14 November, 2017

Geographic distribution of the genus Mesobuthus in Mongolia


Heddergott and co-workers published a study on the geographic distribution of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon, 1950 (Buthidae) in 2016. I just recently learned about it and want to mention it in the blog as there are very few articles on the scorpion fauna of Mongolia. The results are summed up in the abstract.

Abstract:
In the present study, we surveyed the diversity of scorpions in six provinces of Mongolia (Bayankhongor, Khovd, Dundgovi, Dornogovi, Govisümber and Ömnögovi) between 2001 and 2012. A total of 385 individuals were collected at 17 different sites. In addition to opportunistic sampling, animals were collected after detection with ultraviolet light. Only species from the genus Mesobuthus have been reported from Mongolia thus far. It was possible to confirm the occurrence of the species Mesobuthus eupeus mongolicus and report the presence of M. martensii martensii for the first time. We could not confirm the presence of M. caucasicus przewalskii and suggest that it does not occur in the country, since earlier records originated from present-day China. We provide initial information on the ecology of the two species we identified. Individuals of M. eupeus mongolicus from western Mongolia have a darker pigmentation of the metasomal segments I-IV than individuals from central or southern Mongolia.

Reference:
Heddergott M, Stubbe M, Stubbe W, Steinbach P, Stubbe A. Geographical Distribution of the Genus Mesobuthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Mongolia. Erforschung biologischer Ressourcen der Mongolei. 2016(13):147-64. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

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