Centruroides schmidti : Sissom 1995
Creators: name: Goodman, Aaron M.
name: Prendini, Lorenzo
name: Francke, Oscar F.
name: Esposito, Lauren A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Scorpiones
Buthidae
Centruroides
Centruroides schmidti

description: Centruroides schmidti Sissom, 1995
Figures 1A, C, 2, 4, 6E, F, 9E, F, 13C, 14C, 17N, Q, 18N, Q, 19N, Q, 20N, Q, 21N, Q, 22N, Q, 23N, Q, 24N, Q, 25Q, B, 36, 37, tables 1, 7, 10
Centruroides schmidti Sissom, 1995: 94–96, 98, figs. 10–18; Armas, 1996: 22–24, table I (misidentification, part); 1999: 30; Vázquez, 1999: 53, 60–62, fig. 7 (misidentification, part); Armas and Maes, 2000: 27; 2001: 16; Fet and Lowe, 2000: 118; Armas et al., 2002: 169–171 (misidentification); Teruel and Stockwell, 2002: 111–127, figs. 6, 20, tables II, III; Armas et al., 2003: 95–96 (misidentification); Armas and Martín-Frías, 2003: 205, 209; 2008: 7–10, 12, 17, 19, 20, figs. 2–4, table XIV (misidentification); Armas and Trujillo, 2010: 235, 238, 240; Borges et al., 2012: 131, table I; Teruel et al., 2015a: 7; Delfín-González et al., 2017: 284 (misidentification), table I; Esposito et al., 2018: 97, table 5; Esposito and Prendini, 2019: 4, fig. 2; Crews and Esposito, 2020: 14, fig. 11.
TYPE MATERIAL: HONDURAS: Departamento Cortés: Município Choloma: Holotype ♂ (FMNH), Coloma [Choloma], Lake Ticamaya 15°32′41.5″N 87°53′06.1″W, 26.iv.1923, K. Schmidt and L. Walters (Capt. Field Mus. Exped.), found on bones of crocodile skull. GUATEMALA: Departamento Izabal: Município Morales: Paratype ♀ (FMNH), Escobas, Izabal 15°24′12″N 89°08′24.5″W 27.xi.1933, K.P. and P.J. Schmidt, Leon Mandel Guatemala Exped.
DIAGNOSIS: Centruroides schmidti differs from the closely related species, C. berstoni, C. catemacoensis, C. cuauhmapan, C. hamadryas, and C. rileyi, as follows. The pattern of infuscation of C. schmidti is unlike that of the other species and includes a pronounced pale stripe medially on the carapace and mesosomal tergites, flanked on the tergites by a pair of orange stripes, which are more infuscate in females (figs. 36A, B, 37A, B). The cheliceral manus is entirely dark with reticulate infuscation in C. schmidti, whereas the infuscation is lighter and restricted to the distal half of the chelicerae in the other species. The telotarsi of the first pair of legs possess short, dense setae in C. schmidti, unlike in C. cuauhmapan and C. rileyi. The posterosubmedian and lateral ocular carinae on the carapace are present in C. schmidti (fig. 6E, F) but reduced or absent in C. catemacoensis (fig. 5E, F) and absent in C. berstoni (fig. 6C, D), C. cuauhmapan (fig. 5C, D), and C. hamadryas (fig. 6A, B). The posterior margin of sternite III is pale and setose in C. schmidti, unlike in the other species. The dorsomedian carinae are restricted to the posterior two-thirds of tergites I–VI, and absent on VII in C. schmidti, whereas the dorsomedian carinae are vestigial on tergites I–VII in C. catemacoensis and weakly granular on I–VII in C. berstoni. Ventrosubmedian and ventrolateral carinae are present on sternite VII in C. schmidti, unlike in C. catemacoensis and C. rileyi. Metasomal segment V is more than 2× the length of the carapace in C. schmidti, but less than 2× its length in the other species (table 7). The telson surfaces of the female are very granular and the ventromedian carina well developed in C. schmidti (figs. 23–25D), whereas the telson surfaces of females are smooth in C. hamadryas (figs. 23–25E) and C. rileyi (figs. 23–25Q). The subaculear tubercle is strongly angled toward the aculeus in C. schmidti (fig. 25N, Q)
Centruroides schmidti differs from C. hoffmanni as follows. The mottled infuscation of the carapace, pedipalps, tergites, and metasoma is less pronounced in C. schmidti than C. hoffmanni, but the carapace is more infuscate, with a darker border around the margins, in C. schmidti. The carapacial sulci are broad and shallow in C. schmidti but narrow and deep in C. hoffmanni. The dorsomedian carina is restricted to the posterior twothirds of tergites I–VI, and absent on VII in C. schmidti, whereas the dorsomedian carina is complete on tergites I–VII in C. hoffmanni.
VARIATION: Carapace surface granulation varies from sparse granules to uniform, moderate granulation. Specimens from Honduras exhibit variation in granulation of the lateral ocular carinae (fig. 6E, F). The dorsomedian carina of the pedipalp chela manus of the male is well developed in material from Guatemala but weakly developed to absent in material from Honduras.
Adult males and females differ as follows. The pedipalp chela of the male is incrassate unlike the female. The prodorsal carina on the chela manus comprises a row of spiniform granules in the male but is finely granular in the female (fig. 13C, D). The mesosoma is proportionally longer and slenderer, the metasoma up to 3× longer, with segment V markedly longer, and the telson more elongate, with the vesicle more rounded, in males (figs. 17N, Q, 18N, Q, 19N, Q, 20N, Q, 21N, Q, 22N, Q, 23N, Q, 24N, Q, 25N, Q, table 2).
DISTRIBUTION: Centruroides schmidti is the most widespread species of the clade. It appears to be endemic to Guatemala, where it has been recorded from the Izabal and Zacapa departments, and Honduras, where it has been recorded from the Atlántida, Cortés, Francisco Morazán, and Islas de la Bahía departments. The known localities extend along the Caribbean coasts of both countries, including the Bay Islands of Honduras, and inland to the Sierra de Las Minas of Guatemala (fig. 4).
ECOLOGY: The localities at which C. schmidti has been recorded range in altitude from 12 to 773 m. This species occurs in a broader range of habitats than other species of the “ thorellii ” clade. The habitat at localities near Zacapa, Guatemala is semiarid savannah, dominated by scrub forest and cacti. In this area, specimens were found on the bark of large oaks at night. The habitat at San Antonio de Oriente, Honduras, is open deciduous broadleaf forest/savannah, interspersed with grassland. The habitat near Las Minas, Guatemala, is moist montane subtropical pine-oak forest; specimens were collected on Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. and various oak species (fig. 2A, C). The habitat on the northern coast and Bay Islands of Honduras is lowland tropical rainforest. The habitat and habitus are consistent with the arboreal, corticolous ecomorphotype (Prendini, 2001a).
REMARKS: Previous records of C. schmidti from Costa Rica and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Quintana Roo, and Veracruz are misidentifications of other species, including some of those described herein. Armas (1996) included specimens from Quintana Roo, probably conspecific with C. yucatanensis, in a redescription of C. schmidti. Armas et al. (2002) described an individual from northern Costa Rica as C. schmidti, without differentiating it from C. thorellii, a species erroneously recorded from the country by Francke and Stockwell (1987). Armas et al. (2003) included Mexico (Chiapas, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán) in the distribution of C. schmidti. Vázquez (1999) again included C. schmidti in the fauna of Quintana Roo and erroneously suggested the species is endemic to the Yucátan Peninsula. Photographs and measurements of individuals identified as C. schmidti from the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, by Armas and Martín-Frías (2008), are consistent with the coloration and morphology of C. yucatanensis. Additionally, Armas and Martín-Frías (2008) listed C. schmidti from Veracruz. Delfín-González et al. (2017) listed C. schmidti from Chiapas and Veracruz. Finally, Armas and Martín-Frías (2003) erroneously suggested that the distribution of C. schmidti extends from southeastern Mexico to Costa Rica, following Armas et al. (2002).
MATERIAL EXAMINED: GUATEMALA: Departamento El Progreso: Município Rio Hondo: San Francisco Zapotitlan: Finca El Olvido, Las Minas, 15°02′04.8″N 89°52′26.7″W, 1214 m, 17.ix.2019, A.M. Goodman, UV hand collection, found on oak and pine trees, 2–3 m high, 4 ♀, 4 juv. ♀ (CASENT 9073317), 18.ix.2019, A.M. Goodman, L.A. Esposito, and L. Allen, 5 ♀, 1 juv. ♂, 1 juv. ♀ (CASENT 9073402). Departamento Zacapa: Município Rio Hondo: Bosque Pino, Guadalupe, Manta de Golpeo, 14°58′04.7″N 89°24′47″W, 751 m, 20.ix.2019, A.M. Goodman, M. Barrios, and M. van Dam, UV hand collection, found on oak and pine trees, 2–3 m high, 7 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv. ♂, 1 juv. ♀ (CASENT 9073278); Aldea Casas de Pinto, near turnoff for Zacapa at Rio Hondo, 15°01′38.2″N 89°36′57.2″W, 77 m, 13.vii.2006, J.H. Huff, semiarid region with scrub forest and cacti, collected under rocks in shaded areas and at night using UV, 1 ad. (AMNH [LP 5985]). HONDURAS: Departamento Atlántida: Município La Ceiba: Parque Nacional Pico Bonito, Pico Bonito, trails from Visitor Centre and park entrance, 14°43′30.6″N 86°44′11.5″W, 184 m, 30.viii.2013, S. Longhorn, dense wet lowland tropical forest near large river, sweeping and beating, may have been on or under wood, day search, 1 juv. ♂ (AMNH [LP 13416]). Departmento Francisco Morazán: Município San Antonio de Oriente: E.A.P. Zamorano, Monte Redondo, Acuacultura, 13°39′59.6″N 86°59′21″W, 773 m, 23.ix.2008, C. Víquez, UV at night, 1 ♀ (AMNH [LP 9172]). Departamento Islas de la Bahía: Município Roatán: Cayos Cochinos, Cayos Menor, forest trails, 15°57′26.9″N 86°30′03.3″W, 101 m, 2.viii.2012, S. Longhorn, scrub oak forest, 1 ♀ (AMNH [LP 13411]); Isla Utila, 16°06′22.1″N 86°54′08.1″W, 12 m, 21.vii.2012. S. Longhorn, scrub forest/wet Savannah, 1 ♀ (AMNH LP [13417]).
description: Published as part of Goodman, Aaron M., Prendini, Lorenzo, Francke, Oscar F. & Esposito, Lauren A., 2021, Systematic Revision Of The Arboreal Neotropical " Thorellii " Clade Of Centruroides Marx, 1890, Bark Scorpions (Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837) With Descriptions Of Six New Species, pp. 1-93 in Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2021 (452) on pages 61-69, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.452.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5825896