A major review of the genus Pandinus Sensu Lato and new species from the Horn of Africa

In the last years several there have been several studies on the genus Pandinus Sensu Lato and several new genera and species have been described. In October, 2016, Lorenzo Prendini published an review article, trying to sort out the situation for Pandinus Sensu Lato and criticized some of the previous work on this taxa.

In a recent article in the series "Scorpions of the Horn of Africa", Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers follow up on Prendini's criticism and present a new taxonomy for Pandinus Sensu Lato based on new materials from the Horn of Africa. This is a major review with many taxonomical changes and four new species. This is the main taxonomical conclusions of this article:

New species/status:

Pandiborellius Rossi, 2015 - Raised from subgenus status.
Pandiborellius awashensis (Kovarik, 2012) - Previous status Pandinus awashensis Kovarik, 2012.
Pandiborellius igdu Kovarik, Lowe, Soleglad & Pliskova, 2017 - New species from Ethiopia.
Pandiborellius insularis Kovarik, Lowe, Soleglad & Pliskova, 2017 - New species from Eritrea.
Pandiborellius lanzai (Rossi 2015) - Previous status Pandinus lanzai Rossi 2015.
Pandiborellius magretti (Borelli, 1901) - Previous status Pandinus magretti (Borelli, 1901).
Pandiborellius meidensis (Karsch, 1879) - Previous status Pandinurus meidensis (Karsch, 1879).
Pandiborellius nistriae (Rossi, 2014) - Previous status Pandinurus nistrae (Rossi, 2014).
Pandiborellius percivali (Pocock, 1902) - Previous status Pandinurus percivali (Pocock, 1902).
Pandiborellius somalilandus (Kovarik, 2012) - Previous status Pandinurus somalilandus (Kovarik, 2012).

Pandinopsis Vachon, 1974 - Returned to subgenus status in Pandinus (Thorell, 1876).

Pandinurus afar Kovarik, Lowe, Soleglad & Pliskova, 2017 - New species from Ethiopia.
Pandinurus citernii (Borelli, 1919) - Restored from synonymy with P. phillipsii (Pocock, 1896).
Pandinurus intermedius (Borelli, 1919) - Restored from synonymy with P. phillipsii (Pocock, 1896).
Pandinurus mazuchi (Kovarik, 2011) - Previous status Pandinus mazuchi Kovarik, 2011.
Pandinurus oromo Kovarik, Lowe, Soleglad & Pliskova, 2017 - New species from Ethiopia.
Pandinurus phillipsii (Poocock, 1896) - Restored from synonymy.
Pandinurus smithi (Pocock, 1897) - Previous status Pandinus smithi (Pocock, 1897).
Pandinurus trailini (Kovarik, 2013) - Previous status Pandinus trailini Kovarik, 2013.

Pandinus dictator (Pocock, 1888) - Previous status  Pandinopsis dictator (Pocock, 1888).
Pandinus lowei Kovarik, 2012 - Previous status  Pandinurus lowei (Kovarik, 2012).
Pandinus viatoris (Pocock, 1890) - Previous status  Pandinurus viatoris (Pocock, 1890).

Synonymizations:

Pandinurus bottegoi Rossi 2015 - Synonymized with Pandinurus platycheles (Werner, 1916). 
Pandinurus cianferonii Rossi 2015 - Synonymized with Pandinurus pallidus (Kraepelin, 1894).
Pandinurus riccardoi Rossi 2015 - Synonymized with Pandinurus platycheles (Werner, 1916).
Pandinus sabbadinii Rossi 2015 - Synonymized with Pandiborellius magretti (Borelli, 1901).
Pandinurus vachoni Rossi 2014 - Synonymized with Pandinurus sudanicus (Hirst, 1911). 

The article also present several identification keys and also high quality photos of both species and habitats.

Abstract:
We introduce a new system of classification for the subfamily Scorpioninae Latreille, 1802 which includes genera Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828, Opistophthalmus C. L. Koch, 1837, Pandiborellius Rossi, 2015 stat. n., Pandinoides Fet, 1997, Pandinops Birula, 1913, Pandinurus Fet, 1997, Pandinus (Pandinus) Thorell, 1876, Pandinus (Pandinopsis) Vachon, 1974 stat. n., Pandinus (Pandipalpus) Rossi, 2015 stat. n., and Scorpio Linné, 1758. We provide a checklist of 41 valid species and their synonyms of Pandinus sensu lato. We revise Horn of Africa genera Pandiborellius stat. n. and Pandinurus; all species are fully complemented with color photos of live and preserved specimens, as well as their habitat. Included are morphological keys to the subfamily Scorpioninae and genera Pandiborellius stat. n. and Pandinurus. Several new characters in trichobothrial pattern, granulation of pedipalp movable and fixed fingers and spiniform formula of tarsomeres of legs are used and discussed. Described herein are Pandiborellius igdu sp. n. from Ethiopia, Pandiborellius insularis sp. n. from Eritrea, Pandinurus afar sp. n. from Ethiopia, and Pandinurus oromo sp. n. from Ethiopia. Pandinurus citernii (Borelli, 1919) comb. n. and Pandinurus intermedius (Borelli, 1919) comb. n. are restored from synonymy. Pandinurus (Pandipavesius) Rossi, 2015 is synonymized with Pandiborellius Rossi, 2015 stat. n.; Pandinus (Pandinoirens) Rossi, 2015 is synonymized with Pandinurus Fet, 1997; Pandinurus (Pandiborellius) sabbadinii Rossi, 2015 is synonymized with Pandiborellius magrettii (Borelli, 1901) comb. n.; Pandinurus (Pandinurus) cianferonii Rossi, 2015 is synonymized with Pandinurus pallidus (Kraepelin, 1894); Pandinus (Pandinoirens) riccardoi Rossi, 2015 and Pandinus (Pandinoirens) bottegoi Rossi, 2015 are synonymized with Pandinurus platycheles (Werner, 1916); Pandinus (Pandinurus) vachoni Rossi, 2014 is synonymized with Pandinurus sudanicus (Hirst, 1911); and Pandinurus (Pandipalpus) pygmaeus Rossi, 2015 is synonymized with Pandinus (Pandipalpus) lowei Kovařík, 2012 comb. n.. Hemispermatophores of Pandiborellius insularis sp. n., Pandinurus afar sp. n. and Pandinurus oromo sp. n are illustrated and described, and morphology of Pandinus sensu lato hemispermatophores is discussed.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Lowe G, Soleglad ME, Pliskova J. Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part X. Pandiborellius stat. n. and Pandinurus (Scorpionidae) with Description of Four New Species from Eritrea and Ethiopia, and Review of Pandinus Sensu Lato Taxonomy. Euscorpius. 2017(238):1-103. [Open Access]

Family Scorpionidae