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Diversity
Endemism
Taxonomy
Phylogeny
Biogeography
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Genus
Paruroctonus
Werner 1934
Synonymy
Paruroctonus
Werner, 1934 (January?): 283, fig. 363; type species by monotypy
Uroctonoides
gracilior
Hoffmann, 1931 [=
Paruroctonus
gracilior
(Hoffmann, 1931)].
SYNONYMS:
Uroctonoides
Hoffmann, 1931: 405, fig. 42; type species by monotypy
Uroctonoides
gracilior
Hoffmann, 1931 [=
Paruroctonus
gracilior
(Hoffmann, 1931)]; preoccupied as
Uroctonoides
Chamberlin, 1920 (=
Teuthraustes
Simon, 1878) (synonymized by Werner, 1934: 283).
Hoffmanniellius
Mello-Leitão, 1934a (June 30): 80 (proposed replacement name for
Uroctonoides
Hoffmann); type species
Uroctonoides
gracilior
Hoffmann, 1931 [=
Paruroctonus
gracilior
(Hoffmann, 1931)] [synonymized by Stahnke, 1957: 253 (in footnote)].
REFERENCES:
Paruroctonus
: Kästner, 1941: 237; Stanhke, 1957: 253 (part); Stahnke, 1965: 262, 263 (part); Bücherl, 1971: 329; Williams, 1972: 1-3 (part; reinstated as genus); Soleglad, 1972a: 71-75 (part); Soleglad, 1973b: 353, 355 (part); Williams, 1974: 15 (part); Stahnke, 1974a: 119, 136, fig. 10; Vachon, 1974: 914, 916; Williams, 1980: 31-34, fig. 35-37 (part); Francke & Soleglad, 1981: 241, 243 (part); Sissom & Francke, 1981: 93 (part); Francke, 1985: 11, 18, 21; Sissom & Francke, 1985: 264 (part); Sissom, 1990a: 110, 114 (part); Stockwell, 1992: 408, 409, 416, 419, fig. 12, 37, 39, 58; Sissom et al., 1998: 17-19; Kovarík, 1998: 143; ICZN, 1999: 209-210; Beutelspacher, 2000: 56, 65, 152; Sissom, 2000:505-506; Soleglad & Fet, 2003a: 15, 31, 33, 36, 67, 140, 142, 163, 164, figs. 66, 79, 80, 111, D-5, Tabs. 3, 4, 9.
Hoffmanniellus
(ISS): Mello-Leitão, 1945: 118; Vachon, 1963a: 163.
Vejovis
(
Paruroctonus
): Gertsch & Allred, 1965: 4 (part); Gertsch & Soleglad, 1966: 3-7 (part); Gertsch & Soleglad, 1972: 553, 559 (part); Williams & Hadley, 1967: 112 (part); Williams, 1968a: 7 (part); Williams, 1970b: 277 (part).
Vaejovis
(
Paruroctonus
): Hjelle, 1972: 26 (part).
Vaejovis
: Díaz Najera, 1975: 3, 6 (part).
Paruroctonus
(
Paruroctonus
): Haradon, 1983: 256; Haradon, 1984a: 205-209; Haradon, 1984b: 317-318; Haradon, 1985: 19-21.
Description
.
Prosoma
. – Anterior carapacial margin straight to convex.
Mesosoma
.
– Pectinal tooth counts 13-39 in males, 8-24 in females. All female pectinal teeth similar in size and shape, and with sensorial areas.
Metasoma
. – Dorsal carinae of segments I-IV with even granulation, rounded off distally. Ventral submedian carinae of segments I-IV paired and variously developed, ranging from absent (usually on proximal segments) to granular to denticulate (strength and granulation usually increasing posteriorly). Ventral intercarinal spaces lacking accessory setae. Segment V with linear ventromedian carina (i.e., not bifurcated distally).
Chelicerae
. – Ventral margin of the cheliceral movable finger with or without denticles or crenulations; fixed finger lacking ventral denticles. Serrula of movable finger absent.
Pedipalps
. –
Patella
: Inner face with basal tubercles moderately developed; inner longitudinal carina present, usually consisting of several granules.
Chelal carinae
: Carinal development variable, some with all carinae developed and granular to denticulate, others with various carinae reduced; sexual dimorphism prominent (females often with reduced carination).
Chela dentition
: Terminal denticles moderately large, conically shaped. Chela fixed finger with primary denticle row divided into six subrows of denticles, these are flanked by six inner accessory denticles. Chela movable finger with primary denticle row divided into six to seven subrows of denticles, these flanked by seven inner accessory denticles. Denticles of denticle row subconical, rounded to more narrow, subserrate.
Trichobothrial Pattern
. – Patella with two ventral trichobothria along ventroexternal carina (the third ventral trichobothrium is positioned on the external face). Chela with four ventral (V) trichobothria. Chelal trichobothria
ib
positioned at base of fixed finger or displaced slightly from base. Chela finger trichobothrium
est
about equidistant between
et
and
esb
.
Legs
.
– Basitarsi and often telotarsi with setal combs. Telotarsi ventrally with a median row of small spinules that are flanked distally by one pair of slightly larger spinules. Ventromedian spinule row flanked laterally by setae.
Hemispermatophore
.
– No published observations exist.
Included groups. –
gracilior
,
boreus
, and
stahnkei
infragroups.
Similar taxa. –
See
Vejovoidus
Stahnke,
Paravaejovis
Williams, and
Smeringurus
Haradon.
Distribution:
Western North America, from southern Canada to Aguascalientes, Mexico.
View Map
Remarks.
- Haradon (1983, 1984a, 1984b, 1985) revised this genus and divided it into two subgenera,
Paruroctonus
and
Smeringurus
. Haradon (1984a, 1984b, 1985) further divided subgenus
Paruroctonus
into a number of
presumably monophyletic groupings. Larger groups were referred to as infragroups (
gracilior
infragroup,
boreus
infragroup,
stahnkei
infragroup), for which a key was provided by Haradon (1985), and two of these were subdivided into microgroups. The
boreus
infragroup includes the
boreus
,
becki
,
xanthus
, and
baergi
microgroups, and the
stahkei
infragroup includes the
stahnkei
,
shulovi
,
borregoensis
, and
williamsi
microgroups. Stockwell (1992) elevated
Smeringurus
to genus, but it is doubtful
whether either
Smeringurus
or
Paruroctonus
is monophyletic (although the group comprising
Paravaejovis
,
Paruroctonus
,
Smeringurus
and
Vejovoidus
probably is).
Paruroctonus
thus currently includes 29 species and 4 subspecies, all fossorial and most psammophilous, inhabiting sand dune systems throughout the deserts of the western USA and northwestern México. Some, e.g.
P. gracilior
, prefer packed sandy soils and even rocky or gravelly habitats. The dune systems of Chihuahua and Coahuila have not been well sampled and new
Paruroctonus
species may occur there. Williams (1980) published a key to the
Paruroctonus
of Baja California and adjacent areas.
Original Description:
Subsequent Accounts:
Williams (1980):
"Paruroctonus
is distinguished from other genera in Baja California as follows: anterior margin of carapace straight or slightly convex; lateral eyes 3 per group; openings to book lungs elongate to slitlike; metasoma with ventromedian keels paired or obsolete on segments I-IV; pectines with most middle lamellae composed of small, more or less equal-sized subcircular sclerites; fulcra subtriangular; genital operculum of male with conspicuous genital papillae; chelicerae with ventral margin of movable finger armed with small inconspicuous denticles or crenulations, these usually unpigmented; pedipalp fingers with single row of primary denticles, these flanked medially by supernumerary granules: pedipalp brachium with ventral surface with two trichobothria. these near posterior margin.
The genus
Paruroctonus
is similar to
Vaejovis
in structure.
Paruroctonus
may generally be distinguished by the chelicerae, in which the ventral margin of the movable finger is armed with one or more denticles or crenulations (these are sometimes very lowly developed and usually unpigmented and inconspicuous). Dorsal and dorsolateral keels of the metasoma terminate posteriorly in a rounded termination (not in a sharp or angular spine or denticle).
Some 21 species have been placed in the
Paruroctonus
. All are from North America, the majority in desert habitats of the Mojave, Colorado, and Sonoran deserts. Ten species have been collected in northern Baja California and in adjacent regions."
Literature Cited.
Haradon, R.M. 1983.
Smeringurus
, a new subgenus of
Paruroctonus
Werner (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae).
Journal of Arachnology
11
: 251–270.
Haradon, R.M. 1984a. New and redefined species belonging to the
Paruroctonus
borregoensis
group (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae).
Journal of Arachnology
12
: 317–339.
Haradon, R.M. 1984b. New and redefined species belonging to the
Paruroctonus
baergi
group (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae).
Journal of Arachnology
12
: 205–221.
Haradon, R.M. 1985. New groups and species belonging to the nominate subgenus
Paruroctonus
(Scorpiones, Vaejovidae).
Journal of Arachnology
13
: 19–42.
Stockwell, S.A. 1992. Systematic observations on North American Scorpionida with a key and checklist of the families and genera.
Journal of Medical Entomology
29
: 407–422.
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