus much shorter than vesicle, aculeus L/telson L ~0.20. Color uniformly brown to black. Femur, patella and chela manus of pedipalp brown to black; chela fingers, and tibia and tarsomeres of legs yellowish brown to green. Tergites roughly granulated. Sternites IV–V with lateral surfaces matte, almost smooth. Sternite VII matte, almost smooth, with four distinct granulated carinae. Pedipalp, metasoma and telson glabrous, only metasoma V may have dorsolateral rows of setae, which can also occur on dorsal surface of telson. Moderately developed tibial spurs present on legs III and IV. Tarsomere I of legs I–III with 4–6 long setae in both sexes.

DISTRIBUTION. Yemen, north part of Socotra Island ( Fig. 119 ).

COMMENTS. Fet & Lowe (2000: 194) listed “? Orthochirus socotrensis ” cited by Francke (1977) as a possible lapsus and synonym of Orthochirus bicolor insularis . However, Francke (1977: 112) cited the presence of three endemic species of scorpion on Socotra Island: Hemiscorpion socotranus Pocock, 1899 , Butheolus insularis Pocock, 1899 and Orthochirus socotrensis (Pocock) . He omitted Buthus socotrensis Pocock, 1889 (= Buthotus socotrensis = Hottentotta socotrensis ), also known from Socotra Island. It is possible that Francke cited ‘ Orthochirus socotrensis ’ in error, instead of Buthotus socotrensis , as Pocock did not describe Orthochirus socotrensis (see also Vachon, 1979: 237).

Figures

Figure 119. Geographic distribution of Orthochiroides spp.

Figures 1–4: Orthochiroides insularis, Socotra Island. Figures 1–2. Male, dorsal (1) and ventral (2) views. Figures 3–4. Female, dorsal (3) and ventral (4) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 82–86: Orthochiroides, males. Figures 82. O. insularis, metasoma and telson, ventral view. Figures 82. O. socotrensis, holotype, metasoma and telson ventral view. Figures 84–86. O. vachoni, paratype, metasoma and telson, lateral (84), ventral (85), and dorsal (86) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (82–83, 84–86).