Buthus pococki Kovařík & Šťáhlavský & Elmi 2020, sp. n.

Buthus pococki sp. n.

(Figures 62–100, 180–181, 198, 192, 201–6, 210, Tables 1, 3)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CC1B5A69- 6788-433B-B25F-2887F7539B3F

TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY. Somaliland, near Bown village, 10°14'23.6"N 43°03'04.3"E, 1255 m a. s. l. (Locality No. 19SC); FKCP.

TYPE MATERIAL (FKCP). Somaliland, Kidile, 20 km of Borama, 10°00'06.6"N 43°12'26.3"E, 1427m a. s. l. (Locality No. 19SB), 28. VI.2019, 2♂ 2juvs. (paratypes, 1652, 1653, 1680), leg. T. Mazuch; near Bown village, 10°14'23.6"N 43°03'04.3"E, 1255 m a. s. l. (Locality No. 19SC), 29. VI.2019, 1♂ (holotype) 13♂ 3♀ 2♂ juvs. 4♀ juvs. (paratypes, 1655, 1677), leg. F. KovařÍk; Cali Haidh, 10°02'50.6"N 43°47'08.7"E, 1056 m a. s. l. (Locality No. 19SN), 3♂ 1♀ (paratypes, 1688), 8.VII.2019, leg. F. KovařÍk; Habas village, 10°24'42.6"N 42°48'40.1"E, 866 m a. s. l. (Locality No. 19SD), 30. VI.2019, 4♂ 3♀ 1juv. (paratypes), leg. F. KovařÍk.

ETYMOLOGY. The name honors Reginald Innes Pocock (1863– 1947) who described two Buthus species from Somaliland.

DIAGNOSIS. Total length 41–65 mm. Base color yellow dark pattern reduced; telson yellow; chelicerae pale yellow without reticulation. Pedipalp movable fingers bear 11 rows of granules, with 12 outer and inner denticles and fixed finger with 11 outer and 12 inner denticles. Chela of pedipalp narrower in male, its length to width ratio 3.7–3.9 in females and 4.1–4.3 in males. Telson bulbous, with aculeus shorter than vesicle. Pectinal teeth number 24–28 in females and 25–36 in males.

DESCRIPTION. The adults are 41 mm (male) – 65 mm (female) long. The habitus is shown in Figs. 62–65, 192. For position and distribution of trichobothria of pedipalps see Figs. 74–78, and 80. Sexual dimorphism minor: adult males with pedipalp chela broader. Female with basal middle lamella wide (Fig. 93).

Coloration (Figs. 62–65, 192). The base color is uniformly yellow with dark pattern reduced, tergites yellow. The pedipalps and legs are yellow with dark carina indicated in males and often absent in females. Telson is yellow.

Carapace and mesosoma (Figs. 62–65, 90–93). The entire carapace is covered with granules small along much of the middline and large anteriorly, posteriorly and laterally. The carinae are typical for genus Buthus, strongly developed and composed of large, round granules. The anterior margin of the carapace is straight, and bears 8–10 long, symmetrically placed macrosetae. The tergites are granulated in posterior parts and bear very strong median carinae. A pair of denticulate lateral carinae is strong on tergites II–VI. Tergite VII is pentacarinate, with all carinae strong and granulated. The pectinal tooth count is 24–28 (1x24, 1x25, 8x26, 6x27, 6x28) in the females and 25–36 (1x25, 3x26, 2x30, 6x31, 14x32, 12x32, 9x34, 1x35, 1x36) in the males. The pectinal marginal tips extend to the end of the fourth sternite in males and half of the fourth sternite in females. The pectines have three marginal lamellae and seven or eight middle lamellae. The lamellae bear numerous dark setae, each fulcrum with three to six dark setae. All sternites are smooth or very finely granulated. The seventh sternite bears four strongly developed ventral crenulate carinae.

Metasoma and telson (Figs. 66–73). The first metasomal segment bears 10 carinae, the second throught fourth segments bear eight to 10 carinae (the lateral surface of the second and third segments bears a row of granules that exceeds threequarters of the second and one-half of the third segment length). The fourth segment bear eight carinae and the fifth segment bears five carinae. The ventrolateral carinae of the fifth segment terminate in two lobes. The ventral keels on the second and third segments posteriorly bear two to four large granules. The surface between the carinae is smooth. All segments are sparsely setose. The telson is bulbous, with aculeus shorter than the vesicle. The surface of the telson is unevenly granulated and bears an incomplete lateral carina.

Pedipalps (Figs. 74–89). The pedipalps are smooth or finely granulated. The femur bears four to five carinae; the ventroexternal carina is incomplete, the other carinae are coarsely granular. The patella bears seven coarsely granular carinae. The chela bears five carinae, which may be weak and incomplete. The movable and fixed fingers bear 11 rows of granules, with 12 outer and inner denticles and fixed finger with 11 outer and 12 inner denticles.

Legs (Figs. 94–97). Pairs III and IV bear long tibial spurs. Retrolateral and prolateral pedal spurs are present on all legs. The tarsomeres bear two rows of macrosetae on the ventral surface and numerous macrosetae on the other surfaces. Bristlecombs are present on the first to third legs. The femur bears four carinae and the patella bears four to six carinae. The femur and patella bear only solitary macrosetae.

Measurements. See Table 1.

AFFINITIES. The described features distinguish B. pococki sp. n. from all other species of the genus. They are recounted in the key below. B. pococki sp. n. has reduced dark pigmentation similar to B. somalilandus sp. n. and B. zeylensis. Both of these species differ from B. pococki sp. n. by orange to brown telson (see Fig. 192 versus Figs. 193–194).