A new species of Alpiscorpius from Denizli Province in Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur has recently described a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from near the Çardak District, Denizli Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey. In addition, re-examination of two species in the same region have resulted in two new combinations.

New species:

Alpiscorpius akkayai Yagmur, 2026

New combinations:

Alpiscorpius hakani (Tropea & Yagmur, 2016) [Transferred from Euscorpius Thorell, 1876]

Alpiscorpius honazicus (Tropea, Yagmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis & Yesilyurt, 2016) [Transferred from Euscorpius Thorell, 1876]

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n., is described from near Lake Acıgöl, Çardak District, Denizli Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al. based on the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n. can be readily distinguished from all its congeners by its yellow-orange body and yellow or yellow-orange metasomal colouration; the presence of distinct ventrolateral carinae on metasomal segment V; the presence of seven trichobothria in the Pv series; and five to six trichobothria in the et series. Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n. was collected from a low-altitude locality geographically close to the known distributions of Euscorpius hakani Tropea and Yağmur and Euscorpius honazicus Tropea, Yağmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis and Yeşilyurt. Therefore, the occurrence of this new species in this locality is unexpected. Both species are herein transferred to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al. because they possess three trichobothria in the em series and a reduced number of trichobothria in the Pv series (Pv = 7 and 6, respectively), and the new species is particularly compared to these two species. With the description of this new species and the new combinations Alpiscorpius hakani (Tropea and Yağmur) comb. n. and Alpiscorpius honazicus (Tropea, Yağmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis and Yeşilyurt) comb. n., the number of recognised species of the family Euscorpiidae increases to 26, and the genus Alpiscorpius is now represented by 13 species in Turkey.

Reference:
Yağmur EA. Alpiscorpius akkayai an unexpected new species from Denizli Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Journal of Natural History. 2026;60(29-32):1645–61. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Ersen for informing me about the new species!

Family Euscorpiidae 

Three new species of Scorpiops from India

 

Shubhankar Deshpande and co-workers have recently described three new species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiopidae) from India based on morphological and molecular analysis.

 Scorpiops ketkari Deshpande, Ukale, Bapat, Bastawade, Tang, Gowande & Sulakhe, 2026

 Scorpiops shilavasi Deshpande, Ukale, Bapat, Bastawade, Tang, Gowande & Sulakhe, 2026

 Scorpiops skorupi Deshpande, Ukale, Bapat, Bastawade, Tang, Gowande & Sulakhe, 2026 

Abstract:
The scorpion genus Scorpiops Peters, 1861 exhibits significant diversity and high endemism. Our extensive arachnological surveys, species delimitation analyses and an integrative taxonomic approach revealed three new species of Scorpiops in peninsular India. Furthermore, we tested the phylogenetic placement of Scorpiops pachmarhicus Bastawade, 1992 and give the first description of a male specimen of the species. Additionally, we provide a detailed account of the hemispermatophore morphology in Scorpiops species from the maharashtraensis, satarensis, and tenuicauda clades for the first time.

Reference:
Deshpande S, Ukale S, Bapat S, Bastawade D, Tang V, Gowande G, et al. Beyond morphology alone: species delimitation, hemispermatophore comparisons and comments on the systematic status of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) with a description of three new species from peninsular India. Zoologischer Anzeiger. 2026. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Dr. Deshpande for sending me their article!

Family Scorpiopidae 

A new species of Euscorpius from Montenegro

 

Still enjoying my holiday, but time to start reading all the scorpion articles that have piled up. I'm starting with a recent article by Frantisek Kovarik that describes a new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) from Montenegro. This is the third Euscorpius species from this country.

Euscorpius emae Kovarik, 2026

Abstract:
A new species Euscorpius emae sp. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Montenegro is described, fully complemented with color photographs. E. emae sp. n. is morphologically unique by having yellow to orange color, very narrow metasoma and enlarged chela. Pedipalp patella external trichobothria numbers are 4eb, 4eba, 2esb, 4em, 4est, 5et, and ventral aspect of patella with 9 trichobothria.

Reference:
Kovarik F. Euscorpius emae sp. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), a new scorpion species from Montenegro. Euscorpius. 2026(436):1–7. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae 

Brazilian scorpions in the international pet trade

 

Scorpions are popular pets in many countries. Especially popular are the large members of the family Scorpionidae from Africa and Asia. There is also an increasing interest in species from other families and from other regions.

Brazil has a strict regulation prohibiting collection and export of wildlife, including scorpions. However,  recent study by Kenay Vinicius Lopes de Andrade and Andre Felipe de Araujo Lira shows that several species from five genera from Brazil are available in the international pet trade. Especially worrying is that several medical important species from the genera Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 and Atreus Gervais, 1843* are represented in the pet trade.

The results are based on surveying social media platforms, and the article discuss the consequences of the illegal import and what can be done to stop it.

*Previous subgenera in Tityus raised to species status by Prendini, 2026 with 61 species previously in Tityus - Buthidae 2026 will soon show the new taxonomy for Buthidae. 

Abstract:
Background and Research Aims: The global wildlife trade is a major driver of biodiversity loss, yet invertebrates remain largely overlooked in conservation policy and monitoring. Scorpions are ecologically important tropical arthropods, and Brazil harbors one of the world’s richest and most endemic scorpion faunas. Despite national legislation prohibiting the collection and commercialization of native wildlife, the extent of international online trade in Brazilian scorpions remains undocumented. We aimed to identify Brazilian species involved in the exotic pet trade using publicly accessible online data and to evaluate associated conservation and biosecurity concerns. Methods: We conducted systematic searches of public social media platforms and online marketplaces between January 2020 and December 2024 using Portuguese and English keywords related to scorpion trade. Posts explicitly indicating possession or sale were recorded, including species identity, country, year, and price when available. Results: We compiled 69 records involving nine species across five genera. Most posts originated outside Brazil, particularly in Europe and North America. Medically significant species, including Tityus serrulatus, Tityus stigmurus, and Atreus obscurus, were repeatedly detected. Records spanned more than a decade, indicating persistent international circulation, with only 26% of records including a price, and given prices ranging between US$12 and US$200. Conclusion: Brazilian scorpions are recurrently present in international online trade, representing an overlooked pathway for the circulation of tropical wildlife. Implications for Conservation: Digital trade exposes enforcement gaps and may contribute to unregulated extraction, biosecurity risks, and neglected pressures on tropical invertebrate biodiversity. Integrating invertebrates into wildlife trade monitoring is urgently needed.

Reference:
Lopes de Andrade KV, Lira AFdA. International Online Trade of Brazilian Scorpions: An Overlooked Threat to Tropical Biodiversity. Tropical Conservation Science. 2026;19:1–8. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Andre Lira for keeping me updated on his publications! 

A review of the family Buthidae in Angola with a few taxonomical decisions

 

Frantisek Kovarik has recently publish an overview of the family Buthidae in Angola. In addition to some updates in distribution, several taxonomical decisions are made.

Uroplectes angolensis Kovarik, 2026 [New species]

Uroplectes xavieri Kovarik, 2026 [New species]

Uroplectes monardi Vachon, 1950 [Confirmed species status and raised from subspecies status. This decision cancels the synonymization made by Prendini, 2026]

Uroplectes planimanus kuanyamarus Monard, 1937 [Synonymized with main species]

Uroplectes otjimbinguensis massacarum Monard, 1937  [Synonymized with main species]

Babycurus crassicaudatus Roewer, 1952 [Restored from synonymy with B. ansorgei Roewer, 1952]

The author has a general comment on all the taxonomical changes and synonymies done by Prendini, 2026. 

"Some of the synonymies suggested by Prendini (2026) could be valid (...) However, every individual claim made by Prendini (2026) must be verified by a serious revision rather than accepting his sweeping taxonomic changes. Some of these changes originate from this author‘s "philosophical“" position of "abolishing" categories of subgenus and subspecies in scorpions."

As this is the first published general response to Prendni's major revision, I have include a direct quote of Kovarik's opinion. See also The Scorpion Files latest response to the situation.

Abstract:
All scorpion species of the family Buthidae known from Angola are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Diagnosis of Babycurus ansorgei Hirst, 1911 is revised; its male is described for the first time. Babycurus crassicaudatus Roewer, 1952, is revalidated (it was erroneously synonymized with B. ansorgei, since the females of both species are morphologically almost identical). Uroplectes angolensis sp. n. and U. xavieri sp. n. are described from Angola. Validity of Uroplectes ngangelarum Monard, 1930 is confirmed as different from U. planimanus (Karsch, 1879); its lectotype is designated. Lectotype is also designated for Uroplectes planimanus kuanyamarus Monard, 1937. Females of Uroplectes ebogo Kovařík et al., 2024 are recorded for the first time; its basal pectines are imaged (Fig. 603). Uroplectes machadoi Lourenço, 2000 is for the first time listed from Congo (Brazzaville).

Reference:
Kovarik F. Scorpions of Angola (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part I. Family Buthidae, with descriptions of two new species. Euscorpius. 2026(434):1–86.

Thanks to Frantisek for informing me about his article and for comments regarding the new Prendini revision!

Family Buthidae 

The Scorpion Files is joining the multiverse

 

Most major movie franchises have introduced the concept of multiverse. And now The Scorpion Files follows this trend. 

As previously mentioned, Lorenzo recently published a major revision of the whole scorpion order with a lot of changes. Some changes are fundamental, like removing all subspecies and subgenera and either synonymizing or changing status to the associated taxa. Other changes are based on investigations with justification. 

It is not an exaggeration to say that quite a few scorpion researchers have been negative or skeptical to Prendini's work. But they do not reject all changes, just some of them, and often because of lack of justification and not that the decisions are wrong.

Some researchers have started to publish new articles based on Prendini's scorpion taxonomy and The Scorpion Files has to respond to this. I can't ignore this major work anymore and wait if someone will publish an article rejecting all of Prendini's decisions. This will probably not happen. 

So a temporary solution will be the "multiverse solution". I'm now working on making two versions of every family list in The Scorpion Files. Family pages based on Prendini, 2026 will have "2026" added to the file name (e.g., bothriuridae 2026.php). The "old" family pages will now have a text and a link to the multiverse version:  

The taxonomy of Bothriuridae according to Prendini, 2026 is available here. 

Please not that this is a work in progress and only a few new family pages are finished. I hope that most families will be covered by the end of next week, but the family Buthidae will be finished last because this family have several major changes that will take some time to implement.

Please note that the number of species and genera and some links may not be correct yet in the multiverse pages, but will be fixed during the summer. 

 I wish all of you a nice summer!

Jan Ove Rein
Editor 

PS! The illustration is generated by Chat GPT. 

Reference:Prendini L. All genera of the world: Order Scorpiones (Animalia: Arthropoda: Arachnida). Megataxa. 2026;019(2):270–378. [Open Access]

Offspring growth and development in two buthid scorpions from Azerbaijan

Growth and biological development in scorpions vary between species and their habitat, climate and feeding ecology. Nizami E. Novruzov has recently published a laboratory study of the above in the two buthid species Olivierus caucasicus (Nordmann, 1840) and Mesobuthus eupeus (C.L. Koch, 1839) from Azerbaijan. See abstract and article for details.

Abstract:
The main aspects of offspring growth in two scorpion species – Mesobuthus eupeus and Olivierus caucasicus were studied. The entire reproductive cycle – mating, pregnancy of females, birth of the offspring and their growth until adulthood – took place in laboratory conditions. The duration, rate, and intensity of growth, as well as the dynamics of body weight changes and some metric traits during post-embryonic ontogenesis were studied. The growth of young scorpions was uneven, with growth periods of varying lengths: from larva to third molt – an average of 6.2 months, from the fourth molt to the sixth (imago) – an average of 12.6 months (M. eupeus); and an average of 7.7 and 14.1 months (O. caucasicus). By duration of development, M. eupeus nymphs were ahead of O. caucasicus nymphs: on average by 9.2±2.8 days in early post-larval ontogenesis and by 15.0±3.5 days in late post larval ontogenesis. Of the entire growth cycle, 4/5 occurred during molting, the remaining 1/5 occurred in the periods between molting. Species-specific and sex-specific differences in the dynamics of changes in linear characters and body weight were identified. Sexual dimorphism was also evident in faster development, a greater number of molts, and a longer lifespan in females compared to males. Changes in growth rate and intensity tended to increase at the beginning of development and decrease at the end. Nymphs of both species also showed some decrease in growth rate and weight gain during periods of no feeding activity before molting and during periods chronologically corresponding to their natural diapause in the wild.

Reference:
Novruzov NE. Comparative dynamics of offspring growth in Mesobuthus eupeus (C.L. Koch, 1839) and Olivierus caucasicus (Nordmann, 1840) (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Serket. 2026;21(2):158–74. [Open Access]

Thanks to Hisham El-Hennaway for sending me the article!