16 November, 2021

A remarkable find of two new troglobitic species from the Dominican Republic

 


Rolando Teruel and co-workers have recently published an article describing two new fully troglomorphic species in the genus Cazierius Francke, 1978 (Diplocentridae) from isolate limestone caves in the Dominican Republic.

Cazierius cayacoa Teruel, Jimenez & de los Santos, 2021

Cazierius ciguayo Teruel, Jimenez & de los Santos, 2021 

There are little information available for the new species as only one specimen has been found of each species, but hopefully further exploration of the cave systems that are assumed to host these interesting species  will reveal more information about them.

Abstract:
Two new species of the Greater Antillean endemic scorpion genus Cazierius Francke, 1978, are herein described from the island of Hispaniola. They were found inside isolate limestone caves in the Dominican Republic and are fully troglomorphic, thus, apparently being strict troglobites that represent the first ever documented for this genus. The present additions raise the number of Hispaniolan species of both Cazierius and the family Diplocentridae Karsch, 1880, to five and ten, respectively.

Reference:
Teruel R, Jimenez C, de los Santos G. The first troglobitic scorpions from Hispaniola, Greater Antilles: two new species of Cazierius Francke, 1978 (Scorpiones: Diplocentridae). Euscorpius. 2021(340):1-9. [Open Access]

Family Diplocentridae

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