A second record of a relict Akrav israchanani from Israel

One of the more fascinating scorpion discoveries in the last 20 years was the discovery of a new scorpion family, genus and species in a closed cave system in Israel. Unfortunately, only dead specimens represented by exoskeletons of A. israchanani Levy, 2007 (Akravidae) were found, and the species is considered extinct.

Victor Fet and co-workers have now published the findings of new, relict specimens of this troglobitic species from a new cave-system. This second record indicates a wider distribution of this unique cave scorpion, which, however, is extinct in both caves. There is still no evidence that live populations of this species exist.

Abstract:
We report the remnants of five new scorpion specimens discovered dead in Levana Cave in Israel in December 2015. We confirm that they belong to the relict scorpion Akrav israchanani Levy, 2007 (Akravidae), famously described from the neighboring Ayyalon Cave, also from dead specimens. The details of morphology of the new specimens are given; they match completely the characters of A. israchanani redescribed by Fet, Soleglad & Zonstein (2011). This second record indicates a wider distribution of this unique cave scorpion, which, however, is extinct in both caves. There is still no evidence that live populations of this species exist.

Reference:
Fet V, Soleglad ME, Zonstein SL, Naaman I, Lubaton S, Langford B, et al. The Second Record of a Relict Akrav israchanani Levy, 2007 (Scorpiones: Akravidae) from Levana Cave, Israel. Euscorpius. 2017(247):1-12. [Open Access]

Family Akravidae