A new species of Hemiscorpius from the Horn of Africa

 

Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers recently published a overview of the Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Hemiscorpiidae) species known from the Horn of Africa. A new species is described from Somaliland.

Hemiscorpius huluul Kovarik, Elmi & Stahlavsky, 2025

The article has an identification key for the five species known from the Horn of Africa.

Abstract:
Occurrence of the rare in the Horn of Africa genus Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae) is summarized, including a distribution map. A male of Hemiscorpius lipsae Kovařík & Lowe, 2022 from Djibouti is described for the first time. A new species Hemiscorpius huluul sp. n. from Somaliland is described, fully complemented with color photographs.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Elmi HSA, Stahlavsky F. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part XXXVII. The genus Hemiscorpius (Hemiscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2025(411):1-24. [Open Access]

Family Hemiscorpiidae

A new species of Barbaracurus from Djibouti

 

The Horn of Africa is a treasure chest filled with undescribed species. In the latest issue of Euscorpius, Frantisek Kovarik describes a new species in the genus Barbaracurus Kovarik, Lowe & Stahlavsky, 2018 (Buthidae) from Djibouti.

 Barbaracurus hofereki Kovarik, 2024

Abstract:
Barbaracurus hofereki sp. n. from Djibouti is described and compared with other species of the genus. B. hofereki sp. n. is the only species of the genus with pedipalp movable finger with 8 rows of granules and pectinal tooth count 27–28 in female. Also, its pedipalp chela with very narrow manus (chela length/width ratio 6.07 in female), narrower than in all other African species of the genus. A map of the distribution of the genus in the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula is provided.

Reference:
Kovarik F. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part XXXII. Barbaracurus hofereki sp. n. from Djibouti. Euscorpius. 2024(387):1-12. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

An update on the scorpion fauna of Djibouti

 

Frantisek Kovarik and Graeme Lowe have published a new paper from their ongoing studies of the scorpions of the Horn of Africa. In the recent study they focus on scorpions from Djibouti based on new materials. All known species are listed with information and pictures and the following taxonomical decisions have been made:

New species:

Hemiscorpius lipsae Kovarik & Lowe, 2022 (family Hemiscorpiidae) 

Synonymizations:

Orthochirus borrii Rossi, 2017 (Buthidae) is synonymized with O. afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016. NB! O. borriiwas never registered in The Scorpion Files.

Orthochirus aristidis (Simon, 1882) (Buthidae) is returned to synonymy with O. olivaceus Karsch, 1881.

Orthochirus arenicola Lourenço & Ythier, 2021 (Buthidae) is considered nomen dubium.

The article also has a revision of the diagnosis of Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 (Buthidae).

Abstract:
All scorpion species known from Djibouti are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Buthus awashensis Kovařík, 2011 known from Ethiopia and Somaliland is reported for the first time from Djibouti. The diagnosis of Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 is revised; O. borrii Rossi, 2017 is determined to be a junior synonym of O. afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 syn. n.; O. aristidis (Simon, 1882) syn. res. is returned to synonymy with O. olivaceus Karsch, 1881; and O. arenicola Lourenço & Ythier, 2021, is relegated to the status of nomen dubium. Hemiscorpius lipsae sp. n. is described and fully complemented with color photos of the female holotype and its habitat.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part XXVIII. Scorpions of Djibouti. Euscorpius. 2022(357):1-31.

Family Buthidae

Family Hemiscoriidae

A few taxonomical changes in the genus Orthochirus

 

Wilson Lourenco and Eric Ythier have recently published an article with some taxonomical changes in the genera Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 and Orthochiroides Kovarik, 1998 in Africa (Buthidae).

 Genus Orthochiroides Kovarik, 1998 is synonymized with Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 and the three species belonging to to the former is now in Orthochirus.

Orthochirus arenicola Lourenco & Ythier, 2021 - New species from the coasts of Somalia.

Orthochirus aristidis (Simon, 1882) is restored from its synonymy with Orthochirus olivaceus (Karsch, 1881). 

Abstract:
A new species of buthid scorpion, Orthochirus arenicola sp. n. is described from the coasts of Somalia. The scorpion was collected on the beach sand under bush-like herbaceous vegetation by our late Italian colleague Professor P. M. Brignoli. New considerations are also proposed for other related taxa. Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 described from Afar, Ethiopia is suggested to be a synonym of Orthochirus aristidis (Simon, 1882); no final decision is taken however face to the impossibility of consulting the types of Orthochirus afar. Orthochirus aristidis is restored from its synonymy with Orthochirus olivaceus (Karsch, 1881). Finally, the genus Orthochiroides Kovařík, 1998 is placed as a junior synonym of Orthochirus Karsch, 1891.

References:
Lourenco WR, Ythier E. A particular new species of Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 from Somalia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Serket. 2021;17(4):335-49. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for sending me their article!

Family Buthidae

 

 

Two new species of Hottentotta from Somaliland

 

Frantisek Kovarik and Graeme Lowe have recently published a new article in their Scorpions of the Horn of Africa series. This time, two new species of Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Buthidae) are described from Somaliland.

Hottentotta haudensis Kovarik & Lowe, 2021

Hottentotta nigrimontanus Kovarik & Lowe, 2021

Abstract:
The distribution of Hottentotta polystictus (Pocock, 1896) is summarized according to recently confirmed records. Two new species, Hottentotta haudensis sp. n. and H. nigrimontanus sp. n. from the Somaliland, are described, compared with H. polystictus, and fully illustrated with color photos showing their morphology, habitus and collection areas. H. haudensis sp. n. is the smallest known species of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, while H. nigrimontanus sp. n. is larger than H. polystictus.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part XXVI. Records of Hottentotta polystictus (Pocock, 1896), with descriptions of H. haudensis sp. n. and H. nigrimontanus sp. n. (Buthidae) from Somaliland. Euscorpius. 2021(330):1-28. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

A review of the East African genus Neobuthus with a description of seven new species

A new paper in the series "Scorpions of the Horn of Africa" has been published. This time, Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers present a revision of the genus Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 (Buthidae). Seven new species from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somaliland are described.

Neobuthus amoudensis Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Ethiopia and Somaliland)

Neobuthus erigavoensis Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Somaliland)

Neobuthus factorio Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Somaliland)

Neobuthus gubanensis Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Somaliland)

Neobuthus maidensis Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Somaliland)

Neobuthus montanus Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Somaliland)

Neobuthus kloppersi Kovarik, Lowe, Awale, Elmi & Hurre, 2018 (Kenya)

An identification key for the genus is also presented.

Abstract:
New information about the taxonomy and distribution of the genus Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 is presented, based on material recently collected mainly from Somaliland, but also Djibouti and Kenya. Emended diagnoses are proposed for N. berberensis Hirst, 1911 and N. ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898) sensu stricto. New species described are: N. amoudensis sp. n. from Ethiopia and Somaliland; N. erigavoensis sp. n., N. factorio sp. n., N. gubanensis sp. n., N. maidensis sp. n., and N. montanus sp. n. from Somaliland; and N. kloppersi sp. n. from Kenya. This doubles the number of species in Neobuthus, unearthing a rich diversification of this genus of diminutive buthids in the Horn of Africa. Included is a key and distribution map. In N. gubanensis sp. n., we report a second known case of anomalous pectine development with tarsal-like structures that implicate homeotic mutation, providing further evidence of pectine-leg homology in scorpions.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G, Awale AI, Elmi HSA, Hurre AA. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part XVII. Revision of Neobuthus, with Description of Seven New Species from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somaliland (Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2018(271):1-81. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

A major review of the Parabuthus of the Horn of Africa

Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers have recently published a major review of the scorpions in the genus Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 (Buthidae) distributed in the countries constituting the Horn of Africa.

The major findings of this study are:

Two new species from Ethiopia.

Parabuthus hamar Kovarik, Lowe, Pliskova & Stahlavsky, 2016
Parabuthus kajibu Kovarik, Lowe, Pliskova & Stahlavsky, 2016

Parabuthus abyssinicus Pocock, 1901 is raised from subspecies status (previously Parabuthus liosoma abyssinicus Pocock, 1901).

The genus Riftobuthus Lourenco, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2010 from Kenya is synonymized with Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 and the only species in the genus, Parabuthus inexpectatus Lourenco, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2010 is synonymized with Parabuthus pallidus Pocock, 1895.

The Parabuthus liosoma complex is split into three sibling species with separate areas of distribution:  Parabuthus liosoma Ehrenberg, 1828 is now restricted to Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Parabuthus abyssinicus is restricted to Eritrea, Djibouti, central and north-eastern parts of Ethiopia, and Parabuthus maximus Werner, 1913 is distributed to Kenya and Tanzania. The latter decision has greater implications as this means that most Parabuthus liosoma in the pet trade now is actually P. maximus.

This article has great color pictures of both live specimens and morphological details, and also comes with an identification key for the genus in the region.

Abstract:
All Parabuthus species from Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somaliland were newly collected and are revised for the first time. The complex of Parabuthus liosoma is split into three sibling species with separate areas of distribution: P. abyssinicus Pocock, 1901 (Eritrea, Djibouti, central and north-eastern parts of Ethiopia), P. liosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) (Yemen and Saudi Arabia), and P. maximus Werner, 1913 (Tanzania and Kenya). P. hamar sp. n. and P. kajibu sp. n., discovered during scorpiological expeditions in 2011–2016, are described. Information is provided about all Parabuthus species from the Horn of Africa, their taxonomy, distribution, and ecology, fully com-plemented with color photos of live and preserved specimens, as well as their habitat. The hemispermatophores of P. abyssinicus and P. kajibu sp. n. are illustrated and described. In addition to the analyses of external morphology and hemispermatophores, we also describe the karyotypes of P. abyssinicus (2n=16), P. kajibu sp. n. (2n=18), and P. pallidus (2n=20). The monotypic genus Riftobuthus Lourenço, Duhem et Cloudsley-Thompson, 2010 is synonymized with Parabuthus, based in part on pectinal tooth count analysis. Phylogenetic scaling and ontogenetic invariance of pectinal tooth count are shown for buthid scorpions. 

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G, Pliskova J, Stahlavsky F. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part VII. Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 (Buthidae), with Description of P. hamar sp. n. and P. kajibu sp. n. from Ethiopia. Euscorpius. 2016(228):1-58. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

A new species of Compsobuthus from Eritrea

Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers are continuing their publication series on the scorpion fauna of the Horn of Africa. In a recent article they review the genus Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (Buthidae) in this region, and a new species is described from Eritrea.

Compsobuthus eritreaensis Kovarik, Lowe, Pliskova & Stahlavsky, 2016

 The article also has habitat information for the members of Compsobuthus in this region.

Abstract:
All four Compsobuthus species of the Horn of Africa were newly collected, C. werneri firstly collected in Eritrea and C. eritreaensis sp. n. discovered during scorpiological expeditions in 2011–2016. Information is provided about their taxonomy, distribution, and ecology, fully complemented with color photos of live and preserved specimens, as well as their habitat. The hemispermatophore of C. eritreaensis sp. n. is illustrated and described. In addition to morphological analysis, we also describe the karyotype of C. eritreaensis sp. n. (2n=22).

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G, Pliskova J, Stahlavsky F. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part VI. Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (Buthidae), with a description of C. eritreaensis sp. n. Euscorpius. 2016(226):1-21. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

New data on the rare species Pandinus nistriae

Andrea Rossi described a new species of Pandinus Thorell, 1876 from Djobouti, Pandinus nistriae (Scorpionidae), earlier in 2014. Rossi has now published a new article with additional information about this species.

Abstract:
New data are presented concerning Pandinus (Pandinurus) nistriae Rossi, 2014 from Djibouti. The male holotype is directly compared with an adult male of the geographical closely related species P. magrettii Borelli, 1901 from Eritrea. It is also supposed that P. nistriae could be present in eastern Ethiopia, basing on photografic records.

Reference:
Rossi A. New data on the rare species Pandinus nistriae Rossi, 2014 (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Arachnides. 2014 Sept;72:3-12.

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me the journal Arachnides!

Two new species of Pandinus from East and Central Africa

After many decades of neglect, the genus Pandinus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpionidae) has again gained  by scientists. Kovarik, 2009 provided a complete revision of the genus, and now Andrea Rossi has published two new species from East and Central Africa.

Pandinus nistriae Rossi, 2014 (Djibouti)

Pandinus ulderigoi Rossi, 2014 (Central African Republic)

New distributional data are provided for a couple of species in the genus. An updated identification key for the subgenera Pandinus and Pandinurus is presented.

Abstract:
A synopsis about the distribution of Pandinus (Pandinus) Thorell, 1876 and Pandinus (Pandinurus) Fet, 1997 is proposed. Two new species are described: Pandinus nistriae sp. n. from Djibouti and Pandinus ulderigoi sp. n. from Central African Republic. Pandinus nistriae sp. n. is also the first record of the genus Pandinus and the family Scorpionidae from Djibouti. The description of Pandinus ulderigoi sp. n. confirms the presence of this genus in Central African Republic, although the exact localities remain unknown. In addition, new localities are reported for Pandinus ugandaensis Kovařík, 2011 in Uganda and Pandinus gambiensis Pocock, 1899 in Mali. An identification key and an updated check-list of all the species of the subgenera Pandinus and Pandinurus are given.

Reference:
Rossi A. Notes on the distribution of Pandinus (Pandinus) Thorell, 1876 and Pandinus (Pandinurus) Fet, 1997 with the descriptions of two new species from Central African Republic. Onychium. 2014;10 (2013):10-31.

Thanks to Andrea Rossi for sending me his article!

Family Scorpionidae

A revision of Neobuthus with a new species

Neobuthus Hirst 1911 (Buthidae) is a genus with very small and rare scorpions distributed in Eastern Africa. Frantisek Kovarik and Greame Low have now published a review of this genus based on a lot of new materials. Some important results:

New species:
Neobuthus awashensis Kovarik & Lowe, 2012

New combination:
Neobuthus ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898) (previously in the genus Butheolus)

The paper has many color pictures of species, taxonomical details and habitats. A partial identification key for the genus is presented.

Abstract:
We define key characters distinguishing between the genera Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 and Butheolus Simon, 1882. Butheolus ferrugineus Kraepelin, 1898 is transferred to the genus Neobuthus which includes only African species, in contrast to the genus Butheolus which now includes only species inhabiting the Arabian Peninsula. Neobuthus awashensis sp. n. from Ethiopia is described and compared with two closely related species, Neobuthus ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. n. and Neobuthus berberensis Hirst, 1911. Recent collection of 78 specimens enabled direct comparisons of all three closely related species from their respective localities and discovery of characters hitherto not apparent from discolored specimens preserved for many years in alcohol. We photographically illustrate true coloration and pubescence for these three species, provide first information about their ecology, and present photographs of their habitats and localities. Neobuthus berberensis Hirst, 1911, is lightest colored with pubescence nearly absent, and is adapted to sandy desert conditions in the vicinity of Berbera City (Somaliland). Rocky deserts in Djibouti, Ethiopia (first report), Somaliland and Somalia host the widely distributed Neobuthus ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898) comb. n., which varies in color and bears sparse long setae (female) or spiniform setae (male). Neobuthus awashensis sp. n. is the darkest-colored of the three and possesses pubescence similar to N. ferrugineus comb. n., from which it differs in having a longer and narrower pedipalp femur. We document strong sexual dimorphism in all three species, the lack of knowledge of which had caused the female holotype of Neobuthus ferrugineus (Kraepelin, 1898), comb. n. and the male holotype of Neobuthus berberensis Hirst, 1911 to be placed in different genera Butheolus Simon, 1882 and Neobuthus Hirst, 1911.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G. review of the genus Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 with description of a new species from Ethiopia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2012(138):1-25. [Free fultext]

Family Buthidae