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The Atoll of Funafuti, Ellice group : its zoology, botany, ethnology and general structure based on collections made by Charles Hedley of the Australian Museum, Sydney, N.S.W.

Order Scorpionidæ. — Family Androctonidæ. — Sub Family And Roctinini. — Genus Buthus, Leach. — Buthus brevicaudatus, ♂ et ♀, sp. nov

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Order Scorpionidæ.
Family Androctonidæ.
Sub Family And Roctinini.
Genus Buthus, Leach.
Buthus brevicaudatus, ♂ et ♀, sp. nov.

(Plate ii., figs. 1, la, lb, lc.)

Colour somewhat variable, but generally of an obscure yellowish grey above, and pale yellowish underneath; sides dull brown; palpi brown above, yellow-brown underneath; tail dark brown above and laterally, somewhat paler underneath; vesicle pale yellow, glossy; aculeus brown, glossy; eyes black; legs obscure yellow above, pale yellowish underneath.

Cephalothorax as wide behind as it is long, gradually narrowing until near anterior extremity, and thence narrowing off abruptly to anterior margin; anterior and posterior margins strongly indented; a strong longitudinal groove runs down the centre from anterior to posterior extremity, and separates the median eyes; these latter are slightly elevated on small tubercles; the surface is closely and minutely punctured, somewhat uneven and depressed at centre, but more strongly so behind the median eyes; there are also shallow lateral depressions at rear of anterior e) es • behind the median eyes, and at the anterior margin there are a few small granules; in the male the anterior margin is more thickly granulated than in the female examples; a few short hairs fringe the anterior line of the cephalothorax. Tergites finely punctured, but the punctures are somewhat deepest laterally; each is marked with a median keel. Sternites smooth, glossy, with shallow lateral and median depressions, closely and minutely punctured; each is marked with a median keel. Tail short, almost parallel-sided: the first segment is somewhat the shortest, the second and third rather longer and co-equal in length, the fourth and fifth slightly longer than the two preceding and co-equal in length; each segment is keeled laterally, has a median longitudinal depression, and is slightly shagreened and granulated above and laterally; the inferior surface is less distinctly keeled, but more strongly shagreened and granulated, the fifth segment especially so; each segment is sparingly furnished with rather long, strong brown hairs. Vesicle smooth and glossy, furnished with a few moderately long yellowish hairs; aculeus.dark brown, strong, and gently curved; vesicle and aculeus together are somewhat longer than the fifth caudal segment. Palpi: superior surface of humerus, brachium, and manus thickly but finely granulated, the granules on their lateral and anterior and posterior extremities are sensibly page 108the largest and darkest; lower surface exceedingly finely granulated with the exception of the lateral ridges, where the granules are nearly as large as those upon the lateral extremities of the superior surface; vnanus long, broad, and thicker than brachium; hand-back keeled, similar in colour to superior surface, and thickly furnished with black granules; fingers short, black, incurved, without lobe or excavation; the movable finger is somewhat the longer; humerus, brachium, and manus sparingly furnished with short, fine whitish hairs. Legs sparingly furnished with yellowish hairs, upper surface finely granulated, under surface smooth and glossy. Pectines about half as long as cephalothorax, and furnished with six teeth.

The sexes are distinguished by the palpi, which in the male are longer, broader, and thicker than in the female.

Measurements (in millemeters):—Total length, 27; length of cephalothorax, 3⅓; width, in front 2, behind 3⅓; length of tail, 10; length of male humerus 3½, of brachium 3½, of hand 6, of hand-back 6, of moveable finger 4; width of male humerus 1½, of brachium 2, of hand 3½, of hand-back 1½; length of female humerus 3, of brachium 3, of hand 5, of hand-back 5, of moveable finger 3; width of female humerus 1, of brachium 1½, of hand 3, of hand-back 1½.

One male and three female specimens.