Burmesescorpiops wunpawng Lourenço, Dan & Zawgyi, 2025

Zawgyi, Ko & Lourenço, Wilson R., 2025, An unusual new species ofBurmesescorpiops Lourenço, 2016 from Cretaceous Burmese amber (Scorpiones: Palaeoeuscorpiidae: Archaeoscorpiopinae), Faunitaxys 13 (20), pp. 1-6 : 2

Burmesescorpiops wunpawng Lourenço, Dan & Zawgyi sp. n.

( Fig. 1-13)

ZooBank:https://zoobank.org/ B23B1C53-BA0F-4EE7-A7EE-67BDE2BEC4B8

Holotype. – A possible juvenile or pre-adult. Sex cannot be clearly determined, however, according to the morphology of pedipalps and pecten it most certainly corresponds to a male. Type locality and horizon: Hukawng Valley , Tanai Region, Kachin State, Myanmar; Lower Cretaceous.

Diagnosis for the new species. –Scorpionwithanaverage tolargesize; total length can be estimated by extrapolation with previously observed specimens to be around 14 to 15 mm. General coloration reddish to reddish-brown. Carapace moderately elongated with a very strong median concavity; median ocular tubercle largely anterior to the centre of the carapace; two lateral eyes can be observed. Furrows moderately marked. Pectines moderately observable with a possible number of 12-11 teeth. Spiracles small with a round shape. Metasomal segments and telson not observed. The general morphology of the pedipalps is similar to that of extant Scorpiopidae ; fixed and movable fingers with 7-8 rows of small rounded granules, with inconspicuous accessory granules.Chelicera poorly observed with a dentition probably similar to that of extant scorpionids (Vachon, 1963). Tarsi of legs with small spines. Trichobothrial pattern similar to type C of Vachon (1974), also defined for the family Euscorpiidae ( Vachon, 1980) .On the chela hand, trichobothria Esb, Est, Dt, Et 4, Eb 1, Et 1 and 7-8 V can be observed or suggested.On the chela fixed finger, trichobothria eb, db, dsb, dt, dst, est can equally be observed or suggested. Patella shows d 1 and d 2 on dorsal face; i is slightly displaced to the dorsal face; on the ventral face 7 or 8 V trichobothria are observed. A number of external trichobothria can also be indirectly suggested on the patella by the presence of transverse hairs; corresponding to the territories et, em, est, esb and eb. Femur shows trichobothria d, i and e. The presence of a second trichobothrium e, previously suggested by Lourenço (2016, 2024) is once again confirmed.

Type locality and horizon. – Tanai Region, Hukawng Valley, Kachin State, Myanmar ( Burma), Kachin, Lower Cretaceous.

Etymology. – The specific name is placed in apposition to the generic name and is derived from “Wunpawng,” the Kachin term denoting the union of various constituent tribes that comprise the Kachin people, the indigenous inhabitants of the Hukawng Valley.

Depository. – The type specimen is deposited in the Collections of the Kachin Amber Research Institute Office, Sumprabum, Kachin State, Myanmar .

Description

Coloration. – The scorpion presents a coloration that ranges from reddish to reddish-brown. Body, pedipalps and legs of an uniform coloration. The ventral aspect of the specimen seems to be slightly paler.

Morphology. – Carapace without granulations, almost smooth; anterior margin with a very strong median concavity. Carinae absent; furrows moderately marked. Median ocular tubercle largely anterior to the centre of carapace; median eyes moderate in size and separated by less than one ocular diameter. Two lateral eyes can be observed in both sides of the carapace. Sternum pentagonal, higher than large, with a strong concavity at its base. Mesosomal tergites weakly granular, almost smooth with one median carina; VII not observed. Pectines well observable with 12-11 teeth; fulcra absent. Sternites smooth with small rounded-shaped spiracles. Metasomal segments and telson absent; not observed. Cheliceral dentition poorly observed but similar to that of extant scorpionids (Vachon, 1963). Pedipalp femur with 4-5 carinae; patella with dorso-internal, ventro-internal, dorso-external and external carinae; internal face without spinoid granules and with a very minor apophysis. Chela with moderately marked carinae; all faces weakly granular to smooth. Fixed and movable fingers each with 7-8 (8-8) rows of small rounded granules; accessory granules are poorly observable; extremity of fingers with moderate spinoid granules; setation of pedipalps inconspicuous. Trichobothriotaxy recalling type C, as defined by Vachon (1974) of extants Scorpiopidae (see diagnosis).

Morphometric values (mm) of the holotype of Burmesescorpiops wunpawng sp. n.

– Total length can be estimated to be approximately of 14 to 15 mm (including telson).

– Carapace

length 2.67;

anterior width 1.78;

posterior width 2.47.

– Mesosoma length 4.45.

– Pedipalp femur length 2.21, width 0.82;

patella length 1.92, width 0.93;

chela length 4.81, width 1.52.

– Movable finger length 2.76.

Relationships. – The presence of an accessory external trichobothrium on femur clearly associates the new species to the genus Burmesescorpiops . The new species can, however be distinguished from Burmesescorpiopsgroehni Lourenço,2016and Burmesescorpiopsvelteni Lourenço, 2024, by a number of features:

(i) a carapace not elongated but with a very strong median concavity and moderately marked furrows;

(ii) base of the sternum with a marked concavity;

(iii) genital operculum plates very elongated laterally;

(iv) pectines with 12-11 teeth, versus 13-12 for B. groehni and 7- 8 for B. velteni ;

(v) spiracles small and round;

(vi) fixed and movable fingers of pedipalps with7-7 (8-8) rows of granules.