Review of the genus Babycurus Karsch, 1886 (Arachnida, Scorpiones, Buthidae), with descriptions of Barbaracurus gen. n. and two new species from Oman and Yemen
Author
Kovařík, František
P. O. Box 27, CZ- 145 01 Praha 45, Czech Republic;
www. scorpio.cz
Author
Lowe, Graeme
Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104 - 3308, USA
Author
Šťáhlavský, František
Department of Zoology, Charles University, Viničná 7, CZ- 128 44 Praha 2, Czech Republic
text
Euscorpius
2018
2018-12-31
267
1
41
journal article
55550
10.5281/zenodo.6544157
6cab72d7-5386-4122-8f98-dfd97678ebf6
1536-9307
6544157
6580A0C7-E18D-4B06-A158-522F089CEAF5
Taxonomic position of
Babycurus brignolii
Lourenço et Rossi
,
2017
Babycurus brignolii
was based on a juvenile, which
Lourenço & Rossi (2017)
in the original description, incorrectly declared as a male. It is evident from the sternopectinal area and pectines that it is juvenile female, and it displays typical juvenile morphology and color, as shown in fig. 9 of
Lourenço & Rossi (2017: 6)
. In addition to the above observations, we note that the juvenile
holotype
of
B. brignolii
and juveniles of
B. gigas
Kraepelin, 1896
, that we have studied, match closely in the following key described characters: trichobothrial pattern, pectinal tooth count and lamellar structure, proportions, setation, carination and sculpture of pedipalps, carapace, tergites, sternites, and metasoma, shape of the telson, as well as armature of pedipalp fingers. However, the conclusion that
B. brignolii
is a junior synonym of
B. gigas
is complicated by the listed type locality of
B. brignolii
(
Central African Republic
,
Bamingui-Bangoran Province
) which lies outside the known range of distribution of
B. gigas
(
Tanzania
)
. We therefore regard
Babycurus brignolii
Lourenço et Rossi, 2017
as a
nomen dubium
until either the true distribution of both species is revised, or an adult topotype specimen of
B. brignolii
is described.