A new species of Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from northwestern Egypt (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

Abstract

Androctonus tenuissimus sp. n. from two coastal localities placed in northwestern Egypt is herein described, an addition that represents the fifth species of this genus confirmed to occur in this North African country. It is most closely related only to Androctonus bicolor Ehrenberg, 1828, which is widely distributed across northeast Africa and the Middle East and also occurs in Egypt. Both are the only species in the genus whose adults of both sexes show the following combination of three diagnostic characters: coloration uniformly blackish, pedipalp chelae conspicuously narrower than patella in adults, and pedipalp fingers with basal lobe/notch combination entirely absent. However, these two taxa can readily be distinguished by very marked differences in appendage attenuation, body sculpture and counts of principal rows of denticles on pedipalp fingers, among other characters.

Redescription of Androctonus bicolor Ehrenberg, 1828, and description of Androctonus turieli sp. n. from Tunisia (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

“…1). This trend is widespread in the order Scorpiones and has already been observed in other members of this genus studied recently (Kovařík & Ahmed, 2013;Teruel et al, 2013).…”

“…Thanks to the valuable help of Jason Dunlop and Anja Friederichs from ZMB, we received on loan nine of the original syntypes of A. bicolor. Their detailed study confirmed the preliminary conclusions of Teruel et al (2013). In order to stabilize the nomenclature of this taxon, we herein designate the single adult male as the lectotype and produce a detailed and widely illustrated redescription, according to the modern standards ruling the taxonomy of the genus, which will turn all further work on this complex of species easier and sounder.…”

“…AFFINITIES. Amongst the 22 species currently recognized as valid in this genus (Turiel, 2013;Teruel et al, 2013), only A. tenuissimus and A. sergenti Vachon, 1948, do share with A. bicolor the following combination of three characters in adults of both sexes: 1) coloration uniformly dark reddish brown to blackish; 2) pedipalps very slender, with chelae much narrower than patella; 3) pedipalp fingers without basal lobe/notch combination. All other species of Androctonus which have the same coloration also possess adult pedipalp chelae wider than patella, and with basal lobe/notch combination of fingers present at least in males.…”

“…Their medium to large size, very robust appearance, attractive coloration ranging from pale yellow to pitch black, and simplicity for captive breeding and rearing (plus a little bit of morbid fascination too), have firmly placed them amongst the most popular and widely traded animals in the pet circuit. Further, some species are common in their natural habitats, thus, they are also well represented in museum collections worldwide and many taxonomic papers have been published, although only a few represent true complete or partial revisions and catalogs: the interested reader will find two updated lists in Turiel (2013) and Teruel et al (2013).…”

“…In a very recent paper, Teruel et al (2013) described a closely related species from northwestern Egypt and discussed the current status of A. bicolor and all those taxa that had been formerly regarded at least once as its subspecies. Thanks to the valuable help of Jason Dunlop and Anja Friederichs from ZMB, we received on loan nine of the original syntypes of A. bicolor.…”