The status of some members of the genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpionidae) and their presence in Thailand has been burdened with uncertainty. In a recent review authored by Kazusa Kawai and co-workers, five species of Heterometrus species are now confirmed for Thailand. In addition, two previously synonymized species are restored to species status:
Heterometrus cimrmani Kovařík, 2004 (previously synonymized with Heterometrus laevigatus (Thorell, 1876))
Heterometrus minotaurus Pliskova, Kovarik, Kosulic & Stahlavsky, 2016 (previously synonymized with Heterometrus laevigatus (Thorell, 1876))
Heterometrus laevigatus (Thorell, 1876) is now considered nomen dubium.
Abstract:
Five species of the genus Heterometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 are currently confirmed from Thailand and revised, with their respective distribution range in this country updated. Heterometrus laevigatus (Thorell, 1876) is considered a nomen dubium, while its two previous junior synonyms, H. cimrmani Kovařík, 2004, stat. rev. and H. minotaurus Plíšková et al., 2016, stat. rev. are revalidated and redescribed based on the examination of topotypes. Females of H. minotaurus Plíšková et. al., 2016, stat. rev. were also collected and examined, and their characters are herein described with a special attention to sexual dimorphism. Furthermore, some populations previously regarded as H. laoticus Couzijn, 1981 found in Thailand turned out to belong to H. silenus (Simon, 1884). Additionally, ambiguous records of H. spinifer (Ehrenberg, 1828) in Thailand are now confirmed. Finally, we speculate that the difference in pedipalp length between males of H. cimrmani and H. minotaurus is evolved due to the armspan competition.
Reference:
Kawai K, Unnahachote T, Suttisatid Y, Tang V. А Review of Heterometrus in Thailand (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Euscorpius. 2023(373):1-25. [Open Access]
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