On the complex taxonomy of Tityus and a new cave-dwelling species from Brazil

 

Few genera among the scorpions are more specious and complex than the South American genus Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Buthidae). There are many challenges that need to be solved before we can understand this genus completly and there is a need for using modern phylogenetic analysis and molecular taxonomy in future research.

Jairo A. Moreno-González and co-workers have now published a study presenting a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus. They present several phenotypic characters that can be use to resolve the taxonomy of Tityus.

A new cave-dwelling species is also described from Russão II cave, Posse, state of Goiás, Central Brazil. This species seems to be a troglophile (all specimens so far have been found inside the cave), but lack troglomorphic characteristic and cannot be classified as a trogolobite. 

Tityus spelaeus Moreno-Gonzalez, Pinto-da-Rocha & Gallao, 2021

The article also present an overview of cave-dwelling scorpions from Brazil and discuss the different types of cave-dwelling species of Scorpions.

Abstract:
We present a molecular phylogenetic analysis including a survey for overlooked phenotypic characters. Based on both analysis and characters a new cave-dwelling species is described: Tityus (Tityus) spelaeus sp. nov. from the Russão II cave, Posse, state of Goiás, Central Brazil. Characters such as the glandular regions of the female pectinal basal piece and basal middle lamellae of pectines, and the distribution of the ventral setae of telotarsi I–IV proved to be useful to constructing the taxonomy of species and species groups of Tityus. The new species is a member of the Tityus trivittatus species-group of Tityus (Tityus) and can be readily recognized by the immaculate coloration pattern and the more developed glandular region on the female pectinal basal piece. In addition, we provide a discussion of the phylogenetic relationships observed within Tityus, on the relevance of the new phenotypic characters to the modern taxonomy of the genus Tityus, and to the records of Brazilian cave scorpions.

Reference:
Moreno-González JA, Pinto-da-Rocha R, Gallão JE. Bringing order to a complex system: phenotypic and genotypic evidence contribute to the taxonomy of Tityus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) and support the description of a new species. ZooKeys. 2021;1075:33-75. [Open Access]

Thanks to Matt Simon for informing me about this article!

Family Buthidae