Uroplectes katangensis Prendini 2015, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Prendini, Lorenzo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Scorpiones
Buthidae
Uroplectes
Uroplectes katangensis

description: Uroplectes katangensis, sp. nov.
Figures 1, 4A, B, 7E, 8E, 9E, 10, 11; table 1
HOLOTYPE: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Katanga Province: Haut-Lomami District: Mwema [08°13′S 27°28′E], vii.1927, A. Bayet, 1 ♀ (MRAC 24.290).
ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is derived from Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the type locality of the new species is situated.
DIAGNOSIS: Uroplectes katangensis, sp. nov., may be separated from U. malawicus, sp. nov., and U. zambezicus, sp. nov., on the basis of differences in pectinal structure. The pectinal tooth count is higher (18–19) and the basal pectinal tooth unmodified in the female of U. katangensis, sp. nov., compared to U. malawicus, sp. nov., and U. zambezicus, sp. nov., in which the pectinal tooth count is lower (15–17) and the basal pectinal tooth enlarged in the female. Uroplectes katangensis, sp. nov., resembles U. malawicus, sp. nov., and differs from U. zambezicus, sp. nov., in possessing a slightly narrower chela manus and a longer, narrower metasoma as well as more uniform coloration. The tergites are almost entirely infuscate in U. katangensis, sp. nov., and U. malawicus, sp. nov., but exhibit a narrow immaculate stripe medially and sometimes a pair of narrow immaculate stripes laterally in U. zambezicus, sp. nov. Uroplectes katangensis, sp. nov., differs further from U. malawicus, sp. nov., and U. zambezicus, sp. nov., in the higher counts of median denticle subrows on the fixed and movable fingers of the pedipalp chela (13 vs. 11 or 12, respectively).
DESCRIPTION: The following account, which is based on the holotype, describes only those characters that differ from the female of U. malawicus, sp. nov. The male is unknown.
Total length: Adult: small, maximum length, measured from anterior margin of carapace to tip of aculeus, 26 mm (table 1).
Color: Faded but generally similar to U. malawicus, sp. nov. (fig. 10).
Carapace: As for U. malawicus, sp. nov., except as follows (fig. 4A). Anterior width of posterior width, 53%; posterior width of length, 99% (table 1). Median ocular tubercle, distance from anterior carapace margin 35% of carapace length.
Pedipalps: As for U. malawicus, sp. nov., except as follows (fig. 11). Femur width of length, 35% (table 1). Patella width of length, 37%. Chela manus width of height, 121%; width of length along ventroexternal carina, 64%; length along ventroexternal carina of length movable finger, 51%. Fixed and movable fingers, median denticle rows each comprising 13 (n = 4) oblique denticle subrows.
Hemispermatophore: Unknown.
Pectines: As for U. malawicus, sp. nov., except as follows (fig. 4B). Pectinal teeth curved, all similar in size, basal pectinal tooth unmodified; tooth count, 19/18 (table 1).
Mesosoma: As for U. malawicus, sp. nov., except as follows. Sternite VII, length of width, 48% (table 1).
Metasoma and telson: As for U. malawicus, sp. nov., except as follows (figs. 7E, 8E, 9E). Metasomal segment V, width of segment I, width, 102% (table 1). Metasoma width of length, segment I, 110%; II, 96%; III, 90%; IV, 76%; V, 70%. Telson vesicle, width of metasomal segment V, 67%; globose, height of length, 62%. Aculeus length of vesicle length, 59%. Length metasoma and telson, of total length, 60%.
DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the type locality in Katanga Province, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (fig. 1).
ECOLOGY: The habitus of U. katangensis, sp. nov. (fig. 10) is consistent with the lapidicolous and corticolous ecomorphotypes (Prendini, 2001). Based on material in the collections of the MRAC, two buthids, Hottentotta cf. minax and Lychas asper, and a scorpionid, Pandinurus viatoris, were sympatric at the type locality.
description: Published as part of Prendini, Lorenzo, 2015, Three new Uroplectes (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with punctate metasomal segments from tropical central Africa, pp. 1-32 in American Museum Novitates 2015 (3840) on pages 18-21, DOI: 10.1206/3840.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5368359