A new species of Physoctonus Mello-Leitão, 1934 from the ‘Campos formations’ of southern Amazonia (Scorpiones, Buthidae)

Abstract

Further studies on new specimens of the rare genus Physoctonus Mello-Leitão, 1934, lead to the description of a third new species. Until now only Physoctonus debilis (C. L. Koch, 1840) and Physoctonus striatus Esposito et al., 2017, were known from sites located in the caatingas of the north-east region of Brazil. The new species of Physoctonus was collected by the French arachnologist J. Vellard in the Campos do Pará during his field trips back to the 1920/1930, and entrusted to the author in the early 1980s. The populations of P. debilis and P. striatus from north-east Brazil and that of the new species certainly present disrupted distributions. Biogeographical comments on this pattern of distribution are also added.

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“…Moreover, only 3 pairs were described for: Grosphus ambre, G. darainensis, G. garciai, G. goudoti, G. halleuxi, G. hirtus, G. madagascariensis, G. makay, G. mandena, G. mayottensis, G. polskyi, G. rossii, G. simoni, G. rakotoariveloi, G. tavaratra, G. voahangyae, Teruelius ankarana, T. ankarafantsika, T. bemaraha, T. bicolor, T. bistriatus, T. eliseanneae, T. feti, T. ganzhorni, T. intertidalis, T. limbatus, T. magalieae, T. mahafaliensis, T. olgae, T. sabineae, T. waeberi (Lourenço, 1996b(Lourenço, , 1999(Lourenço, , 2001b(Lourenço, , 2003c(Lourenço, , 2012c(Lourenço, , 2013bLourenço & Goodman, 2006Lourenço & Wilmé, 2015a, 2015bLourenço et al, 2004Lourenço et al, , 2007aLourenço et al, , 2009bLourenço et al, , 2016cLourenço et al, , 2017Lourenço et al, , 2018b. We confirm here that 5 pairs are indeed present in all species that we have examined: G. garciai (= G. hirtus),G.…”

“…The differential diagnosis was brief: paler coloration, metasoma with strong granules and carinae, including several larger posterior spiniform granules on dorsal carinae on segments II-IV. Recently, Lourenço, et al (2017) moved the paratype to a different species, G. rakotoariveloi, invalidating the original diagnosis of G. simoni based on both specimens. They revised the diagnosis of G. simoni as: moderately darker coloration, several larger posterior spiniform granules on dorsal carinae of metasoma II-IV, PTC ♂15-17, ♀14-15, pedipalp finger granule rows ♂11-12, ♀12-13, male chela with weak to moderate scalloping.…”

“…Grosphus halleuxi was described by Lourenço, et al (2017) from a series of males from Torotorofotsy Forest, ca. 20 km NW of Moramanga, in a central humid forest area that is locally less humid than other eastern forests.…”

“…Additions to the 'G. madagascariensis/ hirtus group'(= Fage's Group I) were also made: G. voahangyae, a small, dark, mottled species from dense humid Torotorofotsy forest in the central eastern mountains ; G. halleuxi also from Torotorofotsy forest, G. rakotoariveloi from Ankarafantsika National Park (Lourenço et al, 2017), a population previously classified as G. simoni; and G. ambre from Montagne d'Ambre at the north end of the island (Lourenço et al, 2018b).…”

Review of Grosphus Simon, 1880, with description of Teruelius gen. n., a new buthid genus from Madagascar (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

“…Additions to the 'G. madagascariensis/ hirtus group'(= Fage's Group I) were also made: G. voahangyae, a small, dark, mottled species from dense humid Torotorofotsy forest in the central eastern mountains ; G. halleuxi also from Torotorofotsy forest, G. rakotoariveloi from Ankarafantsika National Park (Lourenço et al, 2017), a population previously classified as G. simoni; and G. ambre from Montagne d'Ambre at the north end of the island (Lourenço et al, 2018b).…”