Revision of genus-group taxa in the family Scorpiopidae Kraepelin, 1905, with description of 15 new species (Arachnida Scorpiones) Author Kovařík, František Author Lowe, Graeme Author Stockmann, Mark Author Šťáhlavský, František text Euscorpius 2020 325 1 140 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.5741842 1536-9307 5741842 DCAC2354-0168-4A66-AC36-87F1BB19EAA2 Scorpiops tibetanus Hirst, 1911 ( Figs. 46 , 143 , 239–240 , 799 , Table 9) http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2D39F679- D308-4C69-86FC-ACA385D68C84 Scorpiops tibetanus Hirst, 1911: 472–473 ; Vachon, 1980: 151 ; Fet, 2000: 494 ; Kovařík, 2000: 196 , figs. 47, 68–69; Soleglad & Sissom, 2001: 93; Kovařík, 2002: 19 ; Kovařík & Whitman, 2005: 117; Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005: 29; Di et al., 2013: 75–85, figs. 102–118. = Scorpiops atomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005: 6–10 , figs. 16–31 ( type locality and type repository: China , Tibet , Lang District, 29°02’N 93°08’E ( 29.03°N 93.13°E ); MHBU); Kovařík & Ahmed, 2009: 10; Di et al., 2013: 59–61, figs. 1–21; Di et al., 2014: 11 , 16; Fet & Kovařík, 2020: 4 . Syn . n . http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8631287F- BF7A-4ADF-A7F8-0DF8F6D1AD24 = Scorpiops pococki Zhu et al. in Qi et al., 2005: 14–18 , figs. 47–61 ( type locality and type repository: China , Tibet , Gyaca District, 29°08’N 92°43’E ; MHBU); Di et al., 2013: 72–75, figs. 64–84; Di et al., 2014: 12 , 16. Syn . n . http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4D806174- 9C42-4137-84D1-F577422567D0 TYPE LOCALITY AND TYPE REPOSITORY . China : Tibet ( Xizang ), Tsangpo Valley , Chaksam Ferry ; BMNH . TYPE MATERIAL EXAMINED . China , Tibet ( Xizang ), Tsangpo Valley , Chaksam Ferry , 1♂ ( holotype ) , BMNH . OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED . China , Tibet ( Xizang ), Lhasa ( 29.65°N 91.00°E ), 3700 m a. s. l. , 2♂ 1♀ , 18. VI .1995, leg. A. Wrzecionko , FKCP ; central Tibet , Shigatse ( Xigaze ) ( 29.27°N 88.88°E ), 4000 m a. s. l. , 8. VI .1996, 2♂ 4♀ 4juvs., leg. Paulus , FKCP ; Gyaca District , 29°08'N 92°43'E ( 29.13°N 92.72°E ), 1♂ 1♀ , topotypes of Scorpiops pococki Zhu, Qi & Lourenço, 2008 , donated by Zhiyong Di , FKCP . DIAGNOSIS ( ♂ ♀ ). Total length 40–65 mm . Base color uniformly reddish brown. Pectine teeth number 7–11 in males and 6–9 in females, fulcra absent. Pectines with 2 marginal and 1 middle lamellae. Patella of pedipalp with 17 (5 eb , 2 esb , 2 em , 4 est , 4 et ) external and 7–10 ventral trichobothria. Chela of pedipalp with 4 V series trichobothria located on ventral surface. Chelal trichobothrium Eb 3 located in proximal half of manus between trichobothria Dt and Db . Fingers of pedipalps undulate in both sexes, usually more strongly in male. Chela length to width ratio 2–2.2 in male and 2.4 in female. Pedipalp movable finger with ca. 15–20 IAD, parallel with MD (ca. 50 in number); there are also 3–4 ID and 10–13 OD present. Tarsomere II of legs with 7–9 stout median ventral spinules and two pairs of flanking setae. Metasoma I with 10 carinae, and metasoma II–IV with 8 carinae. Telson bulbous and granulate, length to depth ratio 2.5–2.7 in male and 2.7 in female; annular ring present. COMMENTS. Zhu, Qi & Lourenço (2005) used invalid characters. For S. atomatus , they cited chela length 6.38 mm and width 4.08 mm for the holotype (see further comments under S. vachoni below). They did not compare S. atomatus and S. pococki with S. tibetanus , which occurs in the same area. We had the opportunity to directly examine the holotype of S. tibetanus , topotypes of S. pococki , and other specimens from the region. We determined that the studied specimens and published descriptions match each other precisely in the following key characters: trichobothrial pattern, pedipalp finger dentition, 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 chelicerae and pedipalp fingers. In the original descriptions, Qi et al. (2005: 29) differentiated these species from the same area of distribution according to “smooth oval region found behind lateral ocular tubercles” which can be present or absent. We found strong variation in this character, especially noticeable under UV light, and we did not find any other character valid for species level differentiation. The undeniable conclusion is that Scorpiops atomatus Qi, Zhu & Lourenço, 2005 and Scorpiops pococki Zhu, Qi &Lourenço, 2005 are junior synonyms of Scorpiops tibetanus Hirst, 1911 syn . n . DISTRIBUTION. China ( Tibet ) ( Fig. 799 ).