Buthus maamora, Ythier, 2023

Ythier, Eric, 2023, A new species of Buthus Leach, 1815 from the Atlantic coast of Morocco (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Faunitaxys (Oxford, England) 11 (69), pp. 1-7 : 2-4

Buthus maamora sp. n.

(Fig. 1- 7, Tab. I -II)

ZooBank:https://zoobank.org/ 8E3CB9AD-CC2E-4862-BCEB-5AAD73B665CD

Buthus occitanus occitanus

Vachon, 1952: 264-270,

Le Corroller, 1967: 63,

Gantenbein & Largiadèr, 2003: 120, 122,

Lambert & Dupré, 1993: 8;

Buthus occitanus

Fet et al., 2000: 94,

Lourenço, 2003: 884,

Stockmann & Ythier, 2010: 338,

El Hidan et al., 2017: 675-677;

Buthus sp. Sousa et al., 2017: 54- 55.

Holotype, ♀, Morocco, Kenitra , Mamora (Maâmora) forest, 10/IV/1967 (A. Prost), deposited in the MHNL.

Etymology. – The specific epithet is placed in apposition to the generic name and refers to the Maâmora forest, between Kenitra and Rabat,where the holotype of the new species wascollected.The Maâmora forest is the largest forestinMorocco andisconsidered to be the largest cork oak ( Quercus suber L., 1753) forest of the world.

Diagnosis. – Scorpion of moderately large size for the genus, with a total length of

69 -71 mm. General coloration yellowish orange to brownish orange; tergites with confluent dark brownish spots. Carinae and granulations moderately to strongly marked on carapace and tergites. Pectines with 24 - 30 teeth in female, 29 -35 teeth in male. Metasomal segment I wider than long in female (length/width ratio 0.92 - 0.98)

and male (length/width ratio 0.92); intermediate carinae complete on segment I, present on distal two thirds of II, on distal half on III, absent on IV-V; telson vesicle bulky,

aculeus curved and shorter than the vesicle (aculeus/vesicle ratio 0.68 -0.73); anal arch with two lateral lobes. Pedipalp chela manus wider than patella in female (manus/

patella width ratio 1.14), as wide as patella in male (manus/patella width ratio

1.00); chela fingers with lobe/notch combination absent; fixed finger with 12 -13

rows of granules, movable finger with 13 rows of granules. Metasomal segments with a weak setation, ‘oligotrichous’ as defined by Vachon (1952). Leg IV retrolateral pedal spur with 1 - 2 setae.

Description (based on female holotype)

Coloration. – Basically yellowish orange to brownish orange. Prosoma: carapace yellowish orange with median and lateral ocular tubercles marked with dark pigments;

carinae infuscate. Mesosoma: tergites yellowish orange with confluent dark brownish spots. Metasomal segments yellowish orange with some carinae slightly infuscate; telson vesicle yellowish orange, aculeus reddish at its base and blackish at its extremity. Venter yellowish orange to reddish; genital operculum and pectines paler than the other zones.

Chelicerae yellowish; fingers yellowish with dark red teeth. Pedipalps yellowish orange without spots; fingers with the oblique rows of granules dark red. Legs yellowish orange.

Morphology. – Carapace moderately to strongly granular; anterior margin with a weak concavity. Carinae strongly marked; anterior median, central median and posterior median carinae strongly granular, with ‘lyre’ configuration. Furrows deep. Median ocular tubercle located in the centre of the carapace; eyes separated by about two ocular diameters; three pairs of lateral eyes of moderate size in relation to median eyes.

Sternum triangular, weakly narrowed, slightly wider than long. Mesosoma: three longitudinal carinae moderately to strongly crenulate in all tergites; lateral carinae reduced in tergites I and II; tergite VII pentacarinate. Tergites I-VI moderately to strongly granular on lateral sides; the central area between lateral carinae minutely granular; tergite VII entirely minutely granular. Venter: genital operculum divided longitudinally, each plate with a semi-oval shape. Pectines: pectinal tooth count 25 -26;

middle basal lamella of the pectines not dilated. Sternites without granules, smooth with Fig. 1-2. Buthus maamora sp. n., ♀ elongated spiracles; four moderate carinae on sternite VII; four weak carinae on VI; holotype, habitus (dried specimen) .

other sternites acarinated and with two vestigial furrows. Metasomal segments with a weak setation, ‘oligotrichous’ as defined by Vachon (1952); segment I with ten complete 1. Dorsal aspect. 2. Ventral aspect.

carinae, II-III with eight complete carinae, IV and V with eight and five carinae, respectively; intermediate carinae complete on segment I, present on distal two thirds of II, on distal half on III, absent on IV-V; dorsal and dorsolateral carinae vestigially to weakly subcrenulate; ventral carinae strongly marked and raised distally on II-III; segment V with ventrolateral carinae crenulate with 2 -3 lobate denticles posteriorly; ventral median carina divided posteriorly, over 1/3 of the total length; anal arc composed of 9 ventral teeth and two lateral lobes. Intercarinal spaces minutely granular on segment V, especially dorsally; other segments almost smooth; metasomal segment I wider than long (length/width ratio 0.92- 0.98). Telson with some granulations ventrally; aculeus curved and shorter than the vesicle (aculeus/vesicle ratio 0.68- 0.73), without a subaculear tubercle. Cheliceral dentition as defined by Vachon (1963) for the family Buthidae ; external distal and internal distal teeth approximately the same length; basal teeth on movable finger small and not fused; ventral aspect of both fingers and manus covered with long dense setae. Pedipalps with a weak setation, ‘oligotrichous’ as defined by Vachon (1952); femur pentacarinate; patella with 8 carinae moderately to strongly marked, internal with 9-10 spinoid granules, all faces weakly granular; chela with vestigial carinae, almost smooth; chela manus wider than patella (manus/ patella width ratio 1.07), as wide as patella in male (manus/patella width ratio 1.00); fingers with lobe/notch combination absent; fixed and movable fingers with 13- 13 rows of granules; internal and external accessory granules present, stronger than principal granules; three accessory granules on the distal end of the movable finger next to the terminal denticle. Legs: tibial spurs strong on legs III and IV; pedal spurs strong on legs I to IV, leg IV retrolateral pedal spur with 1 -2 setae. Trichobothriotaxy: trichobothrial pattern of Type A, orthobothriotaxic as defined by Vachon (1974). Dorsal trichobothria of femur arranged in β (beta) configuration ( Vachon, 1975).

Morphometric values (mm) of the female holotype (morphometric ratios in Tab. I-II).

- Total length (including telson) 68.65

- Carapace length 8.88;

posterior width 9.88.

- Mesosoma: length 15.13.

- Metasomal segments

I, length 5.63; width 5.75; depth 5.00;

II, length 6.50; width 5.50; depth 4.88;

III, length 6.75; width 5.38; depth 4.88;

IV, length 7.88; width 5.13; depth 4.63;

V, length 9.00; width 4.75; depth 4.13.

- Telson: length 8.88.

- Vesicle: length 5.25; width 4.50; depth 4.13.

- Pedipalp femur, length 7.38; width 2.38;

patella, length 8.25; width 3.50;

chela, length 15.13;

chela manus, length 5.63; width 4.00; depth 4.25; movable finger length 9.50.

Comparisons. – As previously mentioned, the Buthus population occurring on the Atlantic coast of Morocco from Kenitra to El Jajida, described here as Buthus maamora sp. n., was originally considered as B. occitanus (B. o. occitanus according to Vachon, 1952). It is now well admitted that the distribution of B. occitanus is restricted to Southwest France and Northeast Spain, and so this Moroccan population is not conspecific. However, both species can be easily distinguished notably by the main features indicated below.

In Morocco, Buthus maamora sp. n. show some morphological affinities with two other species also occurring on the Atlantic coast: B. atlantis , occurring south of the distribution of the new species, in sandy dune habitats from Essaouira up to the south of Agadir, and B. parroti (originally described as B. atlantis parroti ), from forest habitat in the Souss Valley, between the southwest of Agadir and Taroudant). Both species can also be easily distinguished notably by the main features indicated below.

- B. occitanus

(i) general coloration slightly paler, notably on tergites (darker in B. maamora sp. n.);

(ii) male slightly smaller with 54-64 mm total length (69 mm in B. maamora sp. n.);

(iii) pedipalp chela manus slenderer with length/width ratio 1.44 - 1.66 infemale (1.25 - 1.41in B. maamora sp. n.) and 1.68 - 1.87 in male (1.50 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(iv) male pedipalp chela manus narrower than patella, with manus/ patella width ratio0.87 -0.99 (samewidthas patella in B. maamora sp. n. with manus/patella width ratio 1.00);

(v) metasomal segment I longer than wide with length/width ratio 1.02 -1.07 in female and 1.03 -1.13 in male (wider than long in B. maamora sp. n. with length/width ratio 0.92 -0.98 in female and 0.92 in male);

(vi) metasomal segments IV and V narrower in both sexes with length/width ratio lower than in B. maamora sp. n. (see Tab. I - II);

(vii) male telson vesicle less bulky with telson length/width ratio 2.30 - 2.41 (2.23 in B. maamora sp. n.) and vesicle length/width ratio 1.27- 1.39 (1.25 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(viii) several other distinct morphometric values (see Tab. I - II);

(ix) a totally allopatric geographic distribution (southwest France and northeast Spain).

(ii) pedipalp chela manus slenderer in male with length/width ratio 1.60 (1.50 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(iii) male pedipalp chela manus narrower than patella, with manus/ patella width ratio 0.89 (same width aspatella in B. maamora sp. n. with manus/patella width ratio 1.00);

(iv) metasomal segments IV and V narrower in male with length/ width ratio lower than in B. maamora sp. n. (see Tab. I - II);

(v) male telson vesicle less bulky with telson length/width ratio 2.67 (2.23 in B. maamora sp. n.) and vesicle length/width ratio 1.40 (1.25 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(vi) several other distinct morphometric values (see Tab. I-II);

(vii) leg IV retrolateral pedal spurs with 5 - 6 setae (1 - 2 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(viii) an allopatric geographic distribution (Souss Valley, separated by High Atlas mountain range).

Distribution and ecology. – B. maamora sp. n. is distributed along the Atlantic coast, from Kenitra to El Jadida (Vachon, 1952; El Hidan et al., 2017; Sousa et al., 2017). It does not seem to extend more in the South, where it is replaced by B. atlantis , from Safi ( Fig. 7). The new species seems to inhabit both forest and sandy habitats, as specimens were found in coastal forests (e.g. Maâmora, Temara, Daït Erroumi) and sand beaches (e.g. Mohammedia, El Jadida).

- B. atlantis

(i) general coloration slightly paler, notably on tergites (darker in B. maamora sp. n.);

(ii) female slightly larger with 79- 90 mm total length (69 -71 mm in B. maamora sp. n.);

(iii) male pedipalp chela manus narrower than patella, with manus/ patella width ratio0.85 -0.88 (same width as patella in B. maamora sp. n. with manus/patella width ratio 1.00);

(iv) metasomal segment I longer than wide with length/width ratio 1.09 -1.24 in female and 1.08 -1.22 in male (wider than long in B. maamora sp. n. with length/width ratio 0.92-0.98 in female and 0.92 in male);

(v) metasomal segments IV and V narrower in both sexes with length/width ratio lower than in B. maamora sp. n. (see Tab. I - II);

(vi) aculeus as long as or longer than vesicle, i.e. aculeus/ vesicle ratio ≥1 (shorter than vesicle in B. maamora sp. n. with aculeus/vesicle ratio 0.68- 0.73);

(vii) male telson vesicle less bulky with telson length/width ratio 2.58 -2.86 (2.23 in B. maamora sp. n.) and vesicle length/ width ratio 1.42 -1.48 (1.25 in B. maamora sp. n.);

(viii) several other distinct morphometric values (see Tab. I - II);

(ix) anal arch with three lateral lobes (two in B. maamora sp. n.).

- B. parroti