Genus Paravaejovis

Genus Paravaejovis Williams 1980

Paravaejovis ►Williams, 1980: 29-30, fig. 32A-D; type species Vejovis pumilis Williams, 1970 [=Paravaejovis pumilis (Williams, 1970)]; ►Haradon, 1984b: 319; Francke, 1985: 11, 18, 21; Sissom, 1990a: 110, 114; Nenilin & Fet, 1992: 9; Stockwell, 1992: 409, 416, fig, 62-63; Kovarík, 1998: 143; Beutelspacher, 2000: 56, 63, 151; Sissom, 2000:504; Soleglad & Fet, 2003a: 15, 36, 41, 48, 67, 104, 163, 164, figs. 66, 79, 80, D-5, Tabs. 3, 4, 9.

Description:

Prosoma. – Anterior carapacial margin evenly convex.

Mesosoma. – Pectinal tooth counts 12-16 in males, 7-8 in females. All female pectinal teeth similar in size and shape, and with sensorial areas.

Metasoma. – Dorsal carinae of segments I-IV evenly granular; terminal denticle not enlarged. Ventral submedian carinae of segments I-IV paired; obsolete to smooth on I, smooth on II, and smooth to crenulate on III-IV. 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 absent.

Pedipalps. – Patella: Inner face with basal tubercles moderate; inner longitudinal carina present, consisting of several granules. Chelal carinae: all carinae absent; underside of chela rounded. Chela dentition: Terminal denticles not prominent, subconical. Chela fixed finger with primary denticle row divided into four to five subrows of denticles, these are flanked by four to five inner accessory denticles. Chela movable finger with primary denticle row divided into five subrows of denticles, these flanked by seven inner accessory denticles. Denticles of denticle row subconical, rounded to subserrate.

Trichobothrial Pattern. Patella with two ventral trichobothria along ventroexternal carina (the third ventral trichobothrium is positioned on the external face). Chela with a row of 15-16 trichobothria extending from base of external face to underside of chela manus (this row includes Db, Eb₁-Eb₃, V_1-4, and 7-8 accessory trichobothria). Chelal trichobothrium ib positioned at the base of the fixed finger. Chela finger trichobothrium est about equidistant between et and esb.

Legs. – Basitarsi and 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. – Mating plug present, with spines along ental process; lamellar hook rounded, slightly displaced from base of distal lamina (after Stockwell, 1992).

Included species. - P. pumilis (Williams, 1970).

Distribution: México (Baja California Sur). View Map

Remarks. - Williams (1980) created this monotypic genus for P. pumilis, a psammophilous burrower endemic to the Magdalena Plain and southern Sierra Giganta regions of Baja California Sur, México. He placed the genus within the subfamily Vaejovinae of the Vaejovidae. Haradon (1984) suggested that Paravaejovis may be related to members of the Paruroctonus borregoensis group, e.g. P. pseudopumilis .

Original Description:
Williams (1980):

"Description of Genus. - Carapace frontal margin convex; three lateral ocelli at each anterolateral corner of carapace; metasoma with ventromedian keels paired on segments I-IV; genital operculum completely divided in male, fused in female, males with one pair genital papillae; pectine with anterior lamellae, subcircular middle lamellae, subtriangular fulcra; chelicera similar to Vaejovis in structure, completely lacking denticles on ventral margin of movable finger; pedipalp fingers with primary denticles arranged in single row, this more or less subdivided into 4 or 5 subrows by slightly enlarged denticles, primary row of denticles flanked on prolateral side by 5 supernumerary granules on fixed finger, by 7 supernumerary granules on movable finger; pedipalp chela with 34 total trichobothria; ventral surface of pedipalp palm with conspicuous curved row of 15 trichobothria originating near movable-finger base and terminating on proximal retrolateral aspect of palm; pedipalp brachium with two trichobothria on ventral surface.
Diagnosis. - Similar to Vaejovis and Paruroctonus but differs as follows: 34 trichobothria on the pedipalp chela (not 26-28); with conspicuous curved row of 15 trichobothria on ventral aspect of palm from movable-finger base to posterior retrolateral aspect of palm (this row trichobothria more or less degenerate in Vaejovis and Paruroctonus, not composed of more than 9 trichobothria)."

Literature Cited:

Haradon, R.M. 1984. New and redefined species belonging to the Paruroctonus baergi group (Scorpiones, Vaejovidae). Journal of Arachnology 12: 205–221.
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(3): 407-422.
Williams, S.C. 1980. Scorpions of Baja California, México, and adjacent islands. Occasional Papers of the Califorinia Academy of Sciences 135: 1–127.

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