Two new Euscorpius species from Greece and a redescription of Euscorpius tauricus

The new year starts with more news about the large European scorpion genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae). More materials from new locations combined with improved methods in genetics have revealed many new species in the last decade.

In a recent paper Gioele Tropea and co-workers described two new species from the Cyclades Islands, Greece:

Euscorpius amorgensis Tropea, Fet, Parmakelis, Kotsakiozi & Stathi, 2017 (Amorgos Island)

Euscorpius curcici Tropea, Fet, Parmakelis, Kotsakiozi & Stathi, 2017 (Ios and Sikinos Islands)

In addition, investigations revealed that the previous endemic Ukrain Euscorpius tauricus (C. L. Koch, 1837), actually is also found in Cyclades Islands (Greece) and northwestern Anatolia (Turkey). E. tauricus is redescribed. These investigations have also caused the following synonymizations:

Euscorpius rahsenae Yağmur & Tropea, 2013 and Euscorpius carpathicus aegaeus Di Caporiacco, 1950 are both synonymized with E. tauricus (C. L. Koch, 1837).

Abstract:
Euscorpius tauricus (C. L. Koch, 1837) was previously known only from the Crimea Peninsula, Ukraine. We report an unexpected presence of this species in the Cyclades Islands (Greece) and northwestern Anatolia (Turkey). In addition we designate a neotype for this species. We synonymize Euscorpius carpathicus aegaeus Di Caporiacco, 1950 syn. n., from Antiparos Island and Euscorpius rahsenae Yağmur et Tropea, 2013 syn. n., from Anatolia, with E. tauricus. In addition, we describe two new species related to E. tauricus, from the Cyclades Islands: E. curcici sp. n., from Ios and Sikinos Islands, and E. amorgensis sp. n., from Amorgos Island. Identity and level of divergence of these taxa is confirmed by multiple DNA markers.

Reference:
Tropea G, Fet V, Parmakelis A, Kotsakiozi P, Stathi I. Redescription of Euscorpius tauricus (C.L. Koch, 1837), with the description of two new related species from Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Ecol Mont. 2017;7:614-38. [Open Access]

Thanks to Gioele Tropea for sending me their paper!

Family Euscorpiidae