Graemeloweus, a New Scorpion Genus from Northern California, USA (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae)
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Graemeloweus, a New Scorpion Genus from Northern California, USA (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, Matthew R. Graham, and Richard F. Ayrey July 2016 – No. 227 Euscorpius Occasional Publications in Scorpiology EDITOR: Victor Fet, Marshall University, ‘[email protected]’ ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Michael E. Soleglad, ‘[email protected]’ Euscorpius is the first research publication completely devoted to scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Euscorpius takes advantage of the rapidly evolving medium of quick online publication, at the same time maintaining high research standards for the burgeoning field of scorpion science (scorpiology). Euscorpius is an expedient and viable medium for the publication of serious papers in scorpiology, including (but not limited to): systematics, evolution, ecology, biogeography, and general biology of scorpions. Review papers, descriptions of new taxa, faunistic surveys, lists of museum collections, and book reviews are welcome. Derivatio Nominis The name Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 refers to the most common genus of scorpions in the Mediterranean region and southern Europe (family Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius is located at: http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/Euscorpius (Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755-2510, USA) ICZN COMPLIANCE OF ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS: Electronic (“e-only”) publications are fully compliant with ICZN (International Code of Zoological Nomenclature) (i.e. for the purposes of new names and new nomenclatural acts) when properly archived and registered. All Euscorpius issues starting from No. 156 (2013) are archived in two electronic archives: • Biotaxa, http://biotaxa.org/Euscorpius (ICZN-approved and ZooBank-enabled) • Marshall Digital Scholar, http://mds.marshall.edu/euscorpius/. (This website also archives all Euscorpius issues previously published on CD-ROMs.) Between 2000 and 2013, ICZN did not accept online texts as "published work" (Article 9.8). At this time, Euscorpius was produced in two identical versions: online (ISSN 1536-9307) and CD-ROM (ISSN 1536-9293) (laser disk) in archive-quality, read-only format. Both versions had the identical date of publication, as well as identical page and figure numbers. Only copies distributed on a CD-ROM from Euscorpius in 2001-2012 represent published work in compliance with the ICZN, i.e. for the purposes of new names and new nomenclatural acts. In September 2012, ICZN Article 8. What constitutes published work, has been amended and allowed for electronic publications, disallowing publication on optical discs. From January 2013, Euscorpius discontinued CD-ROM production; only online electronic version (ISSN 1536-9307) is published. For further details on the new ICZN amendment, see http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/3944/. Publication date: 25 July 2016 http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FA0FF913-69A2-45BA-AA3E-E457396B2EB0 Euscorpius — Occasional Publications in Scorpiology. 2016, No. 227 Graemeloweus, a new scorpion genus from northern California, USA (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) Michael E. Soleglad 1, Victor Fet 2, Matthew R. Graham 3, and Richard F. Ayrey 4 1 32255 Safflower St., Winchester, California 92596, USA; email: [email protected] 2 Department of Biological Sciences, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 25755-2510, USA; email: [email protected] 3 Department of Biology, Eastern Connecticut State University, Willimantic, Connecticut 06226, USA; email: [email protected] 4 P. O. Box 2236, Flagstaff, Arizona 86003, USA; email: [email protected] http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FA0FF913-69A2-45BA-AA3E-E457396B2EB0 Summary Genus Graemeloweus, gen. nov. (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from northern California, USA. The genus is composed of three species formerly placed in Pseudouroctonus: Graemeloweus iviei (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (type species), G. glimmei (Hjelle, 1972), comb. nov., and G. maidu (Savary et Bryson, 2016), comb. nov. Major diagnostic characters of Graemeloweus include a non-bifurcated primary lamellar hook, the presence of a secondary lamellar hook, a complex mating plug with a two part base and an asymmetric crescent-shape barb, and the presence of a well-developed ventromedian (V2) carina on the pedipalp chela. Evidence is presented suggesting that Graemeloweus is more closely related to Kovarikia than Pseudouroctonus. Introduction eanus” group, which currently includes species P. apacheanus, P. santarita, P. kremani, P. rufulus, P. Considerable new research on the relatively large savvasi, and P. chicano should probably be considered a vaejovid genus Pseudouroctonus has occurred in the last unique genus. Similarly, species P. minimus, P. thomp- three years. Tate et al. (2013) named an unusual new soni, P. castaneus, and P. andreas also form a clade that species P. peccatum from Nevada, Bryson et al. (2013) appear to have diverged from the “apacheanus” group in presented a molecular-based study of several species the Palaeogene. These conclusions are also supported by currently placed in the genus Pseudouroctonus, Sole- a DNA-based study of Bryson et al. (2013: fig. 3). It is glad, Fet & Graham (2014) named the new genus also clear that Pseudouroctonus lindsayi is only remote- Kovarikia from southern California, Ayrey & Soleglad ly related to the other species in Pseudouroctonus and (2015) named two new species from southern Arizona represents another undescribed genus. Based on P. lind- closely related to Pseudouroctonus apacheanus, P. san- sayi’s hemispermatophore, it is more closely related to tarita and P. kremani, and Savary & Bryson (2016) Uroctonites, and to some degree, the North American recently named new species Graemeloweus maidu from chactids. Species P. peccatum (found in Nevada, USA) northern California (placed in Pseudouroctonus at the and P. cazieri (found in central Baja California, Mexico) time). share a chelicerae very similar to that found in P. red- Based, in part, on the results of the papers listed delli and P. sprousei. It remains to be determined if above combined with extensive analysis conducted by these two geographically isolated species are related to our research group, including preliminary cladistic ana- the troglophile species listed above. However, when this lysis (in prep.), the overall phylogeny of this interesting analysis is finally completed, the only legitimate species group of scorpions is becoming clear. Soleglad, Fet & remaining in genus Pseudouroctonus may be its type Graham (2014: 1) wrote: “… our ongoing revision of species, P. reddelli and close relative P. sprousei! genera Pseudouroctonus and Uroctonites, which cur- Herein, we describe and illustrate major diagnostic rently contain 22 species and probably several addi- characters for new genus Graemeloweus, including the tional, unrecognized genera. …”. In addition to the new hemispermatophore and mating plug structures, develop- genus defined in this paper, it appears that the “apach- ment of pedipalp chelal and patellae carinae, telson mor- 2 Euscorpius — 2016, No. 227 phology, and other taxonomically relevant structures. Co., American River, 28 April 2016, 2 ♂, 2 ♀, leg. Comparisons are made between genera Graemeloweus R.F. Ayrey (RA). and Kovarikia, suggesting that they are taxonomic sister Graemeloweus maidu (Savary et Bryson, 2016): USA, genera. A key to the three species, discussion on bio- California: El Dorado Co., American River, 28 geographical considerations, and a map showing their April 2016, 1 ♀, leg. R.F. Ayrey (RA). known distribution is provided. Three Appendices pro- Kovarikia bogerti (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972): USA, vide additional information and illustrations of Graeme- California: San Diego Co., Palomar Mountain loweus hemispermatophores, hemispermatophores of Road, June 2013, 1 ♂, leg. M.R. Graham (MRG). other relevant genera, and complete trichobothrial pat- Kovarikia williamsi (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972): USA, terns for the three species of Graemeloweus. California: San Diego Co., Santa Ysabel Preserve, 1 ♂, leg. USGS pitfall trap (MES). Methods and Material Pseudouroctonus andreas (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972): USA, California: San Diego Co., Chariot Canyon, ABDSP, 30 August 1997, 1 ♂, leg. M.E. Soleglad Abbreviations (MES). Pseudouroctonus apacheanus (Gertsch et Soleglad, List of depositories: MES, Personal collection of 1972): USA, Arizona: Cochise Co., Rucker Can- Michael E. Soleglad, Winchester, California, USA; MRG, yon, Chiricahua Mountains, 5 September 2008, 1 ♂, Personal collection of Matthew R. Graham, Willimantic, leg. R.F. Ayrey (RA). Connecticut, USA; RA, Personal collection of Richard F. Pseudouroctonus castaneus (Gertsch et Soleglad, Ayrey, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA. 1972): USA, California: San Diego Co., Vista, 1 ♂, Other: ABDSP, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, (MES). San Diego and Riverside Counties, California, USA. Pseudouroctonus kremani Ayrey et Soleglad, 2015: USA, Arizona: Pima Co., Molino Basin, Santa Cata- Terminology and conventions lina Mountains, 19 August 2012, 1 ♂, leg. R.F. Ayrey (RA). The systematics adhered to in this paper follows the Pseudouroctonus peccatum Tate, Riddle, Soleglad & classification as established in Fet & Soleglad (2005) Graham, 2013: USA, Nevada: Clark Co., Kyle and as modified by Soleglad & Fet (2008). Terminology Canyon, Spring Mountains, 22 September 2014, 1 describing trichobothria follows that described in Va- ♀, leg. R.F. Ayrey (RA), 12 September 2015, 1 ♂, chon (1974); pedipalp chelal finger dentition follows leg. R.F. Ayrey