Dangerous scorpions in Mexico and how to identify them

In the end of 2016, Javier Ponce-Saavedra and co-workers published a paper on scorpions of medical importance in Mexico. Mexico has many dangerous species, and the paper has an identification guide for species of medical importance, partly illustrated with good quality pictures. Data on distribution within Mexico is also presented. The paper also has epidemiological data for serious scorpion incidents from 1997 to 2015.

The article is in Spanish.

Abstract:
Scorpionism is one of the most important public health issues in Mexico. Intoxication by scorpion sting is in the first place among illnesses by poisonous animals and it is among the top twenty causes of mortality in the country, and in some states it is even among the top ten. An analysis of morbidity for the laps 2006-2015, and mortality during 1997-2013, by scorpion sting, is presented using data from Mexican health authorities. For each state the responsible scorpion species are reviewed, along with morbidity and mortality records. An identification key for species of medical importance in Mexico is included.

Reference:

Ponce-Saavedra J, Francke OF, Quijano-Ravell AF, Santillan RC. Alacranes (Arachnida: Scorpiones) de importancia para la salud pública en México. Folia Entomológica Mexicana (nueva serie). 2016;2(3):45-70. [Open Access]


Thanks to Dr. Oscar F. Francke for sending me this article!

A new species of Grosphus from Madagascar

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have recently described a new species of Grosphus Simon, 1880 from northern Madagascar.

Grosphus ganzhorni Lourenco, Wilme & Waeber, 2016

Abstract:
A new species, associated with Grosphus annulatus Fage, 1929, is described from the Akarana Massif in the north of Madagascar. Some comments on biogeographical aspects linking the new species with its possible vicariant are also included.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Wilme L, Waeber PO. One more vicariant new species of Grosphus Simon, 1880 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Madagascar. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2016(29):45-50. [Subscription required for full text]

Family Buthidae

A new species of Opisthacanthus from South-East Madagascar

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have investigated new hormurid materials from Madagascar and a new species of Opisthacanthus Peters, 1861 (Hormuridae) has been described from the Lavasoa forest in south-eastern Madagascar..

Opisthacanthus lavasoa Lourenco, Wilme & Waeber, 2016

The geographic distribution, biogeography and ecology of the Malagasy species of Opisthacanthus  is also discussed.

Abstract:
A new species, Opisthacanthus lavasoa sp. n., is described from the Lavasoa Forest, in south-eastern Madagascar. The new species shows affinities with both Opisthacanthus madagascarensis Kraepelin, 1894, known from the western portion of the island, and Opisthacanthus ambanja Lourenco, 2014, known only from the extreme north of the island. The new species and O. madagascarensis have similar external morphologies, whereas with O. ambanja the new species shares a similar morphology of the hemispermathophores. Moreover, O. madagascarensis is exclusively found in spiny forest thickets and svannah-like formations, whereas the new species was found in a humid forest. The total number of species in Madagascar is now raised to eleven.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Wilme L, Waeber PO. One more new species of Opisthcanthus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Hormuridae) from the Lavasoa Forest, South-Eastern Madagascar. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2016(29):9-17. [Subscription required for full text]

Family Hormuridae

The true taxonomic identity of Centruroides tenuis from Hispaniola, Greater Antilles

The title is "stolen" from a recent paper by Rolando Teruel. In this, paper the taxonomic status of Centruroides tenuis Thorell, 1876 and Centruroides zayasi Armas, 1976 from the Caribbean is investigated. The conclusion is that C. tenuis is a valid species and that C. zayasi is a junior synonym of the former.

Abstract:
The precise taxonomic identity of two taxa, Centruroides tenuis (Thorell, 1876) and Centruroides zayasi Armas, 1976, which has been the subject of prolonged controversy, is finally clarified. The study of three syntypes of the first taxon and the holotype of the second taxon has revealed that the syntypes correspond to two species which are the second taxon’s potential junior synonyms, Centruroides marcanoi Armas, 1981 and C. zayasi. One of the syntypes, the best preserved female adult, is here designated as the lectotype of C. tenuis. Consequently, the following nomenclatural change is proposed: Centrurus tenuis Thorell, 1876 = Centruroides zayasi Armas, 1976, syn. nov.

Reference:
Teruel R. The true taxonomic identity of Centruroides tenuis (Thorell, 1876) and Centruroides zayasi Armas, 1976 (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2016(29):91-3. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Rolando for sending me his article!

Family Buthidae

Centruroides platnicki discovered in Hispaniola, Greater Antilles

Teruel & Seiter have recently reported about the discovery of the buthid Centruroides platnicki Armas 1981 (Buthidae) in the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. C. platnicki has probably been collected from the island in the past, but have been misidentified as Centruroides nitidus (Thorell, 1876).

Abstract:
The Buthid scorpion Centruroides platnicki Armas 1981 is recorded for the first time from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The species was so far known only from the southern Bahamas (including the Turks and Caicos Islands). Numerous adult and juvenile specimens of both sexes were found at two localities of Montecristi province (north-western Dominican Republic), always in desert vegetation on alluvial clayey soils.

Reference:
Teruel R, Seiter M. Centruroides platnicki Armas, 1981 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), a new addition to the scorpion fauna of Hispaniola, Greater Antilles. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2016(29):76-8. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Rolando for sending me their article!

New data on the distribution of two buthid species from India

India hosts at least 117 species (according to Scorpiones.pl), but the scorpion fauna in this large and diverse country is far from thoroughly investigated. K. Aswathi and co-workers have now published an article with new distributional data for the buthids Buthoscorpio indicus Lourenço, 2012 and Lychas biharensis Tikader & Bastawade, 1983.

Abstract:
Among the genera of the family Buthidae, the genus Buthoscorpio remains rare. Only five species have so far been reported from the world. Two species, Buthoscorpio indicus Lourenço, 2012 and Lychas biharensis Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 were collected from a tiger reserve forest in Odisha State, India. Since both species were only previously known from their type locality, the present study reveals new distributional records for both species outside their type locality. The male of the first species is described.

Reference:
Aswathi K, Sureshan PM, Lourenco WR. New distributional records of two scorpion species (scorpiones: Buthidae) with the description of the male Buthoscorpio indicus Lourenço, 2012 from Odisha, India. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2016(29):37-40.

Thanks to Dr. Aswathi for sending me their article!

First report of parthenogenesis in the family Vaejovidae.

Richard Ayrey described Serradigitus miscionei (Vaejovidae) in 2011, but was not able to find any males. Now he has examined 187 specimens and all turned out to be females. In 15 examined broods, all 2nd instars were found to be females.This provides a strong evidence that this species reproduces by thelytokous parthenogenesis (has all-female broods).

This is the first reported case of parthenogenesis in the family Vaejovidae.

Abstract:
Thelytokous parthenogenesis (all-female broods) is strongly suggested for the vaejovid species Serradigitus miscionei (Vaejovidae) from southern Arizona, USA. This conclusion is based on the examination of 187 specimens and 15 broods, all determined as females.

Reference:
Ayrey RF. Serradigitus miscionei, the First Vaejovid Scorpion to Exhibit Parthenogenesis. Euscorpius. 2017(241):1-7. [Open Access]