29 August, 2011

A new species of Hemiscorpius from Somaliland (Somalia)

Kovarik & Mazuch have published a paper presenting a new species of Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Hemiscorpiidae) from Somaliland (Somalia):

Hemiscorpius novaki Kovarik & Mazuch, 2011

Abstract:
Hemiscorpius novaki sp. n. from Somaliland is described and compared with other African species of the genus. The new species is characterized chiefly by the total length of 40–46 mm; yellow to yellowish-brown color with pedipalp fingers reddish brown to black, darker than the chela; slightly longer metasoma in the male than in the female. These characters distinguish H. novaki sp. n. from H. somalicus Lourenço, 2011. The third African species of the genus, H. tellinii Borelli, 1904, is known only from the female holotype, which differs from females of H. novaki sp. n. in having much less pronounced granulation of dorsal carinae on the first through fourth metasomal segments and in shape of the genital operculum.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Mazuch T. Hemiscorpius novaki sp. n. from Somaliland (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2011(126):1-9. [Free fulltext]

Thanks to Tomas Mazuch for sending me the paper!

Family Hemiscorpiidae

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