A major revision of Iurus is published

Frantisek Kovarik, Victor Fet, Michael Soleglad and Ersen Yagmur have now published a major revision of the genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Iuridae). After examining a large number of specimens from Greece and Turkey they have reached the following conclusions:

Iurus asiaticus Birula, 1903 are raised to species status. This species is limited to the eastern Anatolian mountains.

Iurus dufoureius (Brullé, 1832) is restricted to mainland Greece and the islands of Crete, Kythira and Gavdos.

Iurus kadleici Kovarik, Fet, Soleglad & Yagmur, 2010 is a new species restricted to Antalya and Mersin Provinces.

Iurus kinzelbachi Kovarik, Fet, Soleglad & Yagmur, 2010 is a new species that occupy a limited range in western Anatolia. Interestingly, this species seems to be more related to the Greek Iurus dufoureius than the other Turkish species.

Iurus kraepelini von Ubisch, 1922 is restored from synonymi with Iurus dufoureius asiaticus and given species status. Most of the southern Anatolian populations belong to this species.

In addition to the systematics of Iurus, this extensive paper also provides information about reproduction, breeding, embryo morphology, ecology and biogeography.

Because of the size of this paper, the Publisher provides an option to download the paper in parts in addition the whole paper in one file (80 mb).

Abstract:
This revision is based on a comprehensive analysis of largely new, very extensive material encompassing 341 specimens (58 from Greece and 283 from Turkey). The type species Iurus dufoureius (Brullé, 1832) is restricted to Greece. Iurus asiaticus Birula, 1903 is confirmed as a distinct species, limited to eastern Anatolia. Most widespread in southern Turkey is another species, Iurus kraepelini von Ubisch, 1922, which is here restored from synonymy. We also describe two new species from Turkey: Iurus kadleci, sp. nov. from Antalya and Mersin Provinces (sympatric with I. kraepelini), and Iurus kinzelbachi, sp. nov. from İzmir and Aydın Provinces; therefore, fauna of Turkey includes four species of Iurus. Neotypes of I. dufoureius and I. kraepelini, and lectotype and paralectotypes of I. asiaticus are designated. Status of Iurus populations from the eastern Aegean islands of Greece (Fourni, Karpathos, Kasos, Rhodes, Samos, Saria) remains to be determined. A map of the distribution of Iurus is presented, based on 198 localities (79 in Greece and 119 in Turkey).

Reference:
Kovarik F, Fet V, Soleglad ME, Yagmur EA. Etudes on iurids, III. Revision of the genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), with a description of two new species from Turkey. Euscorpius. 2010(95):1-212. [Free fulltext. Go to issue 95 to download paper in parts or in one file]

Family Iuridae