28 July, 2016

A new vaejovid genus from Northern California, USA


Michael Soleglad recently published an article presenting the new genus Graemeloweus Soleglad, Fet, Graham & Ayrey, 2016 (Vaejovidae) from Northern California. The following species are transferred from the genus Pseudouroctonus Stanke, 1974 (Vaejovidae) to the new genus:

Graemeloweus glimmei (Hjelle, 1972)
Graemeloweus ivei (Gertsch & Soleglad, 1972)
Graemeloweus maidu (Savary et Bryson, 2016)

An identification key for the new genus is included.

Abstract:
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.

Reference:
Soleglad ME, Fet V, Graham MR, Ayrey RF. Graemeloweus, a New Scorpion Genus from Northern California, USA (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae). Euscorpius. 2016(227):1-38. [Open Access]

Family Vaejovidae

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