24 June, 2010

Scorpions of Iran - Part VI - with a new Hottentotta

Part VI of a major review of the scorpions of Iran has been published in issue 99 of the journal Euscorpius.

The paper list 10 species (five new records) in three families from the Lorestan Province and their distribution. A new species in the genus Hottentotta is described:

Hottentotta lorestanus Navidpour, Nayebzadeh, Soleglad, Fet, Kovarik & Kayedi, 2010 (Buthidae)

An identification key for the species in the province is given. Good color photos are presented for the Hottentotta species and also some habitat pictures.

Abstract:
Ten species of scorpions belonging to three families are reported from the Lorestan Province of Iran. Of these, five species are recorded from the province for the first time: Hottentotta zagrosensis Kovařík, 1997; Mesobuthus eupeus phillipsii (Pocock, 1889); Orthochirus iranus Kovařík, 2004; Razianus zarudnyi (Birula, 1903) ; and Scorpio maurus townsendi (Pocock, 1900). One new species is described, Hottentotta lorestanus sp. n.; it can be easily distinguished from the other four species of the genus known from Iran by its coloration; it is the only Iranian species which has the entire pedipalps yellow and the metasomal segments I to IV greenish gray. Also presented is a key to all species of scorpions found in the province.

Reference:
Navidpour S, Nayebzadeh HH, Soleglad ME, Fet V, Kovarik F, Kayedi MH. Scorpions of Iran (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part VI. Lorestan Province. Euscorpius. 2010(99):1-23. [Fulltext freely available]

Family Buthidae
Family Scorpionidae
Family Hemiscorpiidae

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