Heterometrus serratus ( Pocock, 1900 ), 1945

Kovařík, František, Lowe, Graeme, Ranawana, Kithsiri B., Hoferek, David & Š, V. A., 2016, Scorpions of Sri Lanka (Scorpiones Buthidae, Chaerilidae, Scorpionidae) with description of four new species of the genera Charmus Karsch, 1879 and Reddyanus Vachon, 1972, stat n, Euscorpius 220, pp. 1-133 : 107-111

Heterometrus serratus ( Pocock, 1900)

( Figs. 15 , 508–534 , 571, 574 )

Palamnaeus serratus Pocock, 1900: 86 , 97.

Heterometrus serratus: Takashima, 1945: 94 .

Heterometrus (Srilankametrus) serratus: Tikader & Bastawade, 1983: 555–561 , figs. 1483–1496; Fet, 2000: 448.

Heterometrus indus indus (in part): Couzijn, 1981: 121– 123, fig. 35 (in part).

Heterometrus indus (in part): Kovařík, 2004: 17–20, fig. 16; Kovařík, 2009: 38.

T YPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Ceylon, now Sri Lanka; BMNH.

TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED. Sri Lanka, Ceylon, 1♂ (holotype, fig. 16 in Kovařík, 2004: 19), leg. Dr. Ondaatje, BMNH No. 1888.55.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. Sri Lanka, Southern Province, Matara District, Kekanadura village , 05° 58'28.2"N 080°36'20.5"E, 40 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CP, Fig. 594 ), 30.IV.2015, 1♂ ( Figs. 509–513 , 516, 518 , 520–522 , 571 ) 1♀ ( Figs. 508 , 514–515 , 517, 519 , 523– 529 , 574 ), FKCP, 1♀ im., UPSL, leg. Kovařík et al .; Uva Province, Monaragala District, Monaragala , 06°52' 30.7"N 081°21'17"E, 288 m a.s.l. (Locality 15CQ, Fig. 595 ), 2.–3.V.2015, 2♀, FKCP, leg. Kovařík et al .

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 100–130 mm long. Color of adults uniformly reddish black to greenish black. Pectinal teeth number 12–15 in both sexes. Male with slightly narrower chela than female; chela length/ width ratio 1.79–1.94 in males, 1.69 in female. Chela hirsute, lobiform, without carinae on dorsoexternal surface, but may bear rows of granules. Chela length/ width ratio 1.8–2.0 in adults. Entire manus covered by rounded granules that may merge and appear as rows. Pedipalp patella without pronounced internal tubercle. Carapace smooth, glossy medially, with granules at margins. Second metasomal segment approximately as long as wide. Fifth segment of metasoma about as long pedipalp femur, fourth segment of metasoma shorter than pedipalp femur. Dorsal and dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segments granulated. Vesicle of telson usually longer than aculeus. Spination formula of tarsomeres II of legs: 3-4/4-6: 4/4-5: 4/5-6: 4/5-7.

COMMENTS. Palamnaeus serratus Pocock, 1900 was synonymized with H. indus by Couzijn (1981: 121). The first author ( Kovařík, 2004: 17 and Kovařík, 2009: 38) accepted the synonymy, whereas Tikader & Bastawade (1983: 555) considered H. serratus a valid species. Examination of additional specimens collected during the Sri Lankan expedition of 2015 convinced us that H. serratus is in fact a valid species. Pocock (1900: 86) differentiated H. serratus and H. indus as follows: 1) dorsal and dorsolateral carinae of metasomal segments granulated in H. serratus ( Fig. 574 ), smooth in H. indus ( Fig. 573 ). We found other minor differences: 2) sexual dimorphism in proportions of pedipalps not noticeable in H. indus , male with slightly narrower chela than female in H. serratus (chela length to width ratio 1.79–1.94 in males, 1.69 in the females); 3) carapace smooth and glossy, only occasionally with granules at margins in H. indus ( Figs. 486–487 ); carapace smooth and glossy medially, always with more granules at margins in H. serratus ( Figs. 516–517 ); 4) spination formula of tarsomeres II of legs: 3/4: 2-4/3-4: 4/4-5: 4/ 5 in H. indus ; 3-4/4-6: 4/4-5: 4/5-6: 4/ 5-7 in H. serratus .

The distribution of H. serratus was previously unknown, as the type locality was imprecise and the holotype male was the only known specimen. We collected additional specimens at localities cited here as 15CP ( Fig. 594 ) and 15CQ ( Fig. 595 ). Our data suggest that H. serratus is distributed in the southern part, and H. indus in the central part of Sri Lanka ( Fig. 15 ).

DISTRIBUTION. Sri Lanka.

Figures

Figures 12–15: Maps showing the known geographical distribution of the Sri Lankan species.

Figures 504–511: Pedipalp chela. Figures 504–507: Heterometrus indus from locality 15CA, pedipalp chela dorsal (504) view of female, and pedipalp chela dorsal (505), external (506) and ventral (507) views of male. Figures 508–511: Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP, pedipalp chela dorsal (508) view of female, and pedipalp chela dorsal (509), external (510) and ventral (511) views of male.

Figures 512–515: Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP. Figures 512–513. Male in dorsal (512) and ventral (513) views. Figures 514–515. Female, dorsal (514) and ventral (515) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 516–519: Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP. Figures 516, 518. Male, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–II (516), and sternopectinal region (518). Figures 517, 519. Female, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–II (517), and sternopectinal region (519).

Figures 520–525: Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP. Figures 520–522. Male, metasoma and telson, lateral (520), ventral (521), and dorsal (522) views. Figures 523–525. Female, metasoma and telson, lateral (523), ventral (524), and dorsal (525) views. Scale bar: 10 mm.

Figures 526–529: Heterometrus serratus, female from locality 15CP, tarsomeres of legs I–IV, ventral view.

Figures 530–534: Heterometrus serratus. Figures 530–533. Juvenile from locality 15CQ in phases of ecdysis. Figures 534. Female at locality 15CP.

Figures 571–574: Key characters for distinguishing Sri Lankan Heterometrus. Figures 571–572. Pedipalp chela dorsal view of male, Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP (571) and Heterometrus gravimanus from locality 15CE (572). Figures 573– 574. Metasomal segments IV-II lateral view of female, Heterometrus indus from locality 15CA (573) and Heterometrus serratus from locality 15CP (574).

Figures 592–594: Figure 592. Locality 15CO, Sri Lanka, North Central Province, Puttalam District, Eluwankulam, 08°17'15"N 079°50'38.7"E, 38 m a.s.l. During night collecting from 10.30 p.m. on 28.IV.2015 to 4.00 a.m. on 29.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Charmus laneus (running on the ground among leaves), Isometrus thwaitesii (running on branches of bushes, also sitting on leaves), Lychas srilankensis (on the ground under branches, leaves or in their vicinity), Reddyanus ceylonensis sp. n. (on the ground), Chaerilus ceylonensis (inside oblique usually not curved burrows 15 to 30 cm long) and Heterometrus swammerdami (inside long burrows). On the locality we recorded between 10.00 p.m. and 4.00 a.m. temperature 25.9 ºC and humidity between 58% and 70%. On the locality we recorded 6 scorpion species and genera of all three Sri Lankan families. Figures 593–594. Locality 15CP, Sri Lanka, Southern Province, Matara District, Kekanadura village, 05°58'28.2"N 080°36'20.5"E, 40 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 30.IV.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Isometrus maculatus (inside a house, the species occupy the roof of the house, Fig. 593) and Heterometrus serratus (inside almost straight burrows in a ground wall). On the locality we recorded night temperature 28.4 ºC– 25.2 ºC (minimum temperature) and night humidity varied between 63% and 89%.

Figures 595–596: Figure 595. Locality 15CQ, Sri Lanka, Uva Province, Monaragala District, Monaragala, 06°52'30.7"N 081°21'17"E, 288 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 2.–3.V.2015 (UV detection) we recorded Reddyanus loebli (under scales of bark and under bark) and Heterometrus serratus (females with juveniles inside oblique burrows). On the locality we recorded a temperature of 33.1 ºC at 5.00 p.m., which gradually dropped to 24.6 ºC (minimum temperature) before sunrise. Humidity during the night varied between 61% and 84%. Figure 596. Locality 15CR, Sri Lanka, Eastern Province, Ampara District, Lahugala Kitulana National Park, 06°52'46"N 081°43'21.8"E, 40 m a.s.l. During night collecting on 3.–4.V.2015 (10.00 p.m. to 01.00 a.m.) we recorded Isometrus maculatus (running on branches, also sitting on leaves on trees), Reddyanus basilicus (on the ground among leaves) and Reddyanus loebli (hidden under scales of bark of standing tree trunks). On the locality we recorded between 10.00 p.m. on 3.V. and 01.00 a.m. on 4.V.2015 temperature 28 ºC, which gradually dropped to 26.9 ºC and humidity 73%.

Figures 486–489: Heterometrus indus from locality 15CA. Figures 486, 488. Male, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–III (486), and sternopectinal region (488). Figures 487, 489. Female, chelicerae, carapace and tergites I–II (487), and sternopectinal region (489).