Black Bears in Mexico eat scorpions

Carlos Lopez-Gonzalez and co-workers reports that investigations of Mexican Black Bear scats (yes, that's bear pooh ;) show that some bears eat scorpions. The scorpion remains that were found belong to Diplocentrus peloncillensis (Scorpionidae).

In addition, this is the first record of in Diplocentrus peloncillensis in Mexico.

Abstract:
The remains of the scorpion Diplocentrus peloncillensis Francke were found in 7 scats of black bears (Ursus americanus) collected in the Sierra de San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. The collection data and previously reported black bear population estimates for the study area suggested that, although scorpions are not a large part of black bear diets in Sonora, feeding on scorpions is not restricted to a single individual or family unit and is apparently a relatively common behavior in the population. Also, the discovery of D. peloncillensis in Sonora represents a new country record.

Reference:
Lopez-Gonzalez CA, Jones RW, Silva-Hurtado C, Sayago-Vazquez IA. Scorpions are food item of American black bears in Sonora, Mexico. West North Am Naturalist. 2009;69(1):131-3.

Thanks to Oscar Francke for sending me this paper!

A new Chaerilus from Thailand

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have recently described a new species of Chaerilus (Chaerilidae) from an evergreen rain forest in southern Thailand:

Chaerilus thai Lourenco, Sun & Zhu, 2010

Abstract:


Reference:
Lourenco WR, Sun D, Zhu M. A new species of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Scorpiones, Chaerilidae) from Thailand. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 2010;58(1):79-85. [Free fulltext]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this article!

Family Chaerilidae

Cazierius tatae synonymized with Cazierius garridoi

Luis de Armas has concluded that Cazierius tatae Satiago-Blay, 2009 (Scorpionidae) from Puerto Rico is a junior synonym of Cazierius garridoi Armas, 2005.

Reference:
de Armas LF. Acerca de algunos alacranes (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae) recientemente descritos o registrados de Puerto Rico e Isla Mona, Antillas Mayores. Boletin Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa. 2009(45):298.

Family Scorpionidae

Tityus mraceki synonymized with T. betschi

Some time ago, Wilson Lourenco published a paper discussing the taxonomic status of some of the Tityus species described from Colombia. One of the conclusions of the paper is the following synonymization:

Tityus mraceki Kovarik, 2007 is synonymized with T. betschi Lourenco, 1992 (Buthidae).

See abstract or paper for other results.

Abstract:
Considerations are proposed about the status of some Colombian species of the genus Tityus. Reanalysis of the characteristics of Tityus (Archaeotityus) betschi Lourenço, 1992 and of Tityus (Archaeotityus) mraceki KOVARIK, 2007 demonstrates that the second species represents only the male of T. (A.) betschi and, a new synonymy is proposed: T. (A.) mraceki as a junior synonym of T. (A.) betschi. Previous records of Tityus (Atreus) nematochirus Mello-Leitão, 1940 in Venezuela are attributed to misidentifications with Tityus (Atreus) meridanus González-Sponga, 1981; this last species being the only one of the group distributed in ‘Estado Merida’.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. Nouvelles considerations sur le statut taxonomique de quelques especes du genre Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) decrites de la Colombie. Acta Biologica Paranaense. 2008 January-December;37(1-4):195-209.

Family Buthidae

Scorpions of Saudi Arabia - Updated list

If you are interested in the scorpion fauna of The Middle East, Hisham El-Hennawy has recently published an updated list of species found in Saudi Arabia and their distribution. The paper has also an identification guide for the species in the area.

Abstract:
This paper presents an updated list of scorpions recorded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the distribution localities of the species, and simplified identification keys to families and genera. The list includes 23 species and 3 subspecies that belong to 3 families: 18 species of 10 buthid genera, 1 hemiscorpiid species, and 4 species and 3 subspecies of 3 scorpionid genera.

Reference:
El-Hennawy HK. Scorpions of Saudi Arabia (List of species, their distribution, and identification key). Serket. 2009;11(3-4):119-28.

A new Chaerilus from China

The number of species in the Asian genus Chaerilus is growing. A few days ago I told about a new species from Nepal, this time a new species is described from China by Di and Zhu:

Chaerilus mainlingensis Di & Zhu, 2009 (Chaerilidae)

Abstract:


Reference:
Di Z-Y, Zhu M-S. A new species of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Scorpiones, Chaerilidae) from China. Acta Arachnologica. 2009;58(2):97-102.

A big thanks to Gerard Dupre for keeping me updated on scorpion publications!!

Family Chaerilidae

A new Hadrurochactas from Brazil

Wilson Lourenco has described a new species of Hadrurochactas (Chactidae) from Brazil:

Hadrurochactas araripe Lourenco, 2010

The paper also discuss the disrupted distribution pattern of the genus Hadurochactas.

Abstract:
A new species, Hadrurochactas araripe sp. n. (Chactidae) is described from ‘Chapada do Araripe’, a ‘Brejo type’ formation located in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. The description of the new species confirms a disrupted pattern of distribution presented by the genus Hadrurochactas. This includes species present both in Guiano-Amazon forests and forest islands within the ‘Caatingas’. These are xerophytic formations in northeastern Brazil. This new species brings further evidence of a past connection between the Amazonian and Atlantic forests, as already suggested by palaeobotanists.


Reference:
Lourenço WR. The disrupted pattern of distribution of the genus Hadrurochactas Pocock; evidence of past connections between Amazon and the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Comptes Rendus Biologies. 2010;333(1):41-7. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Family Chactidae