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