A new troglobitic, cave-dwelling scorpion from Vietnam

Wilson Lourenco and Din-Sac Pham have discovered another fantastic cave-dwelling scorpion from Vietnam belonging to the enigmatic family Pseudochactidae.

Vietbocap thienduongensis Lourenco & Pham, 2012

The new species is a true troglobite (e.g. lacking eyes and pigmentation among other traits) and was collected 2200 meters from the cave entrance of the Thien Duong cave (Vom cave system in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park). This is actually a new distance record from a cave entrance for a scorpion!

Interestingly, this cave is totally isolated from the cave where Vietbocap canhi Lourenço & Pham, 2010 was discovered.

Abstract:
A second species of scorpion belonging to the family Pseudochactidae and to the genus Vietbocap is described from two specimens collected in the Thien Duong cave, which belongs to the Vom cave system, in the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Like the previously described species of Vietbocap, the new species is also a true troglobitic element, the second known for the family Pseudochactidae. This represents the fourth known record of a pseudochactid, and the second from Vietnam.

Reference:
Lourenço WR, Pham D-S. A second species of Vietbocap Lourenço & Pham, 2010 (Scorpiones: Pseudochactidae) from Vietnam. Comptes Rendus Biologies. 2012;335(1):80-5. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for informing me about this paper!

Family Pseudochactidae