New data on Iurus dufoureius asiaticus distribution in Turkey

Ersen Aydin Yagmur and co-workers (2008) has published a paper with new localities for Iurus dufoureius asiaticus in Turkey. The distribution of Iurus in Turkey is also discussed.

Abstract:
Distribution of Iurus dufoureius asiaticus Birula, 1903 in Turkey is shown and new localities for the species are given. Eastern border of I. d. asiaticus’s distribution are redefined and the first records from Southeastern Anatolia Region are given.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Koc H, Akkaya A. New localities for Iurus dufoureius asiaticus Birula, 1903 (Scorpiones: Iuridae) in Turkey. Turk J Arach. 2008;1(2):154-9.

Thanks to Ersen for sending me the paper!

Family Iuridae

New cave dwelling scorpion from Mexico

Oscar Francke has described a new cave dwelling scorpion in the genus Pseudouroctonus from two separate caves in Coahuila, Mexico:

Pseudouroctonus saavasi Francke, 2009 (Vaejovidae)

It is interesting to note that even though this scorpion is a troglophile it has no marked troglomorphies (like reduced eyes or lack of pigmentation).

Abstract:
Pseudouroctonus savvasi, n.sp., is described from specimens
collected in two separate caves in the state of Coahuila, México,
though it does not exhibit any marked troglomorphies. It is most
closely related to Pseudouroctonus apacheanus (Gertsch and
Soleglad), from which it is clearly differentiated by size, the number
of teeth on the movable finger of the chelicerae, hemispermatophore
morphology and pedipalp chela morphometrics.

References:
Francke OF. Description of a new species of troglophile Pseudouroctonus (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) from Coahuila, Mexico. Texas Memorial Museum Speleological Monographs, 7 Studies on the cave and endogean fauna of North America, V. 2009:11-8. [Free fulltext]

Thanks to Oscar for sending me the paper!

Family Vaejovidae

New troglomorphic leaf litter scorpion from Colombia

Ricardo Botero-Trujillo and Oscar Francke have recently published a paper on an enigmatic new troglomorphic scorpion from Colombia:

Troglotayosicus humiculum Botero-Trujillo & Francke, 2009 (Troglotayosicidae)

This scorpion is found in leaf litter in a montanous area in La Planada Natural Reserve, and is not a cave dweller. It has troglomorphies like reduces and eyes and pigmentation. See Volschenk & Prendini (2008) for more information on trglobitic scorpions.

Abstract:
Troglotayosicus humiculum, n. sp., is described from a
specimen collected by Winkler trap in La Planada Natural Reserve,
Nariño Department, southwestern Colombia. With this description,
both the number of described species and known specimens in the
genus is raised to two. The new species was collected from leaf
litter, rather than inside a cave as was the only other known species,
Troglotayosicus vachoni Lourenço, 1981; and differs from it
particularly in the arrangement of the ventral setae of the telotarsi
and the metasomal carination. This finding represents the first record
of the family and genus from Colombia, and it is the first
troglomorphic leaf litter scorpion reported from South America.

Thanks to the authors for sending me this paper!

Reference:
Botero-Trujillo R, Francke OF. A new species of troglomorphic leaf litter scorpion from Colombia belonging to the genus Troglotayosicus (Scorpiones: Troglotayosicidae). Texas Memorial Museum Speleological Monographs, 7 Studies on the cave and endogean fauna of North America, V. 2009:1-10. [Free fulltext]

Family Troglotayosicidae

A phylogenetic analysis of the South American genus Brachistosternus

Andres Ojanguren-Affilastro & Martin J. Ramirez has recently published a major phylogenetic analysis of the South American genus Brachistosternus (Bothriuridae). The authors have been able to investigate 38 of the 41 known species in the genus. The conclusions of the analysis can be seen in the abstract cited below (but in addition I will mention that Brachistosternus holmbergi Carbonell, 1923 is considered nomen dubium by the authors).

In addition to the phylogenetic analysis, the article also presents data on the distribution of the genus and an identification key for all species in the genus.

Abstract:
A phylogenetic analysis of the scorpion genus Brachistosternus Pocock (Bothriuridae) is presented. The analysis is based on a data set including 38 of the 41 described species of Brachistosternus plus eight outgroup representatives of seven additional bothriurid genera and one buthid, scored for 116 morphological characters. The cladistic analysis of this matrix under implied weighting results in four most parsimonious trees. The monophyly of genus Brachistosternus is well supported; its subgeneric subdivision is redefined: the subgenera Brachistosternus Pocock and Ministernus Francke are considered valid, whereas Leptosternus Maury is synonymized with Brachistosternus. Illustrations of diagnostic structures are provided. The hemispermatophores of Brachistosternus peruvianus Toledo-Piza and Brachistosternus pegnai Cekalovic are illustrated for the first time. A key to species of Brachistosternus and maps with the distribution of the subgenera and main groups of species are provided.

Reference:
Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Ramirez MJ. Phylogenetic analysis of the scorpion genus Brachistosternus (Arachnida, Scorpiones, Bothriuridae). Zoologica Scripta. 2009 Mar;38(2):183-98. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Family Bothriuridae

Manuel Ángel González Sponga - RIP

I just recceived the sad news that the widely known Venezuelan scorpion researcher Manuel Ángel González Sponga is dead. González Sponga is specially known for his work on scorpions and harvestmen. According to Ricardo Pinto-da-Rocha, González Sponga described 11 new species of Opiliones, 135 scorpions, 17 chilopods, 14 spiders, 10 diplopods, 2 schizomids and 1 ricinulei during his career.

A list of González Sponga's works and the taxa he has described can be found in Wikipedia.

RIP

Jan Ove Rein
The Scorpion Files (editor)

Spiders and Scorpions of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa

A survey of the spiders and Scorpions of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa has recently been published by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and coworkers. The article also includes some interesting notes on the ecology of the scorpions collected in the national park.

Abstract:

Among other activities, the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) aims to survey the biodiversity of arachnids in protected areas of South Africa. The study presented here documents the diversity of spiders and scorpions collected from the Nylsvley Nature Reserve (NNR), South Africa over a 30-year period. The spider fauna of NNR contains 175 species (7.5% of the total recorded in South Africa), in 131 genera and 37 families. Thomisidae is the most diverse spider family in the reserve, with 33 species (18.9% of the total), followed by Salticidae, with 20 species (11.4%), and Araneidae, with 18 species (10.3%). The majority of species (125) are wandering spiders (71.4%), whereas 50 species (28.6%) build webs. Wandering ground-dwelling spiders comprise 52 species, whereas 73 wandering species have been collected from the vegetation. A total of 158 species are new records for the reserve and Oxyopes tuberculatus Lessert, 1915 is newly recorded for South Africa. Six spider species may be new to science. The scorpion fauna of NNR comprises five species (5% of the total recorded in South Africa) in three genera and two families. Buthidae are more diverse in the reserve, with four species and two genera represented. The scorpion fauna of the reserve includes two fossorial and three epigeic species, representing five ecomorphotypes: semi-psammophilous, pelophilous, lithophilous, corticolous and lapidicolous. Five additional scorpion species may be recorded if the reserve is sampled more intensively using appropriate techniques.

Reference:
Dippenaar AS, van der Berg A, Prendini L. Spiders and scorpions (Arachnida: Araneae, Scorpiones) of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa. Koedoe. 2009;51(1):1-9. [Free fulltext]

Redescription of Tityus gaffini (Buthidae)

Ricardo Botero-Trujillo has recently published a redescription of Tityus gaffini Lourenco, 2000 (Buthidae). The male is described for the first time. New localities and updated information on distribution are also presented.

Reference:
Botero-Trujillo R. Redescription of Tityus (Tityus) gaffini Lourenco, 2000 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) and new locality records. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2007;16:29-34.

Family Buthidae