Opisthacanthus transvaalicus ochripes

Monod, Lionel, Duperre, Nadine & Harms, Danilo, 2019, An annotated catalogue of the scorpion types (Arachnida, Scorpiones) held in the Zoological Museum Hamburg. Part I: Parvorder Iurida Soleglad & Fet, 2003, Evolutionary Systematics 3 (2), pp. 109-200 : 109

Opisthacanthus transvaalicus ochripes Fig. 39

Opisthacanthus transvaalicus ochripes Kraepelin, 1911: 82

Current senior synonym.

Opisthacanthus (Nepabellus) validus Thorell, 1876 [synonymized by Lourenço 1987: 905]

Lectotype.

( Fig. 39 A–C ) ♂ ( ZMH-A0001097), [South Africa], Transvaal, 04.04.1909, Museum Amsterdam.

Paralectotypes.

1 ♀ ( Fig. 39 D–E , ZMH-A0001096), 1 ♂, 2 subadult ♀, 1 juvenile, same data as lectotype.

Remarks.

A male from the syntype series is designated here as lectotype and the remaining specimens as paralectotypes. Opisthacanthus transvaalicus ochripes and O. transvaalicus Kraepelin, 1911 (see below) are currently considered junior synonyms of O. validus . However, the morphology of chelal fingers in males (the length of fingers compare to the manus and the lobe and notch of the cutting edges) are markedly different in these two taxa (see Fig. 39C and 41C ), indicating that they should be considered as distinct species. Therefore at least one of these taxa should be separated from O. validus , and possibly both. However, examination of the type specimens of O. validus is necessary to unambiguously clarify the taxonomic status of O. transvaalicus and O. transvaalicus ochripes . For the time being, both taxa are left in the synonymy of O. validus .

Figures

Figure 39. Opisthacanthus transvaalicus ochripes Kraepelin, 1911 [= Opisthacanthus validus Thorell, 1876], male lectotype (A-C), female paralectotype (D-F): A, D dorsal aspect of habitus B, E ventral aspect of habitus C, F retrolateral aspect of chela illustrating dentate margins of fingers. Scale bars: 10 mm (A-B, D-E), 5 mm (C, F).

Figure 41. Opisthacanthus transvaalicus Kraepelin, 1911 [= Opisthacanthus validus Thorell, 1876], male lectotype (A-C), female paralectotype (D-F): A, D dorsal aspect of habitus B, E ventral aspect of habitus C, F retrolateral aspect of chela illustrating dentate margins of fingers. Scale bars: 10 mm (A-B, D-E), 5 mm (C, F).