Two new fossil species from Cretaceous Burmese amber

Wilson Lourenco has recently described a couple new fossil species of Betaburmesebuthus Lourenco, 2015 (Arachaeobuthidae) from Cretaceous Burmese amber.

Betaburmesebuthus muelleri Lourenco, 2015

Betaburmesebuthus bidentatus Lourenco, 2015

Abstract:
The study of three new scorpion specimens from Cretacous amber of Myanmar (Burma) leads to the description of two new species in the genus Betaburmesebuthus Lourenco, 2015 bringing further support for the validity of this genus. To date, five species have been described in the subfamily Palaeoburmesebuthinae Lourenco, 2015: two in the genus Palaeoburmesebuthus Lourenco, 2002 and three in the genus Betaburmesebuthus.This further study attests to a considerable diversity in the Burmese amber -producing forests.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. New contribution to the knowledge of Cretaceous Burmese amber scorpions: descrptions of two new species of Betaburmesebuthus Lourenco, 2015 (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae: Palaeoburmesebuthinae). Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2015;1(3):27-36.

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me his article!

A new Euscorpius species from Turkey

Ersen Yagmur and Gioele Tropea have recently described a new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) from southwestern Turkey.

Euscorpius arikani Yagmur & Tropea, 2015

The paper has an identification key for the Euscorpius species in the former "Euscorpius mingrelicus species complex" in Georgia and Turkey.

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Euscorpius arikani sp. n., is described based on specimens collected from Antalya Province, in southwestern Turkey. It is characterized by the trichobothrial series Pe-em = 3, small size, and light to medium brown-reddish colour.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Tropea G. A new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, from southwestern Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2015;1(3):14-26.

Thanks to Ersen Yagmur for sending me this article!

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Vachonus from India

Wilson Lourenco has discovered a new species of Vachonus Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 (Buthidae) from India.

Vachonus inexpectatus Lourenco, 2015

Abstract:
Comments are proposed on the enigmatic genus Vachonus Tikader et Bastawade, 1983. Some new characters bring further evidence to support the validity of this genus. One new species is described on the basis of two adult female specimens collected in the State of Gujarat, E of Ghandinagar, in India.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. New considerations on the enigmatic genus Vachonus Tikader et Bastawade, 1983, with the description of a new species from India (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2015;1(3):2-9.

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me this article!

Family Buthidae

A new species of Buthoscorpio from India

Aswathi, Sureshan and Lourenco has recently published the discovery of a new species of Buthoscorpio Werner, 1936 (Buthidae). This is a rare genus and the new species is the fifth in the genus (three in India and one in Sri Lanka).

Buthoscorpio chinnarensis Awathi, Sureshan & Lourenco, 2015

Abstract:
A new scorpion species of the genus Buthoscorpio Werner, 1936 is described from Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki District, Kerala, India. The new species, Buthoscorpio chinnarensis can be distingued from the other congeners by having (1) carapace with scattered granulation on lateral portions; (2) median eyes situated anteriorly in the ratio 1:2; (3) prominent tubercles present at the basal portion of the pedipalp femur; (4) marginal lamellae of pectines composed of three pieces and middle lamellae comprises seven pieces of sclerites; (5) dorsal carinae present on metasomal segments III–V; (6) subaculear tubercle absent on telson; (7) Pectinal teeth count 14/16 (female paratypes with 17/17 and 16/17 respectively); (8) Metasomal segments I–IV wider than long, segment V longer than wide; (9) arrangement of lateral eyes. After the description of this new species, the total number of known species in the genus is raised to five; four in India and one in Sri Lanka.

Reference:
Aswathi K, Sureshan PM, Lourenco WR. A new scorpion of the genus Buthoscorpio Werner, 1936 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Kerala, India. Taprobanica. 2015;7(4):213-8. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me this article!

Family Buthidae

New fossil scorpion from Mexican amber

Francisco Riquelme and co-workers have recently described a new fossil scorpion from amber found in the Chipas Highlands in southern Mexico.

Tityus apozonelli Riquelme, Villegas & González, 2015 (Buthidae)

Please note that the species is extinct, even though it is placed in an extant genus.

Abstract:
A new species of scorpion is described based on a rare entire adult male preserved in a cloudy amber from Miocene rocks in the Chiapas Highlands, south of Mexico. The amberbearing beds in Chiapas constitute a Conservation Lagerstätte with outstanding organic preservation inside plant resin. The new species is diagnosed as having putative characters that largely correspond with the genus Tityus Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones, Buthidae). Accordingly, it is now referred to as Tityus apozonalli sp. nov. Its previously unclear phylogenetic relationship among fossil taxa of the family Buthidae from both Dominican and Mexican amber is also examined herein. Preliminarily results indicate a basal condition of T. apozonalli regarding to Tityus geratus Santiago-Blay and Poinar, 1988, Tityus (Brazilotityus) hartkorni Lourenço, 2009, and Tityus azari Lourenço, 2013 from Dominican amber, as was Tityus (Brazilotityus) knodeli Lourenço, 2014 from Mexican amber. Its close relationships with extant Neotropic Tityus-like subclades such as ‘Tityus clathratus’ and the subgenus Tityus (Archaeotityus) are also discussed. This new taxon adds to the knowledge of New World scorpions from the Miocene that are rarely found trapped in amber.

Reference:
Riquelme F, Villegas-Guzman G, Gonzalez-Santillan E, Cordova-Tabares V, Francke OF, Piedra-Jimenez D, et al. New Fossil Scorpion from the Chiapas Amber Lagerstatte. PLoS One. 2015;10(8):e0133396. [Open Access]

Thanks to Oscar Francke for sending me this article!

A new species of Uroplectes from South Africa

Lorenzo Prendini has recently described a new species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Buthidae) from the Karoo Biome in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa.

Uroplectes ansiedippenaarae Prendini, 2015

The new species is one of the smallest species in Africa with adult size between 16 and 20 mm.

Abstract:
The scorpion fauna of southern Africa is very diverse, especially in the arid western half of the subcontinent. New species continue to be discovered as the region is surveyed with ultraviolet light detection methods. The present contribution describes Uroplectes ansiedippenaarae sp. n., which is endemic to the Succulent Karoo Biome in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The new species appears to be most closely related to U. variegatus (C.L. Koch, 1844), which is endemic to the Fynbos Biome in the Western Cape Province. Uroplectes ansiedippenaarae sp. n. is the smallest species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861, and among the smallest scorpion species in southern Africa, with adults ranging from 16–20 mm in total length. The addition of this new species raises the number of Uroplectes species and subspecies in South Africa to 19, and the number of endemics to 10.

Reference:
Prendini L. A remarkably small species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), endemic to the Succulent Karoo of South Africa. African Invertebrates. 2015;56(2):499-513. [Open Access]

Thanks to Rolando Teruel for informing me about this article!

Family Buthidae

A new species of Compsobuthus from Armenia

Wilson Lourenco and Elise Ann-Leguin have recently discovered a new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 from Armenia.

Compsobuthus armenicus Lourenco & Leguin, 2015

Abstract:
Two buthid species previously recorded from Armenia are confirmed: Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) and Mesobuthus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839). Hottentotta saulcyi (Simon, 1880), is recorded for the first time for this country. A new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 is described on the basis of two adult females and three juveniles. From the absence of outer denticles on the movable finger of the pedipalps, the new species is placed in the acutecarinatus group. The new species of Compsobuthus represents the first record of this genus for Armenia.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Leguin E-A. A new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Armenia. Zoology in the Middle East. 2015:1-5. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me this article!

Family Buthidae