Paruroctonus ammonastes Haradon 1984

Paruroctonus ammonastes Haradon, 1984b: 325, fig. 9-12, 15, 19-20, 25-26, 27; Kovarík, 1998: 143; Sissom, 2000:51; Soleglad & Fet, 2003a: 41, fig. 80.

type(S):  Paruroctonus ammonastes Haradon - Holotype male (adult) from 2 miles N of Lake Havasu, Mohave County, Arizona,  USA, 17 February 1972 (collector unknown). Depository: CAS, Type No. 15054.

original description:
Haradon 1984b: 325, fig. 9-12, 15, 19-20, 25-26, 27:

"Description of male holotype (allotype). - Measurements: Table 1. Coloration: uniformly pale yellow. Carapace: anterior margin indented slightly medially; surface granular; furrows and carinae weakly developed. Tergites: I-VII anterior elevated area smooth, posterior area finely granular with scattered larger granules (tergites entirely smooth); median carina I-II obsolete, III-VII very weak, lightly granular (smooth); VII with two pairs granular lateral carinae. Stemites: III-VI smooth; VII granular (lightly granular) posteriorly, one pair moderately (weakly) developed lateral carinae. Metasoraal carinae: dorsals I-IV moderately developed, dentate (crenulate); dorsolaterals I-IV dentate (crenulate), V granular (lightly granular); laterals I granular (crenulate), II-III marked by granules posteriorly, V with scattered granules anterior 2/5; ventrolaterals well developed (l-III weakly developed), I granular (smooth), II smooth with few posterior granules (smooth), III granular posterior 1/2 (smooth), IV weakly to moderately granular (smooth to granular posteriorly), V dentate; ventrals I-II weak, smooth (obsolete), III weak, posterior granules (smooth), IV granular (smooth to granular posteriorly), V dentate; intercarinal surfaces finely granular except V with scattered larger granules ventrally. Metasomasl setae: long, well developed; dorsals 0,1,1,2; dorsolaterals 1,1,2,3; laterals 1,0,0,0,2; ventrolaterals 3,3,3,4-5,8; ventrals 3,4,4,6. Telson: smooth, except few flattened tubercles ventroanteriorly; 11 pairs long lateral and ventral setae. Pectines: extend to 2/3 length (to proximal margin) of trochanter IV. Chelicera: FLxed digit with three four weak unpigmented  denticles on inferior border; movable digit with four to five denticles or crenulations on inferior border. Humerus: all carinae well (moderately) developed, granular; intercarinal surfaces lightly granular; macrosetae include two internal inframediais proximally, four superiors, two external medials. Brachium: all carinae well developed, granular (internal carinae moderately developed, granular, external carinae smooth with few scattered flattened granules); intercarinal surfaces lightly (finely) granular; four internal macrosetae; 15 trichobothtia on external surface. Chela: dorsal carina moderately developed, others weakly to moderately developed,granular (all weak to moderate; ventral, ventroexternal and dorsointernal weakly granular proximally); intercafinal surfaces lightly granular (smooth); internal macrosetae include four on palm, distal seta along ventrointemal carina very small, one on movable Finger; primary denticles on fixed fingers 4-3,4-5,5,5,5-6,11-12,m ovablefi ngers 5,7-6,7,6,7,9-7. Basitarsi I-III: laterally compressed; mrs seta on III moderately developed, set well away from superior setae; superior setae 5-6,5+2,6+2. Telotarsal setae I-IV: proinferiors 1,2,2,2; promedials 2,2,2,1; prosuperiors 2,2,2,2; retrosuperiors 2,3,4,3; retromedials 2,2,2,2; retroinferiors 2,1,2,3; retroinferior terminals 2,2,2,2. Ungues I-IV: about 3/5 as long as telotarsus."

subsequent accounts:

distribution: NORTH AMERICA. USA (along the Colorado River in central western Arizona.).  View Map

published records:  Paratypes:  USA.: ARIZONA: Mohave County - 2 mi. N Lake Havasu, 17 February 1972 (collector unknown), 1 male, 10 females (includes allotype) (CAS); 3 mi. N Topock, campground, April 1969 (A. Hulse), 2 females ( OFF).

notes:  Haradon (1984b) reported the variation  as follows: "Adult carapace length in females 4.0-4.8 mm; total adult length 38-48 mm. Pedipalpal primary denticles in rows 1-5 total on fixed finger 23-28 (24.92 ± 1.50, n = 25), movable finger 30-36 (32.72 ± 1.67, n= 25). In the topotypic sample (n = 11) one specimen had only 14 trichobothria on the external surface of each brachium; two specimens from the same general area but constituting a separate sample both had only 14 trichobothria. The distribution of the external trichobothria on the brachium varied considerably; two examples are shown in Figures 25-26."  He diagnosed Paruroctonus ammonastes as: "A species in the borregoensis group of subgenus Pararoctonus differentiated by combination of: telotarsus III with four retrosuperior setae (Fig. 15); basitarsns III with eight (6 + 2) superior setae (Figs. 11-12); denticles on inferior border of cheliceral fixed digit distinct, unpigmented; metasomal setae I-IV long in both sexes; pectinal teeth in females 12-16; high incidence of 15 external trichobothria on brachium (Figs.25-26)", and compared the species to others in the group in his Table 2, noting that it differs further from P. borregoensis in having dsm and dim internal brachial and internal chelal macrosetae well developed in both sexes.  He reported that "the name 'ammonastes' refers to the sandy habitat to which this species is well adapted."