A new genus in Vaejovidae from California, USA

The new genus Kovarikia is related to Pseudouroctonus and Uroctonites.

Michael Soleglad, Victor Fet and Matthew Graham recently published a new genus from southern California, USA in the family Vaejovidae.

Kovarikia Soleglad, Fet & Graham, 2014

The new genus was created to cover three species previously belonging til Pseudouroctonus Stahnke, 1974 that shared unique characteristics justifying the creation of a new genus.The new members of the genus are (transferred from Pseudouroctonus):

 Kovarikia angelena (Gertsch & Soleglad, 197)
 Kovarikia bogerti (Gertsch & Soleglad, 1972)
 Kovarikia williamsi (Gertsch & Soleglad, 1972)

The paper has an identification key for the new genus.

Abstract:
Genus Kovarikia, gen. nov. (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from southern California, USA. The genus is composed of three species previously placed in Pseudouroctonus: Kovarikia williamsi (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (type species), K. bogerti (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov., and K. angelena (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. Major diagnostic characters of Kovarikia are its unique neobothriotaxy found on the ventral surface of the pedipalp chelae, the occurrence of a secondary lamellar hook on the hemispermatophore, a crescent-shaped mating plug barb, the presence of a secondary exteromedian (EMc) carina on the pedipalp patella, and a swollen telson vesicle with anterior vesicular ridges.

Reference:
Soleglad ME, Fet V, Graham M. Kovarikia, a new scorpion genus from California, USA (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae). Euscorpius. 2014 (185):1-22. [Free full text]

Family Vaejovidae