Relationship between scorpion sting events and environmental conditions in mainland France

 

Jules-Antoine Vaucel and co-workers have published a thorough study of scorpion stings in mainland France. This is interesting in itself and I find it especially interesting that they report of one event of scorpion sting involving the enigmatic B. xambeui Simon, 1879 (Belisaiidae). Unfortunately, they present no details on this incident, but I guess it caused no serious morbidity. Other species represented in the study were Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789) (Buthidae) and Euscorpius concinnus (Koch, 1837), Euscorpius italicus (Herbst, 1800), Euscorpius tergestinus (Koch, 1837), and Tetratrichobothrius flavicaudis (De Geer, 1778) (all in the family Euscorpiidae).

As the title indicate, the authors have tried to find a relationship relationship between scorpion sting events and environmental conditions like level of sunshine, temperature etc. The authors conclude that climatic variations could well predict encounters between humans and scorpions in France. 

Abstract:
In the world, the impact of environmental conditions on the number of scorpion events was evaluated in North Africa,Middle East, and the Amazonian region but not in Europe. In mainland France, scorpion species described are Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789), Belisarius xambeui (Simon, 1879) and 4 Euscorpiidae: Euscorpius concinnus (Koch, 1837), Euscorpius italicus (Herbst, 1800), Euscorpius tergestinus (Koch, 1837), and Tetratrichobothrius flavicaudis (De Geer, 1778). We aimed to describe the impact of environmental conduction on the number of scorpion events. For this, a retrospective multi-center study was conducted with data from the French poison control centers files about scorpion events between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2020. During the study period, 975 incoming calls for scorpion events were recorded and 574 were related to scorpions native to mainland France and Corsica: B. occitanus (n = 86), Euscorpiidae species (n = 222), B. xambeui (n = 1), and undetermined species (n = 265). Cases were mostly reported along the Mediterranean coast, along rivers, and in cities with a trading port. The number of scorpion events was linked to the rivers' water level, rivers' flow, temperature, sunshine, and pluviometry (P < 0.05 for all variables). B. occitanus need warmest and driest environment than Euscorpiidae spp. A link between the severity of the envenoming and climatic condition or seasonality was not demonstrated.

Reference:
Vaucel JA, Larreche S, Paradis C, Labadie M, Courtois A, Grenet G, et al. Relationship Between Scorpion Stings Events and Environmental Conditions in Mainland France. J Med Entomol. 2021. [Subscription required for full text]

Phylogenetic study gives Hadruridae family status ("Another one bites the dust")

There have been buzz about Carlos E. Santibáñez-López' and co-worker's new phylogenetic study of the family Caraboctonidae Kraepelin, 1905 for several months, but due to several reasons I have been slow to post this on the blog. But here it is and The Scorpion Files' family pages have also been updated.

I'm not going to go into details about the study here as I must admit that the more technical stuff is above my head, but I will list the main conclusions from the study:

1.
Hadrurinae Stahnke, 1973 is split from Caraboctonidae and elevated to family status, Hadruridae. Hadruridae consists of nine species in the two genera Hadrurus Thorell, 1876 and Hoffmannihadrurus Fet & Soleglad, 2004. Distributed in North America.

2.
Caraboctonidae now consists of 23 species in two two genera Caraboctonus Pocock, 1893 and Hadruroides Pocock, 1893. Distributed in South America.

3.
Two new superfamilies have been created: Caraboctonoidea Kraepelin, 1905 (Caraboctonidae and Superstitioniidae) and Hadruroidea Stahnke, 1974 (Hadruridae).

4.
The genera Uroctonus Thorell, 1876  (currently in Chactidae)  and Belisarius Simon, 1879 (currently in Belisaridae) are regarded as insertae sedis with respect to superfamilial placement.

More phylogenomic analyses will probably give us more insight in the complicated higher-level relationships in scorpions.

Abstract:
Historically, morphological characters have been used to support the monophyly, composition, and phylogenetic relationships of scorpion families. Although recent phylogenomic analyses have recovered most of these traditional higher level relationships as non-monophyletic, certain key taxa have yet to be sampled using a phylogenomic approach. Salient among these is the monotypic genus Caraboctonus Pocock, 1893, the type species of the family Caraboctonidae Kraepelin, 1905. Here, we examined the putative monophyly and phylogenetic placement of this family, sampling the library of C. keyserlingi Pocock, 1893 using high throughput transcriptomic sequencing. Our phylogenomic analyses recovered Caraboctonidae as polyphyletic due to the distant placement of the genera Caraboctonus and Hadrurus Thorell, 1876. Caraboctonus was stably recovered as the sister-group of the monotypic family Superstitioniidae Stahnke, 1940, whereas Hadrurus formed an unstable relationship with Uroctonus Thorell, 1876 and Belisarius Simon, 1879. Fourcluster likelihood mapping revealed that the instability inherent to the placement of Hadrurus, Uroctonus and Belisarius was attributable to significant gene tree conflict in the internodes corresponding to their divergences. To redress the polyphyly of Caraboctonidae, the following systematic actions have been taken: (1) the family Caraboctonidae has been delimited to consist of 23 species in the genera Caraboctonus and Hadruroides Pocock, 1893; (2) Caraboctonidae, previously included in the superfamily Iuroidea Thorell, 1876 or as incertae sedis, is transferred to the superfamily Caraboctonoidea (new rank); (3) the superfamily Hadruroidea (new rank) is established and the status of Hadrurinae Stahnke, 1973 is elevated to family (Hadruridae new status) including 9 species in the genera Hadrurus and Hoffmannihadrurus Fet & Soleglad, 2004 and (4) we treat Uroctonus and Belisarius as insertae sedis with respect to superfamilial placement. Our systematic actions engender the monophyly of both Iuroidea and Caraboctonidae. Future phylogenomic investigations should target similar taxon-poor and understudied

References:
Santibáñez-López CE, Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Sharma PP. Another one bites the dust: Taxonomic sampling of a key genus in phylogenomic datasets reveals more non-monophyletic groups in traditional scorpion classification. Invertebrate Systematics. 2020;34(2):133-43. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Carlos E. Santibáñez-López and Prashant P. Sharma who have kept me informed about their study. I have also been informed about this article by Kari McWest and Matt Simon. Big thanks to them!

Family Caraboctonidae
Family Hadruridae

Remarkable cave scorpion finding in Sardinia reveals new genus and species

Sometimes you get surprise by remarkable scorpions findings and this time it is actually in Europe. Gioele Tropea and Carlo Onnis recently published an article describing the finding of a new genus and species in a cave system in Sardinia (Italy). I'm thrilled that there are still hidden scorpion gems like this around!

Sardoscorpius Tropea & Onnis, 2020 (new genus)

Sardoscorpius troglophilus Tropea & Onnis, 2020 (new species)

As the name implies, the new species has been only collected inside two natural caves. Interestingly, the new scorpion lacks marked adaptations to the life in caves like missing eyes, reduced pigmentation etc. Sardoscorpius has not been found outside the cave system and seems to prefer a troglobitc life style despite missing traditional cave dwelling characteristics.

The new species looks very much like the troglomorphic (eutroglophile) Belisarius Simon, 1879 found in and outside caves in the Pyrenees, in Spain and France, except for having well developed eyes. And this species is actually Sardoscorpius' closest relative. Belisarius has so far been placed in the family Troglotayosicidae together with the genus Troglotayosicus Lourenço, 1981, but the taxonomic position of these genera are unclear. Until further investigations, Tropea & Onnis have chosen to elevate Belisariidae Lourenco, 1998 to family status and include Belisarius and Sardoscorpius in this family.

Abstract:
A remarkable discovery in the Italian scorpion fauna is herein presented with the description of a new scorpion genus and species from Sardinia, Sardoscorpius troglophilus gen. n. et sp. n., known only from natural caves. It is related to the Pyrenean relict endogean genus Belisarius Simon, 1879, and placed in the family Belisariidae Lourenço, 1998 stat. n., which is here elevated to family status. With this description, a member of Belisariidae stat. n. is registered for the first time in Italy. At the moment, the Italian fauna of scorpions includes three families (Belisariidae stat. n., Buthidae and Euscorpiidae), five genera (Buthus, Alpiscorpius, Euscorpius, Tetratrichobothrius and Sardoscorpius gen. n.) and 23 species. The new taxon is the first and only endemic scorpion genus found in Italy.

Reference:
Tropea G, Onnis C. A remarkable discovery of a new scorpion genus and species from Sardinia (Scorpiones: Chactoidea: Belisariidae). Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2020;VI(XXVI):3-25.

Thanks to Gioele Tropea for sending me this very interesting article!

Family Belisariidae

Taxonomical formalities regarding Belisarius xambeui types

Belisarius xambeui Simon, 1879 from Spain (Photo: Hans Henderickx).

Types are important in systematics/taxonomy. Types are one or more physical examples (or illustrations) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described.

Tropea, Rossi & Lourenco have now published a research note reconsidering the original type material of Belisarius xambeui Simon, 1879 (Troglotayosicidae).

Abstract:
In the present note we reconsider the original type material of Belisarius xambeui Simon, 1879, mainly basing on unpublished historical notes by Simon. We recognize only one type specimen, which according to the ICZN, must be considered the holotype. Thus all other specimens regarded as a part of the typical series in previous papers, do not have typical status.

Reference:
Tropea G. Notes on the typical series of Belisarius xambeui Simon, 1879 (Scorpiones: Troglotayosicidae). Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2015;1(2):64-8.

Thanks to Gioele Tropea for sending me this article!

Family Troglotayosicidae

New species in the enigmatic genus Belisarius from Spain

The troglomorphic genus Belisarius Simon, 1879 (Troglotayosicidae) with one species, has so far only been known from limited areas in the southeastern Pyrenees in France and in Cataluña in Spain. Professor Wilson Lourenco has now revealed the existence of another species in Sierra de las
Nieves (Malaga Province) in southern Spain.

Belisarius ibericus Lourenco, 2015

The occurrence of a new species in this enigmatic genus this far away from the previously known locations is discussed.

Abstract:
Intensive investigation in the collections of the Natural History Museum in Paris led to the location of the original specimens of Belisarius xambeui described by Euge`ne Simon (Simon No. 2675) from the Territoire de Conat in the Pyre´ne´ es-Orientales, France. The two females registered under No. 2675 are now considered as the holotype and paratype of B. xambeui. This investigation on the Belisarius material also led to the discovery of another interesting specimen collected by J. Malhomme in the ‘‘Sierra de las Nieves’’ in the south of Spain. This specimen is described herein as a new species. Comments are also proposed on the mesic environmental conditions, which prevails in ‘‘Sierra de las Nieves’’ region, and on the possible palaeoclimatic events that resulted in the present disrupted distribution of the genus Belisarius.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. The genus Belisarius Simon, 1879 (Scorpiones: Troglotayosicidae), with the description of a new vicariant species from the south of Spain. Comptes Rendus - Biologies. 2015;338:362-7. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Rolando Teruel for sending me this article!

Family Troglotayosicidae

Five new anatomy picture collections in The Scorpion Files

Leonard Georg is still using his camera on new species and has made five new, detailed anatomy pictures collections of the following species:

Androctonus amoreuxi
Lychas scutilus
Parabuthus liosoma
Parabuthus villosus (black form)

Belisarius xambeui

A big thanks to Leonard for sharing these great pictures with us!!

Scorpions of Europe review

I may come as a surprise to many that the number of European species may be as high as 35. Victor Fet has published a review summing up the current status of European scorpions.

Abstract:
This brief review summarizes the studies in systematics and zoogeography of European scorpions. The current “splitting” trend in scorpion taxonomy is only a reasonable response to the former “lumping.” Our better understanding of scorpion systematics became possible due to the availability of new morphological characters and molecular techniques, as well as of new material. Many taxa and local faunas are still under revision. The total number of native scorpion species in Europe could easily be over 35 (Buthidae, 8; Euscorpiidae, 22-24; Chactidae, 1; Iuridae, 3) belonging to four families and six genera. The northern limit of natural (non-anthropochoric) scorpion distribution in Europe is in Saratov Province, Russia, at 50°40’54”N, for Mesobuthus eupeus (Buthidae).

Reference:
Fet V. Scorpions of Europe. Acta Zool Bulg. 2010;62(1):3-12.

Thanks to professor Fet for sending me this paper!

Morphology of spermatozoa and sperm packages in the European Belisarius xambeui

There are few modern studies on the rarest scorpion in Europe, Belisarius xambeui. This troglophylous scorpion is only reported from the southeastern Pyrenees in France and in Cataluña in Spain, and is placed in Chactidae by some authors and Troglotayosicidae by others. Vignoli, Klann & Michalik, 2008 has done a study of the morphology of the spermatozoa and sperm packages of Belisarius, and the results are linked to systematics and phylogeny. Here is the abstract from the article:

Studies on the sperm morphology in scorpions are rare, but the existing investigations already revealed a remarkable interfamiliar diversity. The present study reports for the first time on the spermatozoa and sperm packages of a representative of the family Troglotayosicidae, the troglophylous species Belisarius xambeui. The spermatozoa are characterized by (1) a thread-like nucleus, which is slightly bent anteriorly; (2) an asymmetrical cap-like acrosomal vacuole, which encloses the anterior tip of the nucleus; an acrosomal filament is absent; (3) an axoneme with a 9 + 0 microtubular pattern; (4) a midpiece consisting of elongated mitochondria coiling around the axoneme; the number can vary between 3 and 6 (mostly 4). At the end of spermiogenesis, the spermatozoa aggregate in order to form oval-shaped sperm packages in which all sperm cells show the same orientation. A single package consists of approximately 150 sperms. A secretion sheath is always absent. The present results might provide new characters for further systematic studies and their phylogenetic implications are briefly discussed.

Reference:
Vignoli V, Klann AE, Michalik P. Spermatozoa and sperm packages of the European troglophylous scorpion Belisarius xambeui Simon, 1879 (Troglotayosicidae, Scorpiones). Tissue Cell. 2008;40:411-6. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Family Chactidae