16 September, 2015

Growth and maturation of a male Alloscorpiops wongpromi


Members of the Asian genus Alloscorpiops Vachon, 1980 (Euscorpiidae) are rare in collections and many species descriptions are based on one or a few specimens. Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers have now published a redescription of the male Alloscorpiops wongpromi Kovarik, Soleglad & Kosulic, 2013 based on a specimen raised in captivity.

The status of Alloscorpiops troglodytes Lourenço & Pham, 2015 is also discussed.

Abstract:
An adult male of Alloscorpiops wongpromi Kovařík et al., 2013  was raised from birth, and its five exuviae (instars 2  through  6)  were  compared  to  the  resulting  adult.  This  adult  was  contrasted  with  the  original  holotype  male  specimen,  which  was  determined  to  be  only  a  subadult  after  the  fifth  ecdysis.  The  hemispermatophore  of  A.  wongpromi is illustrated and described here for the first time. In addition to morphological analysis we also describe  the  karyotype  of  Alloscorpiops  wongpromi (2n=95).  Based  on  comparative  analysis  of  pectinal  tooth  counts,  it  is  determined that the holotype of  A. troglodytes Lourenço & Pham (2015)  represents a juvenile.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Soleglad ME, Lowe G, Pliskova J, Stahlavsky F. Observations on Growth and Maturation of a Male Alloscorpiops wongpromi (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2015 (206):1-19. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae

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