A new species of Leiurus from Egypt

 

Wilson Lourenco and Hisham El-Hennawy have recetly published the discovery of a second species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Buthidae) from Egypt.

Leiurus aegyptiacus Lourenco & El-Hennaway, 2021

Pictures of the new species' super-dry habitat are also presented.

Abstract:
One more new species is described for the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg from Africa. The description is based on one juvenile female collected in the region NE of Maghra, east of the Qattara Depression, Egypt. Although some affinities may be suggested with L. quinquestriatus and L. hebraeus, species distributed in Egypt and Israel, several characteristics attest however that this population is certainly distinct. The type locality of the new species corresponds to a very poorly prospected zone in Egypt and further studies in the area should provide new material confirming the present decision.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, El-Hennawy HK. New considerations on the Leiurus Ehrenberg (Scorpiones: Buthidae) distributed in Africa and description of a particular species from Egypt. Serket. 2021;17(4):325-34. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

A few taxonomical changes in the genus Orthochirus

 

Wilson Lourenco and Eric Ythier have recently published an article with some taxonomical changes in the genera Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 and Orthochiroides Kovarik, 1998 in Africa (Buthidae).

 Genus Orthochiroides Kovarik, 1998 is synonymized with Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 and the three species belonging to to the former is now in Orthochirus.

Orthochirus arenicola Lourenco & Ythier, 2021 - New species from the coasts of Somalia.

Orthochirus aristidis (Simon, 1882) is restored from its synonymy with Orthochirus olivaceus (Karsch, 1881). 

Abstract:
A new species of buthid scorpion, Orthochirus arenicola sp. n. is described from the coasts of Somalia. The scorpion was collected on the beach sand under bush-like herbaceous vegetation by our late Italian colleague Professor P. M. Brignoli. New considerations are also proposed for other related taxa. Orthochirus afar Kovařík & Lowe, 2016 described from Afar, Ethiopia is suggested to be a synonym of Orthochirus aristidis (Simon, 1882); no final decision is taken however face to the impossibility of consulting the types of Orthochirus afar. Orthochirus aristidis is restored from its synonymy with Orthochirus olivaceus (Karsch, 1881). Finally, the genus Orthochiroides Kovařík, 1998 is placed as a junior synonym of Orthochirus Karsch, 1891.

References:
Lourenco WR, Ythier E. A particular new species of Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 from Somalia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Serket. 2021;17(4):335-49. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for sending me their article!

Family Buthidae

 

 

A new species of Buthus from Jordan

 Wilson Lourenco and co-workers recently described a new species of Buthus Leach, 1815 (Buthidae) from south-western Jordan.

Buthus nabataeus Lourenço, Abu Afifeh & Al-Saraireh, 2021

Abstract:
We describe here a new species of Buthus from south-western Jordan. The new species shows several common morphological features with Buthus amri Lourenço, Yağmur & Duhem, 2010, described from the region of Aqaba suggesting that both species may correspond to vicariant elements of a common ancestry.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Abu Afifeh B, Al-Saraireh M, Abu Baker M, Amr Z. New insights into the taxonomy of the genus Buthus Leach, 1815 in Jordan and description of a new species (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoology in the Middle East. 2021 [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Jeroen Kooijman for sending me this article!

Family Buthidae

 

A new species of Vaejovis from Mexico

 

Gerardo Contreras-Félix and Oscar Francke have recently published a new species of Vaejovis C.L. Koch, 1836 (Vaejovidae) from the State of Guerrero in Mexico.

Vaejovis mendozai Contreras-Félix & Francke, 2021

Abstract:
We describe a new species of Vaejovis C.L. Koch from a forest of pine (Pinus Linnaeus) and oak (Quercus Linnaeus) in the State of Guerrero in Mexico. In addition, the lateral aculear serration (LAS) was examined during the life of several specimens from the species, showing gradual deterioration, ending with complete loss of the structure before the adult stage. Phylogenetic and taxonomic implications of the new findings were discussed, both for the family and for the genus.

Reference:
Contreras-Félix GA, Francke O. New Species of Vaejovis CL Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) with Comments on Lateral Aculear Serrations. Southwestern Entomologist. 2021;46(1):197-210. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for informing me about this article!

Family Vaejovidae