Tarsoporosus, Francke, 1978

Teruel, Rolando & Roncallo, César A., 2007, A new species of Tarsoporosus Francke, 1978 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae: Diplocentrinae) from northeastern Colombia, Euscorpius 62, pp. 1-8 : 7

All five described species of Tarsoporosus can be identified using the following key (modified from González-Sponga, 1996):

1. - Overall color very dark brown. Metasomal segments I–IV with granulose ventrolateral carinae. Modal tarsal spine formula 3/3: 3/3: 4/4: 4/4. Distribution: rain forests of Chocó, in the Pacific lowlands of Colombia ( Fig. 3 ) ------------------------------------------- T. anchicaya

- Overall color much lighter, yellow to reddish brown. Metasomal segments I–IV with smooth ventrolateral carinae. Modal tarsal spine formula different from above. Distribution: arid to semiarid Caribbean lowlands of Colombia and Venezuela ( Fig. 3 ) ------------------------- 2

2. - Pedipalp chela with dorsoexternal surface covered by granulose reticulations. Overall color yellow to light brown, with conspicuously darker carapace, tergites and distal segments of metasoma and pedipalps -------------- 3

- Pedipalp chela with dorsoexternal surface smooth. Overall color uniform, reddish to dark brown ----------- 4

3. - Larger size (42–50 mm). Adult males with metasoma much more slender (segments II–III each longer than wide), with carinae conspicuously weaker and with dorsal tegument on segments I–IV sparsely granulose. Modal tarsal spine formula 3–4/3–4: 4–5/4–5: 6–7/6–7:

6–7/6–7. Distribution: Paraguaná Peninsula, northwestern Venezuela ( Fig. 3 ) ---------------------------- T. flavus - Smaller size (40–41 mm). Adult males with metasoma much more robust (segments II–III each wider than long), with carinae conspicuously stronger and with dorsal tegument on segments I–IV smooth. Modal tarsal spine formula 3–4/3–4: 4–5/4–5: 6–7/6–7: 6–7/6–7. Distribution: La Guajira Peninsula, northeastern Colombia ( Fig. 3 ) -------------------------------------- T. macuira sp. n.

4. - Larger size (47–60 mm). Overall color lighter. Adult males with metasomal segment I longer than wide. Carapace and tergites with granulation less developed. Modal tarsal spine formula 3–4/3–4: 4–5/4–5: 6/6: 6/6. Distribution: eastern Falcón state, Venezuela ( Fig. 3 ) -------------------------------------------------------- T. kugleri

- Smaller size (43–46 mm). Overall color reddish darker. Adult males with metasomal segment I wider than long. Carapace and tergites with granulation more developed. Modal tarsal spine formula 4–5/4–5: 6–7/6–7: 7–8/7–8: 7–8/7–8. Distribution: interior Lara state, Venezuela ( Fig. 3 ) ----------------------------------------------------- T. yustizi

Figures

Figure 3: Known geographical distribution of: (1) Tarsoporosus anchicaya, (2) Tarsoporosus flavus, (3) Tarsoporosus kugleri, (4) Tarsoporosus macuira sp. n., and (5) Tarsoporosus yustizi; black squares indicate undetermined populations of this genus.