Bringing order to a complex system: phenotypic and genotypic evidence contribute to the taxonomy of Tityus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) and support the description of a new species

By

Moreno-González, Jairo A.
Pinto-da-Rocha, Ricardo
Gallão, Jonas Eduardo

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1075

Pages

33--75

Subjects

cave , Neotropics , Scorpion , South America , state of Goiás

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1075.67459

 

Abstract

We present a molecular phylogenetic analysis including a survey for overlooked phenotypic characters. Based on both analysis and characters a new cave-dwelling species is described: Tityus (Tityus) spelaeussp. nov.from the Russão II cave, Posse, state of Goiás, Central Brazil. Characters such as the glandular regions of the female pectinal basal piece and basal middle lamellae of pectines, and the distribution of the ventral setae of telotarsi I–IV proved to be useful to constructing the taxonomy of species and species groups ofTityus. The new species is a member of theTityus trivittatusspecies-group of Tityus (Tityus) and can be readily recognized by the immaculate coloration pattern and the more developed glandular region on the female pectinal basal piece. In addition, we provide a discussion of the phylogenetic relationships observed withinTityus, on the relevance of the new phenotypic characters to the modern taxonomy of the genusTityus, and to the records of Brazilian cave scorpions.