12 



Family BUTHIDAE. 



Cephalothoracic sternum small, nearly always narrowed in front 

 to a point, and hence triangular in shape. In two of the genera 

 that occur in India, namely, Buiheolus and, more especially, 

 Cfuirmus, it is more parallel-sided and pentagonal in form, as in 

 the rest of the families of Scorpions ; but the true position of these 

 genera in the Buthidae is shown by the sum total of their cha- 

 racters, more especially by the presence on the legs of the 3rd and 

 4th pairs of the tibial spurs, which are never found outside the 

 limits of the Buthidae. Legs with a pair of pedal spurs, of which 

 the anterior is often double, being furnished with a secondary 

 branch. Very frequently a spine beneath the aculeus on the caudal 

 vesicle. 



Distribution. Temperate and tropical regions of the world south 

 of the 45th parallel of North latitude. 



The Indian genera may be arranged under two subfamilies : 



a. 3rd and 4th legs furnished with tibial 



spurs ButhincK, p. 12. 



b. 3rd and 4th legs without tibial spurs .... Centrurince, p. 42. 



Subfamily BUTHINSE. 



Buthini (sensu stricto), Pocock, A. M. N. H. (6) xvii, p. 428, 1896 ; 

 Kraep. Tierr., Scorp. etc. p. 6, 1899 (Buthinse, in part). 



Characters as above. 



Distribution. Confined to the Old World *. 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



a. A strong triangular spine on the caudal vesicle 



beneath the aculeus LYCHAS, p. 35. 



b. No triangular spine, at most a small tubercle 



beneath the aculeus on the vesicle. 

 /z 1 . Frontal area of carapace sloped downwards 



from the ocular tubercle to the anterior 



edge; area of carapace behind the eyes 



impressed with a strong transverse groove ; 



sternum of cephalothorax much smaller 



than genital operculum , BUTHEOLUS, p. 28. 



b 1 . Frontal area of carapace horizontal ; area 



behind eyes without distinct transverse 



groove ; sternum about as long as genital 



operculum. 



* I propose to eliminate from this subfamily the isolated Neotropical genus 

 Ananteris, which differs strikingly from the rest of the family in the structure 

 of the pectines. The subfamily Ananterinte may be created for its reception. 



