Androctonus ishtar Yağmur, Kachel, Al-Khazali, Al-Jubouri and Ali, 2025

Yağmur, Ersen Aydın, Kachel, Hamid Saeid, Al-Khazali, Azhar Mohammed, Al-Jubouri, Mohammed Abdul Karim & Ali, Farhad Ramadhan, 2025, Androctonus ishtar sp. n. from Dohuk and Nineveh provinces, Iraq (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Journal of Natural History 59 (25 - 28), pp. 1757-1773 : 1758-1769

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2025.2496290
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03871B48-FF84-FFEF-FF36-90A2FC2EFB01
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Androctonus ishtar Yağmur, Kachel, Al-Khazali, Al-Jubouri and Ali
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Androctonus ishtar Yağmur, Kachel, Al-Khazali, Al-Jubouri and Ali sp. n.

( Figures 1–8 View Figure 1 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 View Figure 4 View Figure 5 View Figure 6 View Figure 7 View Figure 8 , Table 1)

Buthus crassicauda : Kraepelin 1899: 16–17. Buthus (Prionurus) crassicauda : Kennedy 1937: 745; Whittick 1955. Prionurus crassicauda : Penther 1912: 110. Androctonus crassicauda View in CoL : Pringle 1960: 74–75, fig. 1; L. Khalaf 1962: 1; K., 1963: 59;

Vachon 1966: 210; Al-Ramahi and Al-Hasnawi 2012: 1–10; Al-Azawi 2017: 50–51; Kachel

2020; Kachel et al. 2021: 5.

Material examined

Holotype ♂ IRAQ: Duhok Province, Zakho, Asihe , 37.018056°N, 42.706111°E, 692 m a.s.l., 28 August 2024, H. S. Kachel and F. R. Ali ( AZMM /Sco-2024:51) GoogleMaps . Paratypes (4 males, 6 females and 1 juvenile): IRAQ: Duhok Province, Bardarash, Kawnabak, 36.490278°N, 43.632500°E, 430 m, 14 August 2024, 1♂, 1♀, 1 juv GoogleMaps ., H. S. Kachel and F. R. Ali ( AZMM / Sco-2024:52–54); Duhok Province, Zakho, Dashmere, 37.109722°N, 42.732222°E, 522 m, 10 August 2024, 1♂, 1♀, H GoogleMaps . S. Kachel and F. R. Ali ( AZMM /Sco-2024:55–56); Duhok Province, Zakho, Asihe , 37.018056°N, 42.706111°E, 692 m a GoogleMaps .s GoogleMaps .l., 28 August 2024, 1♀, H. S. Kachel and F. R. Ali ( AZMM /Sco-2024:57); Duhok Province, Zakho, Telkaber, 37.165278°N, 42.710833° E, 473 m, 11 September 2020, 1 ♀, H GoogleMaps . S. Kachel ( AZMM /Sco-2020:195); Duhok Province, Zakho, Parxe, 37.276389°N, 42.782778°E, 781 m, 11 September 2020, 2♂, 2♀, H GoogleMaps . S. Kachel ( AZMM /Sco-2020:196–199); Nineveh Province, Mosul, Qayyarah, 35.800833°N, 43.310833° E, 174 m, 12 July 2023, 1♀, A GoogleMaps . M. Al-Khazali, M. A. K. Al-Jubouri ( AZMM /Sco-2023:56) .

Etymology

The name refers to the eighth gate of the ancient city of Babylon, which was built by King Nebuchadnezzar in 575 BC at the northern part of the city as a dedication to Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love, war, and fertility in ancient Mesopotamia.

Diagnosis (♂ ♀)

Medium to large-sized scorpions. Holotype male measures 79.72 mm, and the size of the female paratypes is 79.75 mm. Body dark red/brown to brown/black in males, pale brown/ black or red/brown in females. Anteriomedian, centromedian and posterior median carinae of the carapace with coarse and rounded granules. Pectines with 31–34 teeth in males (n = 5), and 24–30 in females (n = 7). Chela surface smooth without carinae, somewhat rough, internal surface of manus densely covered with fine granules. Chela manus and patella almost same width. (Chela width/patella width ratio = 0.96–1.10 in males, n = 5; Chela width/patella width ratio = 0.97–1.01 in females, n = 7); fingers are moderately elongated in male (Movable finger length/manus length ratio = 1.86–1.96, chela length/manus width ratio = 3.32–4.78, n = 5), elongated in female (movable finger length/manus length ratio = 1.78–2.01, chela length/manus width ratio = 4.27–4.72, n = 7), evenly curved. Movable finger with indistinct scalloping, chela without gap. Movable fingers with 14–17, fixed 14–15 principal rows of denticles. Trichobothrium et is located between est and dt, and proximal to dt; trichobothrium est located between et and db, thus proximal to db, almost opposite. Tergites I–VI have three distinct carinae that do not project beyond the posterior margin, submedians are reduced in tergites I–II. Metasomal segments I–II slightly wider than long; segments III–V longer than wide; all segments wider than deep. Widths of segments I–III gradually increase posteriorly. Ventrolateral carinae strong with gradually increased granules posteriorly on segment V with 2 large, rounded and fixed denticles in males, large denticles with partially pointed or truncated tips in females. Telson slender and not setose.

Affinities

Androctonus ishtar sp. n. can be distinguished from other species of Androctonus View in CoL present in the Middle East by the following characters: A. ishtar sp. n. has elongated chela with thin manus especially in females ( Figures 4A–D View Figure 4 , 5A–D View Figure 5 ), whereas A. sumericus View in CoL has stocky chelae (see figs. 4A–D and S4A–D in Al-Khazali and Yağmur (2023)). Movable finger length/manus length ratio = 1.86–1.96 in males, 1.78–2.01 in females of A. ishtar sp. n., vs 1.68 in males, 1.65 in females of A. sumericus View in CoL . Chela length/manus width ratio = 4.27–- 4.72 in females of A. ishtar sp. n. vs 3.34 in females of A. sumericus View in CoL . Ventrolateral carinae on segment V with 2 large and fixed denticles in A. ishtar sp. n. ( Figure 7A, B View Figure 7 , indicated by green arrows), vs three spaced, somewhat large granules in A. sumericus View in CoL (see fig. 6A, B in Al-Khazali and Yağmur (2023)) and 1 large denticle in A. turkiyensis View in CoL (see figs. 33, 36 and 70 in Yağmur (2021)). Metasomal segments II–III longer than wide in A. ishtar sp. n. ( Figure 6C, D View Figure 6 ), whereas they are wider than long in A. bicolour (see figs. 13 and 16 in Teruel and Kovařík (2014)). Male of A. ishtar sp. n. with somewhat thick chela (chela length/manus width ratio = 3.32–4.78) ( Figure 4A–D View Figure 4 ) vs male of A. bicolour with thin chela (chela length/manus width ratio = 5.65). The ventrolateral carinae of the fifth segment of A. ishtar sp. n. bear large denticles ( Figure 7A, B View Figure 7 , indicated by green arrows) whereas A. amoreuxi View in CoL , A. australis View in CoL , A. crassicauda View in CoL and A. tihamicus View in CoL do not bear large denticles. Besides A. amoreuxi View in CoL , A. australis View in CoL , and A. tihamicus View in CoL yellow or dark yellow vs dark red/ brown to brown/black in A. ishtar sp. n. Dorsolateral carinae are smooth on segment V with a few rounded granules in A. ishtar sp. n. ( Figure 7A, B View Figure 7 ), whereas they are strongly dentate in A. crassicauda View in CoL (see fig. 69 in Yağmur (2021)). Trichobothrium est is located proximal to db, almost opposite in A. ishtar sp. n. ( Figures 4D View Figure 4 , 5D View Figure 5 ) whereas trichobothrium est is located between et and db in A. turkiyensis View in CoL and A. kunti View in CoL (see figs. 39, 40, 53 and 54 in Yağmur (2021) and figs. 24 and 40 in Yağmur (2023)).

Description

Description is based on the male holotype and female paratypes. The total length is 79.72 mm on the male holotype. Measurements are given in Table 1.

Colouration

Prosoma: Carapace brown/black in male, pale brown/black to dark red/brown in females; carinae and granules black. Between and surrounding the median eyes marked by black pigmentation. Furrows are dark brown. Mesosoma : Dark red/brown to brown/black in males, pale brown/black in females. Sternites III–V are lustrous, dark yellow/brown, dark yellow medially and posteriorly in males, dark red/brown red/ yellow medially and posteriorly in females. Sternite VI is dark brown to black/brown with a dark yellow band at the posterior margin in males and pale brown in female. Sternite VII is dark brown to black/brown, pale brown in females. Coxae dark red/ brown, carinae black. Pectines are pale light yellow with light brown spots ( Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 ). Chelicerae: Manus shiny brown with dark brown reticulated spots; fingers dark brown to dark red, teeth red with red/black apex ( Figure 1A, B View Figure 1 ). Pedipalps: Femur and patella brown/black dorsally, red/black ventrally. Carinae and granules are black/ brown. Chela manus is lustrous dark red/brown with black reticulations in males, red/brown with dark brown reticulations; fingers are black/brown posteriorly, dark yellow anteriorly in males, red/black posteriorly, red/yellow anteriorly in females. The denticles are red/black ( Figures 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 ).

Legs. Tarsi olive yellow, basitarsus and pretarsus light yellow/brown, with brown reticular spots, rest segments red/brown ( Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 8 View Figure 8 ). Metasoma: Segments I to V dark red/brown; carinae and granules marked dark brown or black pigmentation. Vesicle red/black with red/brown dorsal and lateral furrows; aculeus red/brown at base and black at tip ( Figures 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 ).

Morphology

Carapace. Trapezoidal, almost the same width and length. Anteriomedian, centromedian and posterior median carinae of the carapace with coarse and rounded granules; the intercarinal area sparsely covered with medium granules in males, granules denser and smaller in females; the anterior area with coarse and rounded granules. The anterior margin is straight and crenulate, with some stout microsetae and macrosetae and a row of medium and rounded granules; median eyes are separated by nearly two ocular diameters; 5 pairs of lateral eyes (3 large and 2 small). Posterior margin with a row of small and subconical granules ( Figures 2A, B View Figure 2 , 3A, B View Figure 3 ).

Sternum: Standard for the genus. Type 1, triangular. Pectines are long, narrow and densely setose, well passing leg IV coxa/trochanter joint in males, not reaching or slightly passing the leg IV coxa/trochanter joint in females; tooth count is 31–32 in males, 24–30 in females; the basal plate is heavily sclerotised and wider than long ( Figures 2C, D View Figure 2 , 3C, D View Figure 3 ).

Chelicerae: Dentition of chelicerae is typical for the genus; the surface of the manus is smooth with fine granules that are arranged in longitudinal rows ( Figure 2A, B View Figure 2 ).

Pedipalps: Pedipalps slender and moderately elongate, sparsely setose. The trichobothrial pattern is of Type A, orthobothriotaxic. Dorsal trichobothria of the femur are arranged in a β-configuration with d 2 situated on the dorsal surface. Femur pentacarinate and slender; dorsointernal, dorsoexternal and ventrointernal carinae strong with coarse and rounded granules; ventroexternal carinae weak and serrate with moderate granules; internal median carinae weak with spaced distinct conical granules; intercarinal smooth with granules of varioius sizes medially, dorsally and ventrally. Patella with 8 carinae, moderately slender; dorsointernal carinae strong and crenulate with 3 moderate conical granules and moderately developed dorsal patellar spur; dorsal and ventromedian carinae strong and granular; dorsomedian carinae moderate and weakly granular; dorsoexternal carinae moderate, smooth to bumpy; exteriomedian and ventroexternal carinae moderate and smooth; ventromedian carinae strong and crenulate with weakly developed ventral patellar spur. Dorsal surface moderately granular medially with minute granules; ventral surface finely granular; internal surface densely granular with fine granules; external surface smooth. Chela surface smooth without carinae, somewhat rough, internal surface of manus densely covered with fine granules. Chela manus somewhat thick and wider than the patella in males (chela width/patella width ratio = 1.22) but considerably thinner in females and thinner than the patella (chela width/patella width ratio = 0.97); fingers are moderately elongated in male (movable finger length/manus length ratio = 1.86, chela length/manus width ratio = 3.32), elongated in females (movable finger length/manus length ratio = 2.01, chela length/manus width ratio = 4.72), evenly curved. Movable finger with indistinct scalloping, chela without gap. Movable fingers with 16–17, fixed fingers 15 principal rows of denticles, with external and internal accessory granules and 3 distal granules. Trichobothrium et is located between est and dt, and proximal to dt; trichobothrium est is located between et and db, thus proximal to db, almost opposite ( Figures 4 View Figure 4 and 5 View Figure 5 ).

Mesosoma . Tergites I–VI three distinct carinae (median and submedians) that do not project beyond the posterior margin, submedians reduced in tergites I–II. Pretergites and the area between submedian carinae are smooth, posttergites with moderately dense coarse granules in males, the surface is finely granular, posttergites are densely covered with flattened granules in females on tergites I–VI. Tergite VII pentacarinate (median, submedians and laterals), carinae strong and coarsely granular; lateral carinae serrate; lateral pairs of carinae are not fused; median carina presents on proximal half. Surface of tergite VII is smooth in males, smooth with scattered fine granules in females. Sternites very sparsely setose. Sternites III–VI are smooth and lustrous in males, smooth and matt in females. Sternite VII with four moderate, weakly granular carinae; surface of sternite VII is smooth and lustrous in male, smooth and matt with a few minute granules posteriorly in females ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 ).

Legs: Legs long, slender, and covered by dense macrosetae. Basitarsus of legs I to III have bristle combs; basitarsus of legs IV without bristle comb. Proventral and retroventral basitarsal (pedal) spurs are present and distinct but tibial spurs are present on legs III and IV. Tarsus and basitarsus of legs I–IV ventrally with spine-like setae arranged in two rows ( Figures 1–8 View Figure 1 View Figure 2 View Figure 3 View Figure 4 View Figure 5 View Figure 6 View Figure 7 View Figure 8 ).

Metasoma and telson. Metasoma is very sparsely setose, with all segments robust. Segments I–II slightly wider than long; segments III–V longer than wide; all segments wider than deep. Widths of segments I–III gradually increase posteriorly. Dorsal surface smooth; lateral surface smooth and rough. Ventral surface smooth and rough with scattered minute granules in males, rough and densely covered with varied sized granules on segments I–V. Dorsal furrow moderately wide and deep on segments I–V. Segments I–III with 10 carinae, segment IV with 8, and segment V with 5 carinae. Lateral inframedian carinae are complete, strong and coarsely granular on segment I, reduced to 4–5 coarse granules on segments II–III and present in the posterior quarter. Dorsolateral carinae are strong and serrate with moderate, rounded granules, terminating in 1 large conical granule in males, strong and serrate with spaced moderate granules in females on segments I–II; strong and serrate with coarse, rounded granules, sizes of granules slightly gradually increase posteriorly, terminating in 1 large conical granule in males, strong and dentate with coarse granules, sizes of granules gradually increase posteriorly in females on segments III–IV; strong, rounded and smooth with a few rounded granules anteriorly on segment V. Lateral supramedian carinae are strong and serrate on segments I–IV; granules are moderate on segments I–III, coarse, rounded and fused on segment IV. Ventrolateral carinae smooth and weakly serrate on segment I; strong and serrate with coarse and rounded granules on metasomal segments II–IV; strong with gradually increased granules posteriorly on segment V with 2 large, rounded and fixed denticles in males, large denticles with partially pointed or truncated tips in females. Ventral submedian carinae moderate with moderate and rounded granules on segments I–IV. Ventromedian carina moderate with moderate and rounded granules on segment V, do not bifurcate. Anal arch with 2 large round lobes on distal-lateral, superior and inferior does not divide completely, the inferior one is twice as large. Telson slender and not setose (telson length/width = 2.32 in male, 2.19 in female; telson width/depth = 1.18 in male, 1.24 in female); vesicle small and somewhat elongated and narrower than segment V; surface glossy and rough; aculeus long and thick but shorter than vesicle (vesicle length/aculeus length = 1.56 in male, 1.32 in female). Aculeus abruptly curved ( Figures 6–7 View Figure 6 View Figure 7 ).

Habitat. The scorpion specimens were collected from a mountainous region and a semidesert rural area characterised by sandy soil and high temperatures of up to 50°C in summer and cold in winter. Specimens were found in various habitats, including under stones, scattered debris, and straw residues from harvesting operations. In addition, some specimens were recorded near rural homes, which may indicate the ability of these scorpions to adapt to environments that interfere with human activity.