Pantobuthus Lourenco &amp; Duhem 2009, gen. n.
Creators: name: Lourenco, Wilson
name: Duhem, Bernard
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Scorpiones
Buthidae
Pantobuthus

description: Genus <i>Pantobuthus</i> gen. n. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3C2F50F7-DD92-4854-8584-CBE4FF62B084 <b>Diagnosis</b>. Large scorpions, 66.3 mm in total length (excluding telson). Coloration generally pale yellow with regions of very light grey. Carapace carinae moderately marked; ‘lyra’ configuration rather incomplete; median ocular tubercle at the centre of carapace; three pairs of lateral eyes situated in a posterior position in relation to the ante- rior edge; third pair totally vestigial. Sternum triangular, wider than long. Pedipalps very short and bulky; chela strongly globular; dentate margins on fixed and movable fingers of pedipalp chela composed of 9-10 oblique rows of granules. Outer and inner accessory granules present on both fingers, strongly marked. Pectinal tooth count 24-23; fulcra present; basal middle lamellae not dilated. Chelicerae with one basal denticle on the fixed finger; basal denticles of the movable finger strongly reduced. Metasomal segments II to IV with strong spinoid granules on ventral carinae; telson with a strongly globular vesicle; aculeus much shorter than vesicle and strongly curved; subaculear tooth absent. Legs: tarsi with two series of short spine-like setae; internal series with 5-7 setae, external reduced to 1-3 setae or totally absent; tibial spur strong on legs III and IV; pedal spurs moderate to strong on legs I to IV. Trichobothrial pattern A-β (beta), orthobothriotaxy. Trichobothrium <b>db</b> of chela totally displaced over the internal face of fixed finger. Derivatio nominis: generic name refers to the multiple characteristics of buthid genera present in the new genus. <b>Type species</b> <i>Pantobuthus complicatus</i> sp. n. <b>Affinities of the new genus.</b> The new genus <i>Pantobuthus</i> shows affinities with several genera, such as <i>Odontobuthus</i>, <i>Buthus</i>, <i>Mesobuthus</i>, <i>Hottentotta</i> and <i>Vachoniolus</i>, which are also elements of the North African and Palaearctic faunas. The moderately marked carapace carinae which form only an incomplete ‘lyra’ configuration associates the new genus to <i>Hottentotta</i> and <i>Mesobuthus</i>, but metasomal segments II to IV with strong spinoid granules on the ventral carinae, are more similar to those of the genus <i>Odontobuthus</i>. Th e very central position of the median ocular tubercle on the carapace and the shape of the telson with a strongly globular vesicle and a very short aculeus associates <i>Pantobuthus</i> gen. n. with <i>Buthus</i>. In this last genus, however, both carapace and mesosomal carinae are strongly developed and the ‘lyra’ configuration is totally complete. Th e very short and bulky pedipalps again associate <i>Pantobuthus</i> gen. n. with <i>Buthus</i>. However, the very strongly globular chela recall those of the male <i>Vachoniolus</i>. The male of <i>Pantobuthus complicatus</i> sp. n. remains unknown. Finally, the total displacement of chela trichobothrium <b>db</b> to the internal surface of fixed finger, the retreated position of lateral eyes and the tarsi with two series of short spine-like setae, but with external series reduced or totally absent appear to be particular characteristics of this genus.
description: Published as part of <i>Lourenco, Wilson &amp; Duhem, Bernard, 2009, Saharo-Sindian buthid scorpions; description of two new genera and species from Occidental Sahara and Afghanistan, pp. 37-54 in ZooKeys 14</i> on pages 44-45, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.14.212, http://zenodo.org/record/576470