Scorpiones: Buthidae - Tubitak Journals

Research Article

Turk J Zool 2012; 36(5): 576-584 © TÜBİTAK doi:10.3906/zoo-1112-18

Redescription of Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) based on specimens from Iran Ayşegül KARATAŞ1,*, Muhammed Mouradi GHARKHELOO2 1

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Arts, Niğde University, 51200 Niğde - TURKEY 2

Department of Biology, Zenjan University, Zenjan - IRAN

Received: 14.12.2011

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Accepted: 16.02.2012

Abstract: The scorpion Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) was briefly described from northwestern Iran based on only one male with a picture indicating the dorsal habitus of the holotype; the author pointed out that it has a large and globular telson with a short aculeus. This species, with very distinct morphological features, is now redescribed based on new specimens (3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀) collected from West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan (Iran). Detailed figures and measurements are presented and the trichobotrial pattern and paraxial organ are illustrated for the first time. The morphological differences of M. vesiculatus from similar species M. caucasicus, M. eupeus, and Sassanidotus gracilis are discussed. Key words: Scorpiones, Buthidae, Mesobuthus vesiculatus, systematics, redescription, Iran

Introduction The scorpion Mesobuthus vesiculatus was briefly described by Pocock (1899) as Buthus vesiculatus in a paper dealing with the material collected from the neighborhood of Lake Urumiyeh (northwestern Iran). Although it was very similar to M. caucasicus, the author pointed out that the new species had a large and globular telson with a short aculeus (Pocock, 1899: 406, plate 26, figure 3). It was described with only one picture showing the dorsal habitus of the holotype male, without other drawings. Afterwards, it was recorded by Birula (1905) from the same area. Werner (1929) described Buthus gabrielis from Rudbar, between Minab (Hormozgan) and Bam (Kerman). It was accepted as Buthus gabrielis by Werner (1936) and Whittick (1955). Additionally, specimens collected from Teheran and Esfahan were identified as Buthus gabrielis by Whittick (1955). It * E-mail: [email protected]

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has been considered under the genus Mesobuthus as Mesobuthus gabrielis by Vachon (1950, 1952, 1966) and Habibi (1971). Later, it was listed as “its true generic status was not known” by Pérez (1974). Farzanpay (1988) proposed that Buthus gabrielis Werner is a synonym of Olivierus caucasicus (Nordmann), and Kovařík (1998) listed it under the genus Mesobuthus without giving any justification. Fet and Lowe (2000) designated lectotype juv. ♂ (BMNH) from Astracan, Iran, and paralectotypes 1 ♀, 1 juv. ♂ (BMNH) from the same locality as lectotype; 1 ♀ (BMNH), locality unknown. They also synonymized Buthus gabrielis Werner, 1929 with Buthus vesiculatus and transferred it to the genus Mesobuthus. The species was reported from Urumiyeh, Teheran, and Isfahan (“Esfahan”); Rūdbār (“Rudbar”), between Minab (Hormozgan) and Bam (Kerman); and Kāshān (Birula, 1905; Whittick, 1955; Farzanpay, 1988). The latest records of this species were given from Kāshān in Esfahan

A. KARATAŞ, M. M. GHARKHELOO

Province by Vignoli et al. (2003) and from Ardakan and Baghdadabad in Yazd Province by Vignoli and Crucitti (2005). Due to the lack of detailed information, except limited locality information, about M. vesiculatus, it was necessary to perform this study since its old description needed to be updated. M. vesiculatus is a valid species and we aim to give a precise redescription in this study.

Results and discussion Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) (Figures 1-5) Synonyms: Buthus vesiculatus Pocock, 1899: 405-406. Buthus vesiculatus: Birula, 1905: 120; Birula, 1917: 71, 214; Pérez, 1974: 42. Buthus (Buthus) vesiculatus: Birula, 1917: 240.

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Figure 1. Male from a) dorsal and b) ventral aspects; female from c) dorsal and d) ventral aspects.

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Redescription of Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) based on specimens from Iran

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Figure 2. Body parts of male specimens from the same general area: a) carapace; b) chelicera (internal); c) chelicera (dorsal); d) movable finger; e) fixed finger; f) coxosternal area, pectines, and granular depression on sternite III; g) pedipalp chela (external); h) pedipalp chela (ventral); i) pedipalp chela (dorsal); j) femur (dorsal); k) femur (internal); l) patella (internal); m) patella (ventral); n) patella (external); o) tarsus of leg III (lateral); p) metasomal segment V and telson (ventral); r) metasomal segment V and telson (lateral); and s) metasomal segments and telson (lateral).

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Figure 3. Body parts of female from the same general area: a) carapace, b) pedipalp chela (external), c) movable finger, d) fixed finger, e) coxosternal area and pectines, f) patella (dorsal), g) femur (dorsal), h) metasomal segment V and telson (lateral), i) metasomal segments and telson (lateral).

Buthus gabrielis: Werner, 1936: 204; Whittick, 1955 (synonymized by Fet and Lowe, 2000: 180-181). Mesobuthus gabrielis: Vachon, 1950: 153; Vachon, 1952: 325; Vachon, 1966: 213; Habibi, 1971: 44. Mesobuthus grabielis (incorrect spelling): Pérez, 1974: 25. Mesobuthus vesiculatus (Pocock, 1899), new combination, Fet and Lowe, 2000: 180-181. Fet and Lowe (2000) designated lectotype 1 juv. ♂ (BMNH) from Astracan, Iran, and paralectotypes 1 ♀, 1 juv. ♂

(BMNH) from the same locality as the lectotype; 1 ♀ (BMNH) from unknown locality. Also synonymized as Buthus gabrielis Werner, 1929. Material examined (deposited in the Zoology Department of Niğde University, Niğde): West Azerbaijan: Bokan (36°31ʹN, 46°12ʹE; 1400 m a.s.l.), 07.IX.2006: 1 ♀ (ZDNU 2005/136), 06.VIII.2011: 2 ♂♂ (ZDNU- 2011/20/1-2); East Azerbaijan: Bonab (37°20ʹN, 46°03ʹE; 1300 m a.s.l.), --.--.2005: 1 ♂ (ZDNU 2005/134/3), 10.VIII.2011: 2 ♀♀ (ZDNU 2011/21/1-2). 579


Diagnostic features: Scorpions are of a moderate size. Males and females are 60 mm in total. Total coloration is yellowish to brownish yellow with darker brownish areas on tergites; metasomal segment V with a distinct dark reticulated surface on basal half that is more pronounced on ventral and lateral sides of the segment. Carinae and granulations distinctly developed on carapace and metasomal segments. Pectines with 20-22 teeth in females, with 26-29 teeth in males. Redescription is made from males and females. Morphometric measurements are given in the Table. Coloration: Generally yellowish to light brown with some dark brown areas on the carapace and the carinae on tergites. In prosoma, carapace yellowish with dark brownish areas on the carinae; eyes surrounded by reddish dark brown pigment. Carapace light yellow in color anteriorly. Mesosoma yellowish brown with longitudinal reddish dark brown pigment over longitudinal carinae. All tergites brownish anteriorly; yellowish posteriorly. In

metasoma, segment I-IV yellowish brown; segment V with dark brown ring on its anterior 3/5 section. Vesicle yellowish; aculeus reddish dark brown. Venter yellowish except for pale yellow, sternites III-VI lighter posteriorly. Chelicerae yellowish without any variegated spots; fingers yellowish with reddish dark brown teeth. Pedipalps: segments yellowish brown, femur yellowish; patella slightly darker than femur and chela slightly darker than patella. Color shade of pedipalp segments slightly darker than femur to chela. Chela fingers with the oblique rows of granules reddish dark brown and with some reddish areas on movable finger-manus articulation. Legs yellowish with some reddish areas on the articulations. Morphology: Carapace: Anterior margin of carapace is weakly emarginated, nearly smooth; carinae are strongly developed; more pronounced in males; anterior median, central median, posterior median, and superciliary carinae are strongly granular; posterior lateral is reduced; posterior median carinae are not terminating distally in spinoid denticle. Posterior median carinae similar with those that are small as

Table. Morphometric values (mm) of males and females of M. vesiculatus from the same general area from Iran (L: length, W: width, and D: depth).

Total L Metasoma + telson L Carapace L/anterior W/posterior W Median ocular tubercle to anterior margin Metasoma I L/W/D Metasoma II L/W/D Metasoma III L/W/D Metasoma IV L/W/D Metasoma V L/W/D Telson L Vesicle L/W/D Pedipalp chela L Pedipalp chela manus ventral L Pedipalp chela manus W/D Pedipalp chela fixed finger L/movable finger L Pedipalp femur L/W Pedipalp patella L/W Pectine L Pectine teeth left/right

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61 36 6.2/3.8/6.4 2.5 4.4/3.9/3.3 5.2/3.7/3.3 5.4/3.6/3.3 6.0/3.5/3.2 6.7/3.1/2.9 5 3.3/2.3/2.2 12 4.2 2.8/3.2 6/7.3 5.5/1.7 6.7/2.5 6.7 26-26

59 35 6.1/4.0/6.7 2.8 3.7/3.1/3.2 4.6/3.3/3.2 4.7/3.2/3.2 5.3/3.0/3.1 6.5/2.8/2.7 6.0 3.9/2.8/2.7 11 3.7 2.4/2.8 5.6/7 4.2/1.6 6.2/2.5 5.2 19-21


granules on dorsal edge of carapace. Intercarinal spaces are coarsely granular especially on lateral sides of anterior median carinae, more distinctly marked in males. All furrows on dorsal side of metasomal segments are moderately developed. Median ocular tubercle is situated slightly anterior to the center of carapace; median eyes are separated from each other by 2 ocular diameters. Three pairs of lateral eyes are found on each side. Mesosoma: Tergites I-VI with 3 carinae. Lateral carinae on segment I-VI are moderate to strong and granular; each carina ending posteriorly in a spinoid structure that extends slightly beyond the posterior edge of tergites. Median carina, weakly developed on mesosomal segment I, only includes 2-3 granules; on segments II-VI moderate to strongly developed, granulated; ending posteriorly on each segment in a spinoid form, which extends slightly beyond the posterior edge of tergites. Tergite VII with 5 carinae; pairs of lateral carinae moderate to strong, granular; median carinae moderately developed, granular and present on only proximal half of the segment. Intercarinal spaces on mesosomal segments weakly granular in both males and females. Sternites: Lateral carinae are not found on sternite III-IV; weakly developed on sternite V-VI; very finely granulated on sternite VII. Sternite III-V without submedian carinae; it is moderately granular on sternite VI-VII; all carinae more clearly marked in males. Pectines relatively long, in female terminating near the distal end of trochanter IV. Pectines with 20-22 teeth in females, with 26-29 teeth in males. Metasoma: Segments I-II with 10 carinae, more pronounced and crenulated in males, less distinct in females, segments III-IV with 8 crenulated carinae. Lateral median carinae incomplete but composed of coarser granules on 4/5 of segment II, longer and more pronounced than that of M. caucasicus male. Lateral median carina is represented by only 2-3 granules on distal portion of segment III and absent on segment IV. Dorsal carinae composed of strong dentate granules, ending distally in 1 or 2 more enlarged spinoid denticles, especially on segments II-IV; height of the segments increases posteriorly. Segment V pentacarinate; ventrolateral strong with spinoid, moderately enlarged but nonlobate granules distally. Anal arc with 3 lateral lobes. Dorsal furrow in all segments moderate in females, strong in males; intercarinal spaces nearly smooth, very finely and sparsely granular in segments I-IV; segment V with

some strong granules on lateral and ventral surfaces. Setation on metasomal segments is absent. Telson: Globular and more swollen with very short, small, and hooked aculeus; granular on ventral, smooth on dorsal surface; subaculear tubercle is absent. Chelicerae: Dentition of chelicerae as for the family Buthidae (Vachon, 1963). It has 2 rather reduced denticles at the base of the ventral side of the movable finger. Pedipalps: Femur pentacarinate; all carinae moderately crenulate, with large spinoid denticles internally and externally. Patella has 7 moderate to strongly developed carinae; dorsointernal carina has 1 proximal spinoid granule at base. All carinae obsolete on chela; more slender in males; females with a more globular chela hand and shorter fingers. Movable finger with distinctly developed scalloping process in males; moderately developed in females. Dentate margin of movable and fixed fingers has 13 and 12 oblique rows of granules, respectively, and each row includes external and internal accessory granules. Pedipalps have short and dense setae, especially on fingers. Trichobothriotaxy: Trichobothrial pattern Type A, orthobothriotaxic as described by Vachon (1974). Dorsal trichobothria of femur are in β (beta) configuration (Vachon, 1975) (Figures 4a-4g). Legs: Legs III and IV have strong tibial spurs, all legs have prolateral and retrolateral spurs. All telotarsi have 2 rows of bristles ventrally and many spinoid setae dorsally. Setae arranged in bristle combs on basitarsi of legs I-III. Dactyl small and blunt, ungues short and stout, weakly curved. Hemispermatophore: Typical for the genus and the family (flagelliform type) (Lamoral, 1979); truncal flexure has 4 distinct lobes, internal lobe is the biggest lobe; outer lobe and internal lobes are thick at the base, medial and internal lobes uncinate (Figures 5a-5c). Variations of the number of pectinal teeth: 2 males with 26-25 and 27-26 pectinal teeth; 2 females with 19-22 and 20-22 pectinal teeth. Distribution: The species has been reported from Lake Urumiyeh, Tehran, and Kashan; Isfahan (“Esfahan”); Rūdbār (“Rudbar”), between Minab 581

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Figure 4. Carapace and trichobothrial pattern of the male specimen of M. vesiculatus from the same general area: a) carapace; b) femur (dorsal); c) patella (dorsal); d) patella (external); e) pedipalp chela (dorsal); f) pedipalp chela (ventral); and g) pedipalp chela (external).

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Ecological aspects: According to the records of this species, it ranges over the Caucaso-Iranian Highlands and Anatolian-Iranian Desert, which cover approximately 90% of Iran (Udvardy, 1975). The species is found in steppic and semisteppic areas and on hills with open vegetation formations. It is also found near human habitations, in gardens, and in cracks on walls. 200 μm 200 μm

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Figure 5. Hemispermatophore of M. vesiculatus: a) ventral aspect of right hemispermatophore, b) ventral aspect of hemispermatophoric lobes, and c) ventroectal aspect of hemispermatophoric lobes.

(Hormozgan) and Bam (Kerman); Yazd; and West and East Azerbaijan provinces (Birula, 1905; Vachon, 1950, 1952, 1966; Whittick, 1955; Farzanpay, 1988; Vignoli et al., 2003; Vignoli and Crucitti, 2005; present study) (Figure 6).

Systematic remarks: Fet and Lowe (2000) synonymized Buthus gabrielis Werner, 1929 with Buthus vesiculatus according to Werner’s description and FMNH specimens (which were collected from the Tehran and Esfahan provinces) labeled as Buthus gabrielis by Whittick in 1955. Buthus vesiculatus was transferred to the genus Mesobuthus by Fet and Lowe (2000). The most recent treatment related to synonyms of M. vesiculatus was given by Navidpour et al. (2011). Because the type locality of Buthus gabrielis was in Kerman (near Rudbar or Bam) and newly collected specimens of Sassanidotus gracilis were from Kerman, these authors suggested that Buthus gabrielis should be a synonym of Sassanidotus gracilis. Finally, they stated that M. vesiculatus is similar to S. gracilis by its large telson and narrow metasoma. S. gracilis is

Figure 6. Map of the distribution of M. vesiculatus in Iran: 1) Bonab; 2) Bokan; 3) Rudbar (Gilan); 3?) Rudbar, between Minab (Hormozgan) and Bam (Kerman); 4) Teheran; 5) Kashan; 6) Ardakan; and 7) Baghdadabad, in Yazd Province. The dotted circles denote the new localities, the squares show literature records, and the star represents the possible type locality.

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related to Compsobuthus by its carapacial carination but differed from Compsobuthus and Mesobuthus by 3 granules proximal to the terminal granule on the pedipalp movable finger. The carapacial and metasomal carination are more pronounced in M. vesiculatus; metasomal segments of M. vesiculatus are less slender than those of M. caucasicus but more slender than M. eupeus, and the shapes of the telson and aculeus of M. vesiculatus are also different from the other 3 species. M. vesiculatus is differentiated from a sympatric species, M. caucasicus, by larger median eyes, shorter vesicle and aculeus in both males and females, stronger carination on pedipalp,

metasomal segments and carapace, and stronger scalloping structure on the pedipalp fingers in males. Acknowledgments We are very grateful to Dr Graeme Lowe for critical review of the manuscript. We would also like to thank our families, who always encourage us; Dr Ahmet Karataş for helping with field studies and preparing the map; and Dr Halit Üründü and Hülya Üründü for translating some of the German literature. This study was logistically supported by grants from Zenjan University.

References Birula, A.A. 1905. Beiträge zur Kentniss der Skorpionenfauna Persiens (Dritter Beitrag). Bulletin de l´Académie Impériale des Sciences de St.-Pétersbourg 23: 119-148.

Vachon, M. 1950. Études sur les Scorpions. Description des Scorpions du Nord de l’Afrique. Archives de l’Institut Pasteur d’Algérie 28(2): 152-216.

Birula, A.A. 1917. Arachnoidea Arthrogastra Caucasica. Part I. Scorpiones Zapiski Kavkazskogo Muzeya (Mémoires du Musée du Caucase), Tiflis: Imprimerie de la Chancellerie du Comité pour la Transcaucasie, A(5) (in Russian; published August 1917). English translation: Byalynitskii-Birulya, A.A. 1964. Arthrogastric Arachnids of Caucasia. 1. Scorpions. Israel Program for Scientific Translations, Jerusalem.

Vachon, M. 1952. Etude sur les Scorpions, Institut Pasteure d’Algérie, Algiers.

Farzanpay, R. 1988. A catalogue of the scorpions occurring in Iran, up to January 1986. Revue Arachnologique, 8(2):33-44. Fet, V. and Lowe, G. 2000. Family Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837. In: Catalog of the Scorpions of the World (1758-1998) (Eds. V. Fet, W.D. Sissom, G. Lowe and M.E. Braunwalder), New York Entomological Society, New York, pp. 54-286. Habibi, T. 1971. Liste de Scorpions de l’Iran. Bulletin of the Faculty of Science of Tehran University 2(4): 42-47. Kovarik, F. 1998. Štiří (Scorpions), Madagaskar, Jihlava, Czech Republic. Lamoral, B.H. 1979. The scorpions of Namibia (Arachnida: Scorpionida). Annals of the Natal Museum 23(3): 497-784. Navidpour, S., Ezatkhah, M., Kovařík, F., Soleglad, M.E. and Fet, V. 2011. Scorpions of Iran (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part VII. Kerman Province. Euscorpius 131: 1-32. Pérez, S.M. 1974. Un inventario preliminar de los escorpiones de la región paleárctica y claves para la identificacion de los géneros de la región Paleárctica Occidental. Madrid: Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Zoología, Cátedra de Arthrópodos 7: 1-45. Pocock, R.I. 1899. Arachnida, Chilopoda and Crustacea. In: On the Zoology of the Afghan Delimitation Commission (Ed. J.E.T. Aitchison), Transactions of the Linnaean Society of London, Zoology (2), 5(3): 110-121. Udvardy, M.D.F. 1975. A Classification of the Biogeographical Provinces of the World. IUCN Occasional Paper, No: 8, Morges, Switzerland.

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Vachon, M. 1963. De l’utilité, en systématique, d’une nomenclature des dents des chélicères chez les Scorpions. Bulletin du Muséum National d’histoire naturelle, Paris, 2è série, 35(2):161-166. Vachon, M. 1966. Liste des scorpions connus en Égypte, Arabie, Israël, Liban, Syrie, Jordanie, Turquie, Irak, Iran. Toxicon 4: 209-218. Vachon, M. 1974. Etude des caractères utilisés pour classer les familles et les genres de Scorpions (Arachnides). 1. La trichobothriotaxie en arachnologie. Sigles trichobothriaux et types de trichobothriotaxie chez les Scorpions. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, 3è série, 140 (Zoologie, 104): 857-958. Vachon, M. 1975. Sur l’utilisation de la trichobothriotaxie du bras des pédipalpes des Scorpions (Arachnides) dans le classement des genres de la famille des Buthidae Simon. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie de Sciences, Paris, sér. D, 281: 1597-1599. Vignoli, V. and Crucitti, P. 2005. Notes on the scorpion diversity (Arachnida, Scorpiones) of the Yazd Province (central Iran). Acta Musei Moraviae Biologicae 90: 1-11. Vignoli, V., Kovařik, F. and Crucitti, P. 2003. Scorpiofauna of Kāshān (Esfahan Province, Iran) (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Euscorpius 9: 1-7. Werner, F. 1929. Reptilia, Amphibia, Orthoptera, Embidaria und Scorpiones. In: Zoologische Forschungsreise nach den Ionischen Inseln und dem Peloponnes (Ed. M. Beier), V. Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, Abt. 1, 138: 471-485. Werner, F. 1936. Reptilien und Gliedertiere aus Persien. Festschrift zum 60. Geburstage von Professor Dr. Embrik Strand 2: 193-204. Whittick, R. 1955. Scorpions from Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Iran. In: Contributions to the Fauna and Flora of Southwestern Asia (Ed. H. Field), privately printed by Henry Field, Coconut Grove, Florida (Miscellanea Asiatica Occidentalis XII, Amer. Document. Inst. Microf. 4612: 76-81).