Scorpions of Bahia State, Brazil

Tiago Porto and co-workers have written a review on the scorpion fauna in the state of Bahia in northeastern Brazil.

Abstract:
We report herein an updated and commented list of scorpions occurring in state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Data comprising a period of 100 years (1908-2008) were obtained from seven major Brazilian collections. Twenty eight species were identified and grouped in seven genera (Bothriurus Peters, 1861, Ananteris Thorell, 1891, Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, Physoctonus Mello-Leitão, 1934, Rhopalurus Thorell, 1876, Tityus C.L.Koch, 1836 and Troglorhopalurus Lourenço, Baptista and Giupponi, 2004) and two families (Bothriuridae Simon, 1880 and Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837). This new list increases in 50 % the known scorpiofauna of Bahia, which now represents approximately 22 % of the Brazilian species, recorded in all biomes and phytophysiognomies from the coastal zone to high altitude areas (3-1,268 m). Seven species are endemic to Bahia and three of them could be included in the Brazilian National Red List, which would promote action plans towards their conservation.

Reference:
Porto TJ, Brazil TK, Lira-da-Silva M. Scorpions, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Check List. 2010;6(2):292-7. [Free fulltext]

Thanks to Tiago Porto for sending me this paper!

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!

A new Euscorpiops from China

Zhi-Young Di and co-workers have recently published yet another new species from China:

Euscorpiops puerensis Di, Wu, Cao, Xiao & Li, 2010 (Euscorpiidae)

The paper also lists all reported Euscorpiops from China and their distribution. An identification key for the genus' species in China is also presented.

Abstract:
A catalogue of Chinese species of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980 is provided. There are 10 species in total, none of them was recorded from China in “Catalog of the Scorpions of the World” (Fet et al., 2000). A new species, E. puerensis sp. nov. from southern Yunnan is described and illustrated. E. puerensis sp. nov. is characterized by having 18 external trichobothria (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 5 et), and 10 or 11 ventral trichobothria in the pedipalp patella; chela with a length/width ratio average of 2.7 on males and females; pedipalp chela fingers on adult females and males scalloped; pectinal teeth count 7–8; pectinal fulcra present.

Reference:
Di Z-Y, Wu Y-L, Cao Z-J, Xiao H, Li W-X. A catalogue of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Scorpiopinae) from China, with description of a new species. Zootaxa. 2010(2477):49-61. [Free fultext]

Thanks to Zhi-Young Di for sending me the paper!

Family Euscorpiidae

A new Lychas from India

Zeeshan Mirza and Rajesh Sanap have recently published a new species in the genus Lychas (Buthidae) from India:

Lychas aareyensis Mirza & Sanap, 2010

Abstract:
A new species of buthid scorpion belonging to the genus Lychas C.L. Koch, 1845 is described from the degraded scrub of Aarey Milk Colony (Mumbai). Lychas aareyensis sp. nov. is similar to L. nigristernis, but can be differentiated based on a combination of morphological characters. Notes on natural history are also presented.

Reference:
Mirza ZA, Sanap RV. Description of a new species of scorpion of the genus Lychas C. L. Koch, 1845 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Maharashtra, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 2010;2(4):789-96. [Free fulltext]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this paper!

Family Buthidae

A major revision of Iurus is published

Frantisek Kovarik, Victor Fet, Michael Soleglad and Ersen Yagmur have now published a major revision of the genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Iuridae). After examining a large number of specimens from Greece and Turkey they have reached the following conclusions:

Iurus asiaticus Birula, 1903 are raised to species status. This species is limited to the eastern Anatolian mountains.

Iurus dufoureius (Brullé, 1832) is restricted to mainland Greece and the islands of Crete, Kythira and Gavdos.

Iurus kadleici Kovarik, Fet, Soleglad & Yagmur, 2010 is a new species restricted to Antalya and Mersin Provinces.

Iurus kinzelbachi Kovarik, Fet, Soleglad & Yagmur, 2010 is a new species that occupy a limited range in western Anatolia. Interestingly, this species seems to be more related to the Greek Iurus dufoureius than the other Turkish species.

Iurus kraepelini von Ubisch, 1922 is restored from synonymi with Iurus dufoureius asiaticus and given species status. Most of the southern Anatolian populations belong to this species.

In addition to the systematics of Iurus, this extensive paper also provides information about reproduction, breeding, embryo morphology, ecology and biogeography.

Because of the size of this paper, the Publisher provides an option to download the paper in parts in addition the whole paper in one file (80 mb).

Abstract:
This revision is based on a comprehensive analysis of largely new, very extensive material encompassing 341 specimens (58 from Greece and 283 from Turkey). The type species Iurus dufoureius (Brullé, 1832) is restricted to Greece. Iurus asiaticus Birula, 1903 is confirmed as a distinct species, limited to eastern Anatolia. Most widespread in southern Turkey is another species, Iurus kraepelini von Ubisch, 1922, which is here restored from synonymy. We also describe two new species from Turkey: Iurus kadleci, sp. nov. from Antalya and Mersin Provinces (sympatric with I. kraepelini), and Iurus kinzelbachi, sp. nov. from İzmir and Aydın Provinces; therefore, fauna of Turkey includes four species of Iurus. Neotypes of I. dufoureius and I. kraepelini, and lectotype and paralectotypes of I. asiaticus are designated. Status of Iurus populations from the eastern Aegean islands of Greece (Fourni, Karpathos, Kasos, Rhodes, Samos, Saria) remains to be determined. A map of the distribution of Iurus is presented, based on 198 localities (79 in Greece and 119 in Turkey).

Reference:
Kovarik F, Fet V, Soleglad ME, Yagmur EA. Etudes on iurids, III. Revision of the genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), with a description of two new species from Turkey. Euscorpius. 2010(95):1-212. [Free fulltext. Go to issue 95 to download paper in parts or in one file]

Family Iuridae

Courtship and mating in Scorpiops luridus

Jiao & Zhu has studied courtship and mating in Scorpiops luridus Zhu, Lourenco & Qi, 2005 (Euscorpiidae) and have now published a description of the behavior components involved.

Abstract:
In the current work, the courtship and mating of Scorpiops luridus Zhu Lourenço & Qi, 2005 (Euscorpiidae) from Xizang province (Tibet), China, were studied for the first time in the laboratory. Most of the mating behaviors in Scorpiops luridus are not remarkably different from those exhibited by other scorpions. However, for the first time a male pulling a female with its chelicerae to rapidly accomplish the sperm uptake was observed. Additionally, the sexual stinging behavior displayed by the male occurred in the initial stage, not during the promenade stage as previously described in several scorpion species. Through observation and analysis, we speculate that venom injection during sexual stinging is selective, possibly relying on the status shown by the stung scorpion (passive or aggressive). In order to clearly describe the process of courtship and mating, both sequences are represented in a flow chart, while the main behavior components of these processes were identified, analyzed and discussed.

Reference:
Jiao GB, Zhu MS. Courtship and mating of Scorpiops luridus Zhu, Lourenco & Qi, 2005 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Xizang Province, China. Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins. 2010;16(1):155-65. [Free fulltext]

Family Euscorpiidae

Sensory processing in scorpion peg sensilla

Douglas Gaffin is the leading man in scorpion sensory physiology and he has now published an analysis of sensory processing in scorpion peg sensilla.

Abstract:
Primary chemosensory afferents within each peg sensillum on scorpion pectines contain a dense plexus of synaptic contacts of unknown importance to informational processing within this simple sensory structure. These connections probably contribute to the processing of chemical signals from the substrate to the encoded pattern of spike activity ascending the pectinal nerves to the CNS. A key finding of earlier studies of this system was the apparent existence of strong and longlasting inhibitory interactions between one identifiable unit – type ‘‘B’’ cells – and at least two other sensory neurons – identified as ‘‘A1’’ and ‘‘A2’’ – cells within the same sensillum. Because peripheral synaptic interactions are rarely observed between primary sensory neurons, it is important to reject the alternative non-synaptic mechanism to account for the unusual spike waveform of inhibitory B units, namely, that it is derived from coincident discharge of the A1 and A2 units it is presumed to inhibit. High resolution waveform analysis of two or more units firing in close temporal proximity (within about 5 ms) showed unequivocally that type B units occur within the post excitatory period when the A units would be refractory to re-excitation. Furthermore, the number of these B/A1 or B/A2 doublets was in line with the number predicted for the observed spontaneous firing frequency of the B, A1, and A2 units in the peg. This analysis corroborates the original conclusion that B unit activity is the electrophysiological signature of an inhibitory processing event, one that strikingly transforms the information encoded and passed from each peg sensillum to the central nervous system.

Reference:
Gaffin DD. Analysis of sensory processing in scorpion peg sensilla. Journal of Arachnology. 2010;38(1):1-8. [Subscription required for fulltext, but free fulltext after 12 months].