Scorpions collected in the island of Espiritu Santo (Vanuatu) and description of a new species of Lychas C. L. Koch, 1845 (Arachnida, Scorpiones, Buthidae)

Two species of scorpions were collected during the SANTO 2006 Expedition: Liocheles australasiae (Fabricius, 1775), family Liochelidae Fet & Bechly, 2001 and, Lychas santoensis n. sp., family Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837. The new species is characterized by: moderate to small size for the genus (from 29 to 31 mm in total length); general colouration reddish-yellow to reddish-brown with intense blackish variegated pigmentation throughout body and appendages; pectines with 10 to 12 teeth; fulcra absent or inconspicuous; telson moderately elongated; aculeus moderately curved; subaculear tooth moderate and, between rhomboid and spinoid in shape; granules on the ventral surface inconspicuous; tibial spurs present on legs III and IV; pedipalp fixed and movable fingers with 6-7 (6) rows of granules, and with one very inconspicuous external accessory granule next to the most basal row of granules.