3G2 Mr. E. T. Pocock on the 



Plate XV. 



Fig, 1. Luffariella geometrica, sp. n. 



a. Natural size. 



b. Section, x 10. 



c. Dermal skeleton, X 25. 

 Fig. 2. Pohjfibrospongia Sweeti, sp. n. 



a. Natural size. 



b. Section, X 25. 



c. Wall of oscular tube, x 15. 



d. Bundle of fibres teased out, x 250. 

 Fig. 3. Chondropsis cerato*us, sp. n. 



a. Skeletal network, X 25. 



b. Sigmata, x 125. 



c. Oxeum, X 125. 



XL1V. — The Scorpions of the Genus Heterometrus. 

 By R. I. Pocock. 



Prof. Kraepelin (Das Tierr., Scorp. p. 124, 1899) re- 

 cognizes, under the name Scorpio *, two species of the genua 

 Heterometrus, namely maurus and Boehmi, a form referred on 

 the authority of Birula to testaceus of C. Koch, from Syria, 

 being regarded as doubtfully distinct. To the synonymy of 

 maurus is added palmatus of Ehrenberg and propinquus of 

 Simon, the latter being qualified with a mark of interrogation. 

 An examination of the material at my disposal has led me 

 to conclusions by no means in accord with those contained in 

 * Tierreich.' H. Boehmi and H. propinquus are unknown 

 to me ; but including the latter 1 recognize the following 

 four species as occurring in the area inhabited, according to 

 Prof. Kraepelin, by the one form maurus: — 



(1) Heterometrus maurus (Linn.). 



Scorpio maurus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, p. 624 (1758). 

 Buthus testaceus, C. Koch, Die Araclin. v. p. 3, rig. 259 (1839). 

 Scorpio maurus, Kraepelin, Das Tierr., Scorp. etc. p. 124 (1899) (in 

 part.). 



* The system, if any, of determining the type species of genera, which 

 is adopted by Prof. Kraepelin, and presumably sanctioned by the Tier- 

 reich-Committee, is most puzzling. By elimination maurus is not the 

 type species of Scorpio, since it was removed from that genus under the 

 name palmatus by Ilemprich and Ehrenberg and fixed on to Heterometrus 

 by Thorell (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, (4) xvii. p. 2, 1876). If it be regarded 

 as the type of Scorpio on the strength of standing first under that heading 

 in the 10th edition of the ' Systema,' it must for the same reason be 

 regarded as the type of Heterometrus. In that case Heterometrus must 

 be a synonym of Scorpio. Prof. Kraepelin, however, retains by elimina- 

 tion the name Heterometrus for the second species it originally contained, 

 namely spinifer. 



