91
DR. SUSAN FKNNEOAN ON SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
Report on the Scorpions collected by Mr. Bertram Thomas in Arabia. By
SUSANFINNEOAN,
RSc., Ph.D., Assistant Keeper in the Department of
Zoology, British Museum (Natural History).
(With 8 Text-figures)
[Read 18 February 19321
THEnumber of species in this collection is small-there
are six species. Neb0
hierochontkw representing the family Scorpionidae, while tho rest all belong
to the family Buthidac.
The route selected by Mr. Thomas was from Salala to Doha and led first
through the Qara Mountains on the coast and then across the Great Arabian
Desert. A few of the specimens were obtaincd in the mountainous area, but
these all belong to the species Nebo hierochonticw., the remainder from the
desert being Buthids. The geographical range of the species collected is
restricted to Syria, Palestine, Mesopotitmia, Arabia, Persia, the coasts of the
Red Sea, Algeria, Egypt, and as far south as Abyssinia on the African side.
Family SCORPIONIDAE.
Subfamily DIP L o c E N T RIN A E
.
Genus NEBO.
NEBOHIEROCEONTICUS
(Simon).
Hemiscorpio hierochonticus Simon, Ann. SOC.Ent. Fr. (ti) ii, 1872, p. 255..
Nebo hierochonticus Simon, A m . SO<*.f 3 l t . Fr.(5)viii, 1878, p. 399; Kraopolin, Das
Tiorroich, Berlin, Licrf. viii, 1899, p. 98.
Gurthunut, Qara Mountains, 12. ii. 1930. Alt. 2,950 feet. Coll. nos. 52,
57) 64.
Ain, Qara Mountains, 8. xi. 1030. Alt. 1,500 feet. Coll. nos. 202, 203,
204, 206.
Khiyunt, 10. xi. 1930. Alt. 1,750 feet. Coll. no. 226.
Fuzul, 16. xi. 1930. Alt. 1,350 feet. COIL no. 346.
Family BUTHIDAE.
Subfamily BUTHLNAE.
Genus BUTHUSLeach.
BUTHIJSQUINQEESTRIATUS (Hemprich 6 Ehrenberg).
Androctonu ( L i u r u ) quinpff@triatus IIomprich & Ehrenborg, Symbolee physicae,
Araclinoidoa, ix, 1831 (pk. 1828), 110. 1, t . 1, fig. 5, sign a.
Buthu.9 quinpueetriatus Kraopelin, Jahr. hamburg. wiss. Anst. viii, 1891, P. 200
Kraopelin, Das Tierreich, Berlin, Lief. viii, 1899, p. 27.
L m . J0URN.-ZOOLOOY,
VOL. XXXVIII
8
92
DR. SUSAN FLNNEQAN ON SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
Wadi Ghabsrtan, 9. ii. 1930. Alt. 1860 feet. Coll. nos. 45 & 46.
Ain a1 Riqat. Alt. 250 feet, 2. xi. 1930, Coll. no. 115. 4. xi. 1930, Coll. no. 139.
BUTHUS
CRASSICAUDA (Olivier).
Scorpio crasaicawla Olivior, G . 8..Voyngu clans 1'Empiro Ottoman, 1'Egypto ot lo
Purse. V, 1807. p. 171, t. 42, fig. 2.
Bzilhua cra,9sica?~da
Kraopolin. Dos Tiorreich, Berlin, Liof. viii, 1899. p. 16.
Rinkht~uter,24. i. 1930. Alt. 720 feet. Coll. no. 20.
Kharaiyim Fasao, 20. xii. 1930. Alt. 850 feet. Coll. no. 426.
UUTHUSACUTECARINATUS Simon.
nuthus acuhxuririutua Simon, AUILMuo. Stur. nat. Geiiovn, xviii, 1883. p. 246, t. 8,
fig. 18 ; Kraopolin, Das l'iorroich, Burlin, Liof. viii, 1899, p. 18.
Milwuh a1 'Aud, 1. xi. 1930. Alt. 220 feet. Coll. no. 85.
Do&, 10. i. 1931. Alt. 900 feet. Coll. no. 460.
&nus MICROnUTITUS Kraepelin,
MICRORUTHUS
r u s u u s Kracpclin.
Microhuthus pzc~illusKraepelin, Mitt. iiaturh. hfus. Hamburg, xv, 1898, p. 42 ;
Das Tiermi&, Bodin, J h f . viii, 1899, p. 38.
Milwah a1 'Aud, 30. x. 1930. Alt. 220 feet. Coll. no. 15.
Genus APISTOBUTHUS,
gen. nov.
Tarsal spur rcducctl to a small weak spine, sometimes present on the fourth
pair, nlwayH absent on the third pub of legs. Immovable fang of mandible
with two spines on lower margin. Dentition of fingers of chcliped consisting
of thirteen rows of median teeth, last tooth of median series greatly enli~rgcd;
outer Rnrl inner series consisting of single teeth placed, in the outer series,
slightly posterior to the level of the enlarged median tooth, and in the inncr
series tibout the level of the n d d e of the mttdiun series. Cephalothorax
with postocular portion depressed ; ante-ocular portion rising steeply to level
of anterior margin. Keels finely tuberculated, surface minutely gninulur.
Deep 1-shaped sulcus behind ocular tu1)ercle. Sternrini trLng.ular, one and
a half times longer than broad, with incised median groove. Abdomon
distinctly three-kecled. First three segments of tail rcgion fluttcncd, the second
expanded laterally. No spine beneath aculens.
Gcnotno, Apistobuthus pterygocercus, sp. n.
YTERYOOCERCUS, Sp. n.
Unlq Dhahiqah, 26. xii. 1930. Alt. 700 feet. Coll. no. 446.
Shcna. 4. i. 1931, d t . 1,OOU feet. toll. no. 452. 6.i. 1931, alt. 1,MN feet,
con. no. 456.
Colour ochraceous-yellow, lateral eyes black, ocular tubercle infuucatc, teeth
on fingers of chelipcds, tips of mandibles, claws, and sculeus light brown.
AIlterior mtirgin of cephalothuz straight and a t higher level than ocular
tubercle (text-fig. 1). Posterior portion of ceph;tlothorax depressed, deep
&'ISTOBllTHUS
DR. SUSAN FIXNEGAN ON SCORPIONS
93
FROM ARABIA
1-shaped sulcus behind ocular tubercle (text-fig. 2). Surface minutely granular,
keels finely tuberculated ; posterior keel curving round to meet the lateral
keel, which is indicated faintly by a row of granules. Median keels barely
distinguishable ; anterior keels extcnding a very little distance beyond the
ocular tubercle.
Median eyes large, placed midway between anterior and posterior margins
of cephalothorax. Five lateral eycs, three large eyes, fourth and 6fth small,
each about one-third diameter of the larger eye (text-fig. 3).
Sternum triangular, one and a half times longer than broad with deep median
cleft extending one-third length of the plate (text-fig. 4).
TEXT-FIO.
1.
Apiatobuthua pterygocercua, sp. n. Lateral view of cephslothorsx.
x 9.
First two abdominal tergn with median keels distinct, lateral keels short and
curved back upon themselves, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth tergites with
three keels ; seventh tergite with well-defined median keel on anterior half
of segmcnt, four sharply tuberculated lateral keels, the two keels on either
side joined to each other anteriorly and forming a continuous loop, one on each
side of the median keel. Sterna smooth and shining, the last one with four
keels, penultimate with indication also of two median and two short lateral
crests.
Tail very much flattened anteriorly, first segment deeply excavated between
the superior keels, flattened and sloping sideways and downwards between the
superior and superior laterals, ten keels present, superior lateral and median
lakralv sharply toothed ; second segment also with ten keels, dorsal surface
flattened into a broadly expanded platc between the two arched superior lateral
keels which present a broadly toothed margin, superior keels indicated only
by a row of tubercles, the median lateral, inferior lateral, and inferior median
keels are smoothly represented in their anterior portion and become moulded
posteriorly into large smooth tubercles ; the third segment also shows slight
8*
94
DR. SUSAN FINNEOAN ON SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
%Er.ne. 2.
Apdstobuthlts pterygucercw, ~ p n.
. Dorsnl viow of whole animal.
x 23.
DR. SUSAN FfNNEaAN ON SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
TEXT-FIQ.
4.
TEXT-FIQ.
3.
\
TEXT-PIG.
5.
Apzktobuthus pterygocercus, sp. n.
Fig. 3.-Latoral oyos of left side. x 12.
Fig. 4.-Ventral view of body. x 2).
Fig. &--End of tail, from the side. x s).
96
96
DR. SUSAN FINNEOAN ON SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
depression, but has resumed a more normal shape, superior keels consist of four
blunt tubercles, superior lateral of six or seven serrations on lateral margins
of segment, median lateral keels absent, the four inferior keels strongly toothcd;
fourth Aegment narrower, less than half the width of thc second segment,
smooth and rounded dorsally, two stout apophyses on either sido, just below
articulation with preceding segment, superior lateral kcel very faint, four
TEXT-PIQ.
7.
TEXT-BIG.
6.
I
Apdstohzcthua ptcrybocercua, fip. t i .
Fig. 6.-Mandible.
x 20.
Fig. 7.--Fingor.
x 10.
inferior keels more marked bearing minute granules ; fifth segmellt about
the same width as fourth segment, smooth and rounded on dorsal surface,
a row of small punctntions lie in thc position of the superior lateral keel,
inferior lateral unevenly serrated, wi1.h several large teeth in the posterior
half of the scgment, lateral portion of pofiterior margin fluted. Vesicle without
spine beneath aculeus, smooth, sparsely punctate, and furnished with fine
haim (text-fig. 6 )
DR. SUSAN FINNEQAN O N SCORPIONS FROM ARABIA
97
Immovable arm of mandible with two teeth on lower margin (text-fig. 6).
Trochanter of cheliped with a crest of small tubercles on inferior surface and
several short rows of granules on upper surface ; humerus with three tuberculated keels. Rrachium with only one keel definitely marked, outer keel
indicated roughly by granules, inner margin toothed but not keeled. Hand
short, smooth, and about one-fourth length of fingers, which are exceedingly
long and slender. Thirteen rows of median teeth extend from tip to base
TEXT-FIQ.
8.
Apiatobirthuu pterygocercua, ap. n.
Fourth leg, showing tibia1 spur.
x 1I f .
of fingers (text-fig. 7), last tooth of median series greatly enlarged ; outer series
consisting of a single row of teeth, situated just posteriorly and obliquely to
the enlarged median tooth a t the base of each of the ten distal median series ;
inner series also consisting of a single row of teeth, about the same size as those
of the outer series, but smaller than the enlarged median tooth and situated
about the level of the middle of the median series.
98
DR. SUSALN FINNYUAN OK SCOXPIONEI FROM ARABIA
First threo pairs of legs with the last three segments flattened b l o w and
prot.a,rsnu somewhat flattened above, margins of tibia, protarsuu and tarsus
furnished with rows of long stiff mtae, those of lower margin n?gtllar and
stretching downwards, 80 that they are not seen in dorsal view ; fourth pair
of legs neither compressed nor armed with rows of setae. Tibia1 spurs absent
on third pair of legs and present a8 a small weak spine on only one of the
fourth pair of legs in two of the three speci~nenscollocted (hxt-fig. 8), absent
from all the legs of the third specimen. Anterior pedal spur long, stout, and
hairy, about one-third as long again as posterior spur. Claws nearly as lorlg
as tarsi, claw lobe well devctloped tlnd hairy. Pectines long, teeth 36-56.
Meacrurements ;rnrri.
Total length .................................... 50.0
Length of cephalothorax .........................
5.0
tail ..................................
32.0
Width a t base of cephalothorax ................... 6.0
anterior margin.. .......................
3.5
Lcngth to middle eye tubercle ....................
2.5
Diameter of median eye .........................
1.0
Length of mediian eye tubercle ....................
1.5
Width of abdomen .............................. 6.5
anterior end of 6th abdominal segment .... 5.0
posterior end of 6th abdominal segment. ... 2.5
Length of 6th abdominal segment ................ 3.2
cheliped .............................. 31.5
.
..
...
.
Rr~rrc~rks.-Thegenw Apistohthus is distinyinhctl from all the other known
genera of Uuthids in the depression and expansion of the anterior scgrnents
of the t.ail and in the arching of the anterior portion of thc cephalothorax
from the ocular tubercle tip to the higher level of the anterior margin. dpiatobzithus is most nearly rcltbtd to thc genus Pbesiobuthiw described by Mr. Pocock
in 1900 from Haliiohistan (‘Thc! Fauna CJf British India, Arachnida,’ p. 43,
1900). It differs from Ylesiobuthus not only in the above points but also in
t.ht occurrence of tibial t pin^ on the fourth ptiir of legs, ctnd in the well-developed
~ ~ l i t ~ - l and
o l ~throws
~,
still fiirtlier doubt on the wisdom of separating the
Ccnturinae and Buthinae on the evidence of tibial spines.