i think i IDed the mexican!

well, after a long time i have FINALY narrowed the scorps from mexico into 2 genera: Didymocentrus and Bioculus! The Didymocentrus i am about 80% sure is D krausi, and i dont know about the Bioculus. I will post pics as soon as i can.

Hi.

Please present your ideas as to why you chose the genera and to which genus level characters support your conclusion. Diplocentrus included.

Post your references/downloads to support your claims. You already posted pictures before but if you can provide genus level characters in pictures then I look forward to the new ones. I'll try to help with your observations if this thread gets into discussion but not to species level.

I have faith in you !

Cheers.

Sinc. Chad

the bioculus I ID'ed when i was searching through some old threads and found a pic that looked identical to mine, but was labled Bioculus sp.. So i grabbed Biology of Scorpions and flipped to the keys, and narrowed it down to Bioculus based on the V-shaped carinae pattern on the 5th measomal segment, and the fact that none of it's legs posses tarsal spurs.

Hi.

Bioculus are represented in Baja California not the Yucantan of Mexico.

The differences are between two and three lateral eyes per side of the carapace and does make a difference in some aspects of the literature.

The problem arises with Didymocentrus and Diplocentrus. You have seen it stated in the Biology of Scorpions book in the ventral aspect of the pedipalp chela. See page 118.

Regarding tarsal spurs, prime importance here is tarsomere II counts.

Regards.

Sinc. Chad

pandinus said:

the bioculus I ID'ed when i was searching through some old threads and found a pic that looked identical to mine, but was labled Bioculus sp.. So i grabbed Biology of Scorpions and flipped to the keys, and narrowed it down to Bioculus based on the V-shaped carinae pattern on the 5th measomal segment, and the fact that none of it's legs posses tarsal spurs.

Click to expand...

redhourglass said:

Hi.

Bioculus are represented in Baja California not the Yucantan of Mexico.

The differences are between two and three lateral eyes per side of the carapace and does make a difference in some aspects of the literature.

The problem arises with Didymocentrus and Diplocentrus. You have seen it stated in the Biology of Scorpions book in the ventral aspect of the pedipalp chela. See page 118.

Regarding tarsal spurs, prime importance here is tarsomere II counts.

Regards.

Sinc. Chad

Click to expand...

First off, i would like to thank you for helping me out with this project Chad.

ok, but abscence of tarsal spurs on all legs DOES rule out Diplocentrus does it not?

I read that the Didymocentrus is identifiable by looking at the ventral aspect of the chela, but i dont recall it saying what it is that i'm suposed to look for on the ventral side of the chela. can you enlighten me further?

And in regards to the Diplocentrus/Bioculus, which has two lateral eyes per side, and which has 3?

it's not a Bioculus, it has 3 lateral eyes. So that rules THAT out.

Hi.

Yes. As provided in the diagram on pg. 118 see the direction of the ventromedian carina. There are two diagrams provided; Diplocentrus and Didymocentrus.

Bioculus isn't provided in the key in Biology of Scorpions. Regarding the V shaped carinae on metasoma five is an issue with Heteronebo. Again on pg. 118. Stockwell's 92 publication is in the taxonomy section here on AB for another reference with Bioculus/Diplocentrus on the chela carinae pg. 414

The diagrams provided in such publications are guidelines to follow as there maybe variation in species to an extant and to genus.

You stated:

pandinus said:

but abscence of tarsal spurs on all legs DOES rule out Diplocentrus does it not

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Either I misread something somewhere but can you provide a literature source. Maybe provide a picture of what you see.

Feel free anyone to jump in as this thread is a discussion. We all learn from it !

Kind Regards.

Sinc. Chad

pandinus said:

I read that the Didymocentrus is identifiable by looking at the ventral aspect of the chela, but i dont recall it saying what it is that i'm suposed to look for on the ventral side of the chela. can you enlighten me further?

Click to expand...