A new Vaejovis from Mexico

Vaejovis bandido Graham, Ayrey & Bryson, 2012 from Mexico (Photo: Rob Bryson)

Matthew Graham, Richard Ayrey and Robert Bryson have recently published a description of a new species of Vaejovis C. L. Koch, 1836 (Vaejovidae) from the Sierra de los Ajos in Mexico.

Vaejovis bandido Graham, Ayrey & Bryson, 2012

Abstract:
Multivariate analyses of morphological characters provide strong evidence that a highland Vaejovis from the Sierra de los Ajos, a Madrean ‘sky island’ in northern Sonora, Mexico, represents a distinct new species of the V. vorhiesi group. This new species is described and compared to other geographically adjacent species of the V. vorhiesi group, named V. bandido, and brief notes on ecology are provided. Results from this study provide evidence that multivariate analysis of morphological characters is a powerful tool to delimit small and otherwise cryptic scorpion species.

Reference:
Graham MR, Ayrey RF, Bryson Jr RW. Multivariate methods support the distinction of a new highland Vaejovis (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) from the Sierra de los Ajos, Mexico. Journal of Arachnology. 2012;40:281-90. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Dr. Graham for sending me this paper and to Rob Bryson for sharing a picture of the new species with The Scorpion Files!

Family Vaejovidae