Orobothriurus wawita Acosta and Ochoa 2000

Orobothriurus wawita Acosta and Ochoa, 2000 Figures 13C, D, 16C, D, 19E, 21C, 22F, 25B, C, 27C, 52

Orobothriurus wawita Acosta and Ochoa, 2000: 137–143, figs. 1–13; 2001: 205; 2002: 18; Ochoa, 2004a: 43, 52, 55, 73, figs. 1, 2, 21, table 1; 2005: 55, 56, figs. 7, 9, table 2; Rein, 2007: 5.

TYPE MATERIAL: PERU: Cusco Department: Urubamba Province: Holotype ♂ (MACN-Ar 9652), Pacchac, Pumahuanca, 13 ° 139S 72 ° 069W, 3800 m, 17.vii.1998, J.A. Ochoa. Paratypes: Cusco Department: Urubamba Province: same data as holotype, 1 ♂,

1 ♀ (CDA 019); same locality as holotype, 23.vii.1998, J. Flores and J.A. Ochoa, 2 ♂, 2 ♀ (MHNC), 1 ♀ (MACN-Ar 9653); Maras [13 ° 199530S 72 ° 099220W, 3360 m], 29.x.1997, O. Mujica and J.A. Ochoa, 1 ♂ (MHNC). Ayacucho Department: Cangallo Province: Común Pampa [13 ° 379S 74 ° 089W, 2700 m], 10.ii.1963, R. Garcia, 2 ♀ (MUSM).

NEW RECORDS: PERU: Cusco Department: Quispicanchis Province: Lucre, Huacarpay [13 ° 369300S 71 ° 449030W], ca. 3000 m, 14.i.2004, J.A. Ochoa, 2 juv. (AMNH [LP 3059]). Urubamba Province: Ollantaytambo [13 ° 159180S 72 ° 159460W, 2861 m], 14.iii.1947, J.C. Palhsler, 1 ♀ (MACN-Ar), 13.ii.1983, S. and A. Roig, 1 ♀ (MACN-Ar); Ollantaytambo, Río Kusichaca (Inka trail) [13 ° 149450S 72 ° 259460W], 2750 m, 15.i.1983, S. and A. Roig, 1 ♀ (MACN-Ar).

DIAGNOSIS: Orobothriurus wawita may be distinguished from other species of the genus by the following characters. This species lacks an apophysis on the internal surface of the pedipalp chela manus of the male (fig. 25C), which is present in all other species except O. ampay, in which it is reduced to vestigial granules. The pedipalp chela manus of O. wawita is slender (fig. 23B, C) with a greater length/width ratio, 5.6–6.5 (♂), 4.46– 5.45 (♀), than all other species, 2.98–4.6 (♂), 3.2–4.22 (♀). The pigmentation on the ventral surfaces of the metasoma of O. wawita comprises irregular scattered spots, not forming a VM stripe (fig. 13D) that is present and well defined, at least on metasomal segments II–IV, in other species (figs. 11, 13A). Orobothriurus wawita is most closely related to O. parvus (fig. 5). Both species share similar reticulate pigmentation along the metasomal DL carinae (figs. 12B, 13C), macrosetal counts on the ventral surfaces of the metasoma, and hemispermatophore morphology, including an elongated lamina apex and a short frontal crest (figs. 27B, C). These two species may be distinguished by the following characters. The fixed finger of the pedipalp chela of the male is straight, such that no gap is evident when the fingers are closed, in O. wawita (fig. 25B, C), whereas it is slightly curved, creating a small gap when the fingers are closed, in O. parvus (fig. 26A). The VL and VM carinae of metasomal segment V are absent (♂) or restricted to the distal third of the segment (♀) in O. wawita (figs. 21C, 22F), but complete in O. parvus (fig. 22E). The ventral margin of the apex of the hemispermatophore is straight in O. wawita (fig. 27C), but curved distally to the dorsal surface in O. parvus (fig. 27B).

DISTRIBUTION: All except one record of this species are situated in inter-Andean valleys at 2700–3800 m in the Ayacucho and Cusco departments of southern Peru (figs. 2B, C, 52). A record from Potosi (19 ° 349S 65 ° 289W), 900 km from Cusco in Bolivia (fig. 1), is based on a single female, which, although morphologically similar to Peruvian material, possesses slight differences in pigmentation pattern and granulation of the metasomal segments (Acosta and Ochoa, 2002). This record is probably a mislabeling.

ECOLOGY: This species is endemic to the Queswa biogeographical region (Marín Moreno, 1961; Ceballos Bendezú, 1976; Ochoa, 2005; fig. 2B, C) and syntopic with two other bothriurids, Brachistosternus andinus and Pachakutej oscari Ochoa, 2004.