A revision of the Central Asian scorpion genus Anomalobuthus with three new species

Rolando Teruel, Frantisek Kovarik and Victor Fet have recently published a review of the little known, psammophilic ("sand loving") genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900 (Buthidae). This genus is mainly distributed Central Asia. Here are the main conclusions from this study:

New species:

Anomalobuthus krivochatskyi Teruel, Kovarik & Fet, 2018 (Central Uzbekistan and extreme southern Kazakhstan).

Anomalobuthus lowei Teruel, Kovarik & Fet, 2018 (Southeastern Kazakhstan).

Anomalobuthus pavlovskyi Teruel, Kovarik & Fet, 2018 (South-central Kazakhstan and extreme northern Turkmenistan).

New combination:

 The genus Psammobuthus Birula, 1911 is synonymized with Anomalobuthus and its only species is transfered to the latter genus.

Anomalobuthus zarudnyi (Birula, 1911)

The article presents an updated identification key for the genus.

Abstract:
We revise the Central Asian endemic genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900, which was considered monotypic for more than 100 years until the recent addition of a second species from Iran (Teruel et al., 2014). We redefine the generic diagnosis of Anomalobuthus and reveal that it is composed of no less than six species, three of which are described as new: A. krivochatskyi, sp. n. (central Uzbekistan and extreme southern Kazakhstan), A. lowei, sp. n. (southeastern Kazakhstan), and A. pavlovskyi, sp. n. (south-central Kazakhstan and extreme northern Turkmenistan). The monotypic genus Psammobuthus Birula, 1911 (described from the Ferghana Valley at the border of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) is synonymized under Anomalobuthus; its single species is transferred as Anomalobuthus zarudnyi (Birula, 1911), comb. n. We also clarify the type locality of the type species A. rickmersi Kraepelin, 1900, from accurate data published by its collector Rickmer Rickmers (1913) but overlooked since its very original description: it is Baljuvon in Tajikistan. Occurrence of A. rickmersi in southern and southeastern Turkmenistan is confirmed. All available species are fully illustrated with color photos of habitus and morphologically diagnostic characters, and a key covering all six recognized species of Anomalobuthus is included.

Reference:
Teruel R, Kovarik F, Fet V. Revision of the Central Asian scorpion genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900, with descriptions of three new species and a generic synonymy (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2018(270):1-45. [Open Access]

Thanks to Rolando Teruel for informing me about their article!

Family Buthidae

A new species in the rare genus Anomalobuthus from Iran

Rolando Teruel and co-workers have described a new species in the rare genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900 (Buthidae) from Eastern Iran. Only one other species is so far known from this genus, inhabiting Central Asian sand deserts.

 Anomalobuthus talebii Teruel, Kovarík, Navidpour & Fet, 2014

A very beautiful scorpion I may add.

Abstract:
We describe herein a new species of buthid scorpions: Anomalobuthus talebii sp. n. This is the second species assigned to this genus, endemic from sand deserts of Central Asia, as well as the first record of this genus from Iran. The new species is fully illustrated with color photos of holotype habitus, key morphologically diagnostic characters, and habitat.


Reference:
Teruel R, Kovarik F, Navidpour S, Fet V. The First Record of the Genus Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900 from Iran, with Description of a New Species (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2014 (192):1-10. [Free full text]

Family Buthidae

Phylogeography of co-distributed dune scorpions in Central Asia

Matthew Graham, Viktoria Olah-Hemmings and Victor Fet have recently published study of the phylogeography of the rare, psammophilic (sand-adapted) scorpions Anomalobuthus rickmersi Kraepelin, 1900 and Liobuthus kessleri Birula, 1898 (Buthidae) from Central Asia.

Abstract:
Although only distantly related, Anomalobuthus and Liobuthus are monotypic and sympatric scorpion genera with psammophilic phenotypes well-suited to the dune communities of the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts of Central Asia. We predicted that this unique combination of phenotypic convergence and sympatry should have resulted in shared phylogeographic histories. We tested this hypothesis by using mitochondrial DNA data and molecular dating techniques to reconstruct the matrilineal genealogies of A. rickmersi and L. kessleri. We also developed current and late-glacial species distribution models and landscape interpolations of genetic distances to assess the influence of historical barriers and Pleistocene climates on the phylogeography of each species. Both genera exhibited signals of restricted gene flow across the Amu Darya River, supporting our prediction of mutual histories. Levels of initial genetic differentiation within each genus date to the Late Miocene to late Pliocene. Distribution models indicate that suitable habitat may have fragmented during the Pleistocene, generally in an east-west orientation. Although the observed genetic differentiation at the Amu Darya River could be a coincidental product of lineage sorting, the fact that both species display this pattern suggests that the river has been an important biogeographic element in the development of Central Asian biotas.

Reference:
Graham MR, Olah-Hemmings V, Fet V. Phylogeography of co-distributed dune scorpions identifies the Amu Daraya River as a long-standing component of central Asian biogeography. Zoology of the Middle East. 2012;55:95-110.

Thanks to Victor Fet for sending me this paper!