Malaria medicine against pain from scorpion stings

Chloroquine is a famous antimalarial agent that has been used for many years in the treatment and prevention of malaria. Edwin Yenli and co-workers in Ghana have now published a surprising new property for this drug. Injection of Chloroquine in patients with pain after scorpion sting caused rapid (within 5 min.) pain relief in the six patient tested. The effect was much more rapid than seen with the use of traditional analgesics like Lidocaine.

The mechanism of action of Chloroquine is unknown, but it may contain a antitoxic property.

It is important to note that this is a small observational study on six patients and that more testing is probably necessary before we know for sure about the effects of Chloroquine against pain from scorpion stings.

Reference:
Yenli EMT, Ziem JB, Hillah B, Wegdam HHJ. Managing scorpion stings in the tropics: Chloroquine as an effective drug. Tropical Doctor. 2010;40(2):119-20.

Liocheles nigripes in India

We know quite a lot about the fauna of India (much summed in the book "Fauna of India - Scorpionida" by Tikader & Bastawade (1983)), but the knowledge of the fauna of India is far from complete.

Maqsood Javed and co-workers have now published the first finding of Liocheles nigripes (Hemiscorpiidae) in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The paper also has a checklist of the scorpions in this state.

Abstract:
No abstract - see free fulltext for more info about the content.

Reference:
Maqsood Javed SM, Mirza ZA, Sanap RV, Tampal F. First record of Liocheles nigripes Pocock, 1897 (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae) from Andhra Pradesh with a checklist of scorpions of the state. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 2010;2(3):783-5. [Free fultext]

Sting use in prey capture

One of the conclusions from my master thesis many years ago was that sting use is probably costly for scorpions and because of this they will only use their stinger if the prey is large and/or the prey resists capture.

Now, Martin Edmunds and Richard Sibly have published a similar study with similar conclusions, using Hadrurus spadix Stahnke, 1940 (Caraboctonicae).

Abstract:
Since venom is costly to produce and stinging is not obligatory in prey capture for scorpions, the need to optimize use of resources suggests that venom should be reserved for prey that cannot otherwise be overpowered, (i.e., larger and/or more active prey). In accordance with these predictions, sting use by Hadrurus spadix Stahnke 1940 increased with prey size, reaching 100% once prey items were longer than the scorpion’s pedipalp patella length, and with prey activity, which we manipulated by varying prey temperature. Surprisingly, the scorpions were slower to capture less active (cooler) prey than those that exhibited higher rates of activity. We suggest this is because prey are located by vibrations in the substrate, with less active prey producing fewer vibrations.

Reference:
Edmunds MC, Sibly RM. Optimal sting use in the feeding behavior of the scorpion Hadrurus spadix. Journal of Arachnology. 2010;38(1):123-5. [Subscription required for fulltext, but free fulltext after 12 months].

A new scorpion book for the hobbyist

Gerard Dupre and Nicole Lambert have recently published a scorpion book in English for those keeping and breeding scorpions in captivity.

The book has an updated list of families, genera and species and presents a review on the available data on scorpion reproduction and life history. General information about captive care is also presented.

The book can be ordered from the publisher Edizioni Wild.

Gerard Dupre & Nicole Lambert (2010)
Scorpions - Guide to Captive Care.
Edizioni Wild, Milano.
ISBN 978-88-903334-2-2

A new Mesobuthus from China

The scorpion fauna of China is growing. This time Sun, Zhu & Lourenco have described a new species from Xinjiang Province of China.

Mesobuthus bolensis Sun, Zhu & Lourenco, 2010 (Buthidae)

In the same paper they transfer Mesobuthus songi Lourenco, Qi & Zhu, 2005 to Hottentotta. The same decision was very recently published by Teruel & Rein (2010).

Abstract:
A new species, Mesobuthus bolensis from the Province of Xinjiang, in the Western region of China, is described. The new species can be defined by a densely granular carapace; carinae, granulation, and metasomal segment V without any dark pigmentation; carinae of carapace and pedipalp patella dispersively granular. Furthermore, restudy of the characters of Mesobuthus songi Lourenc¸o, Qi & Zhu 2005, described from the southern region of Pulan, Xizang (Tibet), China led us to accommodate this species in the genus Hottentotta Birula, as a new combination Hottentotta songi (Lourenc¸o, Qi & Zhu 2005).

Reference:
Sun D, Zhu M-S, Lourenco WR. A new spcies of Mesobuthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Xinjiang, China, with notes on Mesobuthus songi. Journal of Arachnology. 2010;38:35-43 [Subscription required for fulltext, but free fulltext after 12 months].

Family Buthidae

A new genus and species from Kenya

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have recently discovered a new buthid scorpion from Northern Kenya that have made them create a new genus, Riftobuthus Lourenco, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2010.

Riftobuthus inexpectatus Lourenco, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2010 (Buthidae)

The species name inexpectatus was chosen because the authors never expected to find such a new taxa in Kenya.

Abstract:
A new genus and species of peri-Saharian buthid scorpion is described on the basis of single specimen collected in the Great Rift Valley, North of Kenya. This new scorpion taxon represents yet another endemic relict element for the faunas of the peri-Saharian regions. Comments are also included on the evolution of the Sahara and peri-Saharian regions and its possible consequences on the distribution of the extant scorpion fauna.

Reference:
Lourenço WR, Duhem B, Cloudsley-Thompson JL. A new relictual buthid scorpion from the region of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya (Scorpiones, Buthidae). Comptes Rendus Biologies. 2010;333(3):280-5. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Family Buthidae

A new Hottentotta from Afghanistan

A few years ago I recceived a couple of live Hottentotta from a Belgian soldier in Afghanistan. I belived these to belong to Hottentotta alticola. Last year I sent a specimen to my good friend Rolando Teruel, who discovered that these specimens actually didn't match the description of any known species. Now, I'm proud to present my first paper (together with Rolando, of course :) describing a new scorpion species:

Hottentotta flavidulus Teruel & Rein, 2010 (Buthidae)

In this paper we also transfer Mesobuthus songi Lourenco, Qi & Zhu, 2005 to Hottentotta. New name is Hottentotta songi (Lourenco, Qi & Zhu, 2005).

Abstract:
A new species of Hottentotta Birula, 1908 is described from the Kabul area in Afghanistan; this addition represents the fifth species of this genus confirmed for this Middle East country. It is a member of the “Indian group” of the genus (the first one recorded from Afghanistan), and is most closely related to Hottentotta jabalpurensis Kovařík, 2007, Hottentotta stockwelliHottentotta tamulus (Fabricius, 1798) and Hottentotta songi (Lourenço, Qi et Zhu, 2005) n. comb., which is herein demonstrated to be a member of Hottentotta and is thus formally transferred to this genus.

Reference:
Teruel R, Rein JO. A new Hottentotta Birula, 1908 from Afghanistan, with a note on the generic position of Mesobuthus songi Lourenco, Qi & Zhu, 2005 (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2010 (94):1-8. [Free fulltext]

Family Buthidae