03 January, 2019

A new cave-dwelling Chaerilus species from the Philippines


Happy New Year!

Wilson Lourenco and Andrea Rossi have recently published an article on the cave population of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Chaerilidae) from Palawan, Philippines. A new species is described.

Chaerilus agnellivanniorum Lourneco & Rossi, 2018

The biogeography of the genus in Borneo and Palawan is also discussed.

Abstract:
The study of an important collection of scorpions, belonging to the genus Chaerilus, recently collected from a cave in the Palawan Island, Philippines, allows the clarification of the identity of this population, often misidentified with Chaerilus chapmani Vachon & Lourenco, 1985 known from caves in the Gunong Mulu National Park in Sarawak (Borneo). Chaerilus agnellivanniorum sp. n. is described from the Puerto Princesa Underground River Cave in Palawan Island based on 14 specimens, males, females, and juveniles. The new species is totally distinct morphologically from Chaerilus chapmani, a true troglobitic species. Chaerilus agnellivanniorum sp. n. may also be a true troglobitic element, but with a less marked degree of regression for several characters. Some comments on the ecology of the new species and on regional biogeography of Borneo and Palawan islands are also proposed.

References:
Lourenco WR, Rossi A. The cave population of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 from Palawan, Philippines, and description of a new species (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae). C R Biol. 2018. In Press. [Subscription required for full text]

Family Chaerilidae

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