Three new articles with new fossil taxa from Cretaceous amber of Myanmar

Scorpions are rare among the arthropods fossilized in amber, but several species have been described from Dominican and Baltic amber. Wilson Lourenco has now published three new papers with several new taxa based on scorpions found in Cretaceous amber of Myanmar.

Please note that the The Scorpion Files only lists extant taxa.

Abstract 1:
A fossil scorpion belonging to a new subfamily, Archaeoscorpiopinae subfam. nov., and to a new genus and species, Archaeoscorpiops cretacicus gen. n., sp. n., is described from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma). This is the seventh species and the eighth fossil of scorpions to be described from Burmese amber. In addition to the previously described families and subfamilies (Electrochaerilinae, Chaerilobuthidae and Palaeotrilineatidae), the description of the new subfamily Archaeoscorpiopinae subfam. nov., provides further evidence about the phylogenetic position of certain Burmese Cretaceous amber scorpions and attests to a considerable degree of diversity in the Burmese amber-producing forests.

Abstract 2:
The study of four new scorpion specimens from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma) lead to the description of three new species and to the clarification of the status of the genus Palaeoburmesebuthus Lourenço, the first scorpion described from Burmese amber. To present, ten species and twelve fossil scorpions have been described from Burmese amber. This attests to a considerable degree of diversity in the Burmese amber-producing forests.

Abstract 3:
The study of a new scorpion specimen from the Cretaceous amber of Myanmar (Burma) lead to the description of one new genus and species belonging to the subfamily Palaeoburmesebuthinae Lourenço, 2015. The new descriptions bring also further elements to the clarification of the status of this subfamily, proposed in the previous note of this volume. The new descriptions attest once again to the considerable degree of diversity in the Burmese amber-producing forests.

Reference 1:
Lourenco WR. A new subfamily, genus and species of fossil scorpions from cretaceous Burmese amber (Scorpiones: Palaeoeuscorpiidae). Beiträge zur Araneaologie. 2015;9:457–64.

Reference 2:
Lourenco WR. Clarification of the familiar status of the genus Palaeoburmesebuthus Lourenço, 2002 from cretaceous Burmese amber (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae: Palaeoburmesebuthinae). Beitraege zur Araneologie. 2015;9:465–75.

Reference 3:
Lourenco WR, Beigel A. A new genus and species of Palaeoburmesebuthinae Lourenço, 2015 (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae) from cretaceous amber of Myanmar. Beitraege zur Araneologie. 2015;9:476–80.

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me these papers!

A new species of Protoiurus found in a cave in Turkey

Ersen Yagmur and co-workers have recently discovered a new species of Protoiurus Soleglad, Fet, Kovarik & Yagmur, 2012 (Iuridae) from the Hıdırellez Cave, Antalya, Turkey.

Protoiurus kumlutasi Yagmur, Soleglad, Fet & Kovarik 2015

 The new species have only been found inside (and around the cave opening), but lacks troglomorphic characteristics.

Abstract:
A new iurid species, Protoiurus kumlutasi sp. nov. is described from the Hıdırellez Cave, located in the coastal southwestern Antalya Province, Turkey. This species was collected both inside and at the entrance of the cave, and does not exhibit any troglomorphic characteristics. Its closest relative is P. kraepelini, which shares the distinctive shape of pedipalp chela in mature males. The new species can be distinguished from P. kraepelini, however, by its hemispermatophore, which conforms to subtype 1a. Additional hemispermatophores were analyzed from several specimens of P. kraepelini collected in close proximity to its type locality, further endorsing existence of unique subtype 1b in this species. The description of the new species brings the number of species in the genus Protoiurus to six.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Soleglad ME, Fet V, Kovarik F. Etudes on Iurids, VIII. A New Protoiurus Species from the Hıdırellez Cave in Antalya, Turkey (Scorpiones: Iuridae). Euscorpius. 2015 (200):1-25. [Open Access]

Family Iuridae

A new buthid genus and species from Ghana

Andrea Rossi and Wilson Lourenco have discovered a new genus and species in the family Buthidae from the Tamale Region in Ghana.

Microananteroides Rossi & Lourenço, 2015 (New genus)

Microananteroides mariachiarae Rossi & Lourenço, 2015 (New species)

Abstract:
A new genus and species of buthid scorpion, associated with the ‘Ananteris group’ are described from the region of Tamale in Ghana. The new genus shows affinities with the genus Ananteroides Borelli, 1911 but can be clearly diagnosticated by a number of particular characters. This new scorpion taxon may represent an endemic element to the Western region of Africa.

Reference:
Rossi A, Lourenco WR. New comments on the scorpions belonging to the ‘Ananteris group’ and description of a new genus and species from Ghana (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Onychium. 2015;11:3-9. [Open Access]

Thanks to Andrea Rossi for sending me this paper!

Family Buthidae

New species in the rare genus Alloscorpiops from Vietnam

The members of the genus Alloscorpiops Vachon, 1980 (Euscorpiidae) are scarce and several of the species are found in caves systems. Wilson Lourenco and Din-Sac Pham have now discovered a new species in this genus from a cave in the Song Thanh Nature Reserve, Cha Vanh Commune, Nam Giang District in Vietnam. The only specimen found were located 60 meters inside the cave.

Alloscorpiops troglodytes Lourenco & Pham, 2015

In the same paper, Alloscorpiops lindstroemii (Thorell, 1889) is restored from synonymy.

The paper has an identification key for the genus.

Abstract:
Among the genera of the subfamily Scorpiopinae Kraepelin, 1905 Alloscorpiops remains rather discrete. Only recently new species were added to this genus, increasing its number from two to five. Therefore, species of Alloscorpiops remain rare. One remarkable new species, Alloscorpiops troglodytes sp. n., is described on the basis of a single male specimen collected inside a cave from Song Thanh Nature Reserve, Cha Vanh Commune, Nam Giang District in Vietnam. The new species presents most features exhibited by scorpions of the genus Alloscorpiops, but it is characterized by reduced size, slender body and elongated pedipalps. This new scorpion taxon represents the third species of Scorpiopinae discovered in a cave system, and may be another endemic element in the fauna of Vietnam.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Pham D-S. A remarkable new species of Alloscorpiops Vachon, 1980 from a cave in Vietnam (Scorpiones, Euscorpiidae, Scorpiopinae). ZooKeys. 2015;500:73-82. [Open Access]

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me this paper!

Family Euscorpiidae

A major revision with many changes in the genus Pandinus

The genus Pandinus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpionidae) was revised by Kovarik in 2009 and there have been several new species described in the last years. Andrea Rossi has now published a major revision of this genus, which includes some of the largest scorpions in Africa.

Previous subgenera in Pandinus have been elevated to genus status and seven new species have been described. Below you can find the new genera and the species attached to the new genera.

Pandinoides Fet, 1997 New status
P. cavimanus (Pocock, 1888)
P. platycheles Werner, 1916

Pandinops Birula, 1913 New status
P. bellicosus (L. Koch, 1875)
P. colei (Pocock, 1896)
P. eritreaensis Kovarik, 2003*
P. hawkeri Pocock, 1900
P. peeli Pocock, 1900
P. pococki Kovarik, 2000*

Pandinopsis Vachon, 1974 New status
P. dictator (Pocock, 1888)

Pandinurus Fet, 1997 New status
P. arabicus (Kraepelin, 1894)
P. awashensis Kovarik, 2012*
P. bartolozzii Rossi, 2015* New species from the Democratic Republic of Congo
P. exitialis (Pocock, 1888)
P. flagellicauda Rossi, 2015* New species from the Democratic Republic of Congo
P. gregoryi (Pocock, 1896)
P. janae Rossi, 2015* New species from Yemen
P. lorenzoi Rossi, 2015* New species from Tanzania
P. lowei Kovarik, 2012*
P. magrettii Borelli, 1901
P. meidensis Karsch, 1879
P. nistriae Rossi, 2014*
P. pallidus (Kraepelin, 1894)
P. pantinii Rossi, 2015* New species from Malawi
P. percivali Pocock, 1902
P. prendinii Rossi, 2015* New species from South Africa
P. pygmaeus Rossi, 2015* New species from the Democratic Republic of Congo
P. somalilandus Kovarik, 2012*
P. sudanicus Hirst, 1911*
P. vachoni Rossi, 2014*
P. viatoris (Pocock, 1890) 

Pandinus Thorell, 1876
P. boschisi Caporiacco, 1937 (nomen dubium, incertae sedis)
P. camerounensis Lourenço, 2014*
P. gambiensis Pocock, 1899
P. imperator (C. L. Koch, 1841)
P. mazuchi Kovarik, 2011*
P. phillipsii (Pocock, 1896)
P. roeseli (Simon, 1872)*
P. smithi (Pocock, 1899)
P. trailini Kovarik, 2013*
P. ugandaensis Kovarik, 2011*
P. ulderigoi Rossi, 2014*

New subgenera have been described for the new genus Pandinurus (se abstract for details).

The article is in Italian, but has an English abstract (please note that the info on P. lorenzoi Rossi, 2015, the new species from Tanzania, is missing from the English abstract.

The paper has identification keys for he genera and all species.

Abstract:
On the subgenera of Pandinus Thorell, 1876 with revision of the genus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n., including the descriptions of seven new species and three new subgenera (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). The historical five subgenera of the genus Pandinus (Pandinoides, Pandinops, Pandinopsis, Pandinurus and Pandinus) are raised to genera, according to morphological evidences, but also on the basis of to previous phylogenetic and molecular studies. The highly polymorphic genus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n. is revised and split into four subgenera (Pandinurus Fet, 1997, Pandipalpus subgen. n., Pandicaporiaccous subgen. n. and Pandiborellius subgen. n.) and counts now 21 species. Seven new species of the genus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n. are described: Pandinurus (Pandipalpus) bartolozzii n. sp., Pandinurus (Pandipalpus) flagellicauda n. sp. and Pandinurus (Pandipalpus) pygmaeus n. sp. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pandinurus
(Pandipalpus) pantinii n. sp. from Malawi, Pandinurus (Pandinurus) prendinii n. sp. from South Africa and Pandinurus (Pandicaporiaccous) janae n. sp. from Yemen. A neotype is hereby designated for the species Pandinurus (Pandiborellius subgen. n.) magrettii (Borelli, 1901) comb. n. because the original syntypes are considered lost. A distributional map is given for the species of the genus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n. according to the taxonomical emendations. Besides an identification key is given to distinguish the genera Pandinoides, Pandinops, Pandinopsis, Pandinurus and Pandinus and to distinguish the four subgenera and the 21 species of the genus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n.

Reference:
Rossi A: Sui sottogeneri di Pandinus Thorell, 1876 con revisione del genere Pandinurus Fet, 1997 stat. n. e descrizione di sette nuove specie e tre nuovi sottogeneri (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Onychium 2015; 11:10-66. [Open Access]

Thanks to Andrea Rossi for sending me the article!

Family Scorpionidae

Two new species of Euscorpius from Central-Western Greece

As seen in previous blog postings, the scorpion fauna of Europe is increasing. This is especially the case for the genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae). The existence of cryptic species complexes and lack of specimens from many areas have made the progress of research into this interesting genus slow. Gioele Tropea and Victor Fet have now published two new species from Central-Western Greece, increasing the number of species in this country to 21.

Euscorpius giachinoi Tropea & Fet, 2015

Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015

Abstract:
Two new Euscorpius species are described, based on specimens collected by P.M. Giachino & D. Vailati in central-western Greece in neighboring Aitoloakarnania (Western Greece) and Fokida (Central Greece) regional units. No Euscorpius specimens were previously available from this area. The first new species, Euscorpius giachinoi sp. n., is very similar to a recently described E. birulai Fet et al., 2014 from Euboea Island, and is also characterized by a low trichobothrial count (Pv = 7, et = 5), a low pectinal teeth count (Dp = 7 in males, 6 in females), and long-limbed features. The second species, E. vailatii sp. n., is widely found in the studied area, and it is characterized by a high trichobothrial and pectinal teeth count (Pv = 9–11, et = 6–8; Dp = 9–10 in males, 7–8 in females).

Reference:
Tropea G, Fet V. Two New Euscorpius Species from Central-Western Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2015 (199):1-16. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae

The medical risk of Hottentotta saulcyi

Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1828) (Buthidae) is distributed in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and Turkey. Ersen Yagmur and co-workers have conducted a study to determinate if this species is potentially medical important in Turkey.

A LD50 value of 0.73 mg/kg was determinated, and based on the lethal potency in mice, it is concluded that H. saulcyi must be considered a risk for humans in the southeastern regions of Turkey.

Abstract:
Background: In this study, we investigated the lethal potency, electrophoretic protein pattern and in vivo effects of Hottentotta saulcyi scorpion venom in mice.
Methods: Scorpions were collected at night, by using a UV lamp from Mardin Province, Turkey. Venom was obtained from mature H. saulcyi scorpions by electrical stimulation of the telson. The lethality of the venom was determined by i.v. injections using Swiss mice. In vivo effects of the venom were assessed by using the intraperitoneal route (ip) injections into mice (20±1g) and monitored for 24 h. The protein profiles of the scorpion venom were analyzed by NuPAGE® Novex® 4–12 % gradient Bis-Tris gel followed by Coomassie blue staining.
Results: The lethal assay of the venom was 0.73 mg/kg in mice. We determined the electrophoretic protein pattern of this scorpion venom to be 4, 6, 9, 31, 35, 40, 46 and 69 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Analysis of electrophoresis indicated that H. saulcyi scorpion intoxicated mice exhibited autonomic nervous system symptoms (tachypnea, restlessness, hyperexcitability, convulsions, salivation, lacrimation, weakness).
Conclusions: Hottentotta saulcyi scorpion venom includes short-chain neurotoxins and long-chain neurotoxins according to the electrophoretic protein patterns. The stings of H. saulcyi scorpion must be considered of risk for humans in the southeastern region, Turkey.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Ozkan O, Karaer KZ. Determination of the median lethal dose and electrophoretic pattern of Hottentotta saulcyi (Scorpiones, Buthidae) scorpion venom. Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases. 2015;9(2):238-45. [Open Access]