Auyantepuia Gonzalez-Sponga 1978

Genus Auyantepuia Gonzalez-Sponga, 1978 Diagnosis (emended from Ythier & Chevalier 2020) Scorpions of small size with a total length of 14 to 34 mm. General coloration reddish yellow to reddish brown. Tegument smooth overall. Trichobothrial pattern of type C; neobothriotaxic ‘ majorante ’ (Vachon 1974). Pedipalp chelal fingers very short compared to chelal length, with trichobothria db and esb frequently at the same level; in some species these can be basal to trichobothrium Et 5. Ventral surface of metasomal segment V with large spiniform granules which form an arc in the posterior region. Pectines with 5 to 8 teeth. Notes on the genus Auyantepuia Despite some early debates on the validity of the genus Auyantepuia (Soleglad & Fet 2003; Fet & Soleglad 2005) we here follow (Prendini & Wheeler 2005) along with (Lourenço & Qi 2007; Lourenço & Duhem 2010; Ythier 2015, 2018a, 2018b) in considering Auyantepuia as a valid genus. With the two new species described in this work, the total number of Auyantepuia species is raised to 15. The genus seems to have a disrupted and relictual pattern of geographical distribution, with a strong concentration of species in the Guayana floristic province (Mori 1991) (Fig. 3). Composition of the genus Auyantepuia (in chronological order of description) Auyantepuia parvulus (Pocock, 1897) (Brazil) Auyantepuia scorzai (Dagert, 1957) (Venezuela) Auyantepuia fravalae Lourenço, 1983 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia gaillardi Lourenço, 1983 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia sissomi Lourenço, 1983 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia kelleri (Lourenço, 1997) (French Guiana) Auyantepuia mottai Lourenço & Araujo, 2004 (Brazil) Auyantepuia amapaensis Lourenço & Qi, 2007 (Brazil) Auyantepuia surinamensis Lourenço & Duhem, 2010 (Suriname) Auyantepuia laurae Ythier, 2015 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia aluku Ythier, 2018 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia aurum Ythier, 2018 (French Guiana) Auyantepuia royi Ythier, 2018 (Brazil) Auyantepuia kwata sp. nov. (French Guiana) Auyantepuia manmandinan sp. nov. (French Guiana) Key to the species of Auyantepuia from French Guiana The following key is proposed for the seven species of Auyantepuia described from French Guiana. This key is based on the previous key proposed by Ythier & Chevalier (2020), taking into consideration the new material analysed in the present note. This key must be considered as imperfect, provisional and susceptible to possible exceptions, hence it is to be used with caution and should not be the only tool for identifying a specimen. If there is any doubt, original descriptions should also be consulted. 1. Pedipalp chela weakly to moderately granulated....................................................................... 2 – Pedipalp chela moderately to strongly granulated...................................................................... 7 2. Ventral side of several metasomal segments without darker variegated spots…………........... 3 – Ventral side of all metasomal segments without darker variegated spots................................... 6 3. Chela manus dorsal surface smooth in both sexes............................ A. manmandinan sp. nov. – Chela manus dorsal surface granulated in both sexes................................................................. 4 4. Male chela manus well granulated on entire surface dorsally and weakly granulated on distal half internally....................................................................................................... A. kwata sp. nov. – Male chela manus weakly granulated on distal half dorsally and almost smooth internally...... 5 5. Ventral side of metasoma with weakly marked spots on segments IV and V, other segments reddish yellow, without spots................................................................................. A. aluku Ythier, 2018 – Ventral side of metasoma with intensely marked spots on segments IV and V and weakly marked spots on segment III, other segments yellowish, without spots ..................... A. laurae Ythier, 2015 6. Body, pedipalps, legs and chelicerae marked with darker variegated spots; small species (14– 22 mm).................................................................................................... A. kelleri (Lourenço, 1997) – Body, pedipalps, legs and chelicerae without darker variegated spots; larger species (25–27 mm). .............................................................................................................. A. gaillardi Lourenço, 1983 7. Ventral side of metasoma with darker variegated spots on all segments …………………………… ……………………………………………...…. .................................... A. fravalae Lourenço, 1983 – Ventral side of metasoma with darker variegated spots on segments III to V, other segments without spots .................................................................................................................................................. 8 8. General coloration reddish brown..................................................................... A. aurum Ythier, 2018 – General coloration yellowish....................................................................... A. sissomi Lourenço, 1983