A new species of Hadruroides from Peru

 

Eric Ythier and Wilson Lourenco have recently described a new species of Hadruroides Pocock, 1893 (Caraboctonidae) from Southern Peru.

Hadruroides apu Ythier & Lourenco, 2023

The new species has been collected at an impressive elevation of 3,317 m.

Abstract:
A new species belonging to the genus Hadruroides Pocock, 1893 (family Caraboctonidae Kraepelin, 1905) is described on the basis of specimens collected in Apurimac region in Southern Peru. H. (Lourencoides) apu sp. n. appears to be related to H. (L.) mauryi Francke & Soleglad, 1980 and H. (L.) bustamantei Ochoa & Chaparro, 2008 but can be distinguished notably by a smaller size, different pigmentation pattern, reduced granulation, lower pectinal tooth count, metasoma with only the first segment wider than long and pedipalp chela slenderer in male and broader in female with fixed finger straight without proximal gap between fingers in both sexes. This new taxon represents the 18th known species of the genus Hadruroides reported from Peru and the 23rd species of the subgenus Lourencoides Rossi, 2014. The total number of Hadruroides species is now raised to 25.

Reference:
Ythier E, Lourenco WR. A new species of Hadruroides Pocock, 1893 from Peru (Scorpiones: Caraboctonidae). Faunitaxys. 2023;11(76):1-7. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for informing me about their new article!

Family Caraboctonidae

A new, black species in the medical important genus Leiurus from Saudi Arabia

 

Most species in the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Buthidae) are yellowish and quite pale, but in 2002 Lourenco and co-workers quite sensationally described an all black species, L. jordanensis Lourenço, Modry & Amr, 2002. After this, one more dark colored species has been described, Leiurus ater Lourenço, 2019.

Bassam Abu Afifeh and co-workers have now described another blackish species in the genus Leiurus from Saudi Arabia.

Leiurus nigellus Abu Afifeh, Aloufi & Al-Saraireh, 2023

This species is probably of medical importance.

Abstract:
A new remarkable buthid scorpion, Leiurus nigellus sp. nov., was discovered in Al Ula Governorate, north of Al Madinah Al Monawwarah Province, Saudi Arabia. The new species is described, fully illustrated, and compared with other species of the genus Leiurus reported from the Arabian Peninsula. Notes on its habitats are provided.

Reference:
Afifeh BA, Aloufi A, Al-Saraireh M, Badry A, Al-Qahtni AH, Amr ZS. A new remarkable species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 from Saudi Arabia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Ecol Mont. 2023(69):91-106. [Open Access]

Thanks to Victora Tang for informing me about this article!

Family Buthidae

A new species of Androctonus from Iraq

 

Azhar Mohammed Al-Khazali and Ersen Aydın Yağmur just published an article presenting a new species of Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Buthidae) from the Dhi Qar Province in Iraq. 

Androctonus sumericus Al-Khazali & Yagmur, 2023

We have to assume that the new species is medical important as its relative A. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807).

Abstract:
A new species Androctonus sumericus sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the Dhi Qar Province of Iraq, based on the material previously misidentified as A. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807). Therefore, the new species were compared particularly with that species, as well as with all species of Androctonus distributed in the Middle East, using their published descriptions.

Reference:
Al-Khazali AM, Yagmur EA. Androctonus sumericus sp. nov., a new scorpion from Dhi Qar Province, Iraq (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoology in the Middle East. 2023;Published Online 17.11.23. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Ersen for sending me their new article!

Family Buthidae

A major work on the scorpion fauna of Papua New Guinea with the descritpion of 16 new species in the genus Hormurus

 

Papua New Guinea is a large island in the Pacific and a treasure chest when it comes to biodiversity. The scorpion fauna of the island is not well known. In an extensive study, Lionel Monod and his research group studied the scorpions in the family Hormuridae in Paua New Guinea and 16 new species in the genus Hormurus Thorell, 1876 are described. 

Hormurus ancylolobus Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus araiaspathe Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus barai Monod, Iova & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus cameroni Monod, Austin & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus hypseloscolus Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus krausi Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus maiwa Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus menapi Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus muyua Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus oyatabu Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus oyawaka Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus sibonai Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus slapcinskyi Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus sporacanthophorus Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus tagula Monod & Prendini, 2023
Hormurus yela Monod & Prendini, 2023

Hormurus papuanus Kraepelin, 1914 is redescribed. This species was not previously listed in The Scorpion Files and is now added to the species list.

See abstract or article for further details about this study.

Abstract:
New Guinea is the largest Pacific island, and the world’s second largest, with a land area of about 785,000 km². Located north of Australia, the island was gradually shaped since the Eocene by the geologically recent sequential accretion of several island arc systems onto the northern part of the Australian Craton. This complex geological history has resulted in a tremendous biological diversity with high rates of endemism. On the other hand, the rugged mountainous landscape and lack of infrastructure has hampered scientific research in the country and for the most part Papuan biotas remain thus far only superficially known. This is the case for scorpions of the genus Hormurus Thorell, 1876 (Hormuridae Laurie, 1896; Scorpiones C. L. Koch, 1837). Although they are the dominant scorpion group in Wallacea and Melanesia, only two species are currently recognized from New Guinea and its adjacent islands. A thorough revisionary study of the Hormurus material present in the scientific collections of various museums and of a large series of specimens more recently collected led to the discovery of 16 new species, i.e. Hormurus ancylolobus Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus araiaspathe Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus barai Monod, Iova & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus cameroni Monod, Austin & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus hypseloscolus Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus krausi Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus maiwa Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus menapi Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus muyua Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus oyatabu Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus oyawaka Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus sibonai Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus slapcinskyi Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus sporacanthophorus Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus tagula Monod & Prendini, sp. nov.; Hormurus yela Monod & Prendini, sp. nov. Fully illustrated descriptions of these new taxa are presented in the present contribution, as well as a redescription of Hormurus papuanus Kraepelin, 1914. Hormurus species are characterized by relatively few diagnostic external characters which hampers species differentiation. However, the unusual interspecific diversity of hemispermatophores observed in Papuan taxa partially alleviate this issue and enable reliable species discrimination. The position of the laminar hook is particularly variable and is correlated with the elongation of the female genital operculum which also shows an atypical diversity for the genus. This interdependence strongly suggests genital coevolution driven by a lock-and-key mechanism. This would be the first such case reported for the order Scorpiones Koch, 1837. Multivariate and geometric morphometric analyses were carried out to visually emphasize subtle interspecific differences in external morphology and hemispermatophore morphology. Additionally, the correlation between hemispermatophore laminar hook position and shape of the female genital operculum was assessed statistically and comments are provided concerning potential mechanisms underlying the coevolutionary process.

Reference:
Monod L, Lehmann-Graber C, Austin CC, Iova B, Prendini L. Atlas of Australasian hormurid scorpions. I. The genus Hormurus Thorell, 1876 in Papua New Guinea. Exceptional morphological diversity in male and female copulatory structures suggests genital coevolution. Rev Suisse Zool. 2023;130(Suppl.):1-243. [Open Access]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this article!

Family Hormuridae

A new species of Scorpiops from Xizang, China

 

Heyu Lv and Zhiyong Di have recently published an addition to the species in the genus Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiopidae).

Scorpiops rufus lv & Di, 2023

The article has an identification key for the species of Scorpiops in China.

Abstract:
A new species, Scorpiops rufus sp.n., from Xizang (China), is described and illustrated. The new species is mainly characterized by reddish-brown color, moderate size, carapace with small and dense granules, 17 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 4 est, 4 et) external and 6–8 (usually 7) ventral trichobothria in the pedipalp patella, chela with a length/width ratio about 2.5 in males and 2.6 in females, pedipalp chela fingers are scalloped in both sexes, pectinal teeth count 6 or 7 in males and 5 or 6 in females, pectinal fulcra absent. This brings the total number of species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 recorded in China to 34.

Reference:
Lv H-Y, Di Z-Y. A new species of the genus Scorpiops Peters, 1861 from Xizang, China (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae). Arthropoda Selecta. 2023;32(3):323-32. [Open Access]

Thanks to Victoria Tang for sending me this article!

Family Scorpiopidae

A new species of Euscorpius from the foothills of Mount Olympus, Greece

 

Javier Blasco-Aróstegui and Lorenzo Prendini recently published an article describing a new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) from an isolated population in the foothills of Mount Olympus in Greece.

Euscorpius olympus Blasco-Arostegui & Prendini, 2023

Abstract:
Mediterranean mountains and Pleistocene glacial cycles are responsible for much of the unique biodiversity of the Western Palearctic, acting respectively as refugia and drivers of diversification. Mount Olympus, a legendary Greek landmark, is a perfect example. This massif provided a glacial refugium for many species, resulting in a unique biota. In the present contribution, a new euscorpiid scorpion with a distinctive morphology, Euscorpius olympus, sp. nov., is described from an isolated population in the foothills of Mount Olympus. This new species raises the number of species in the genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, to 74, in Greece to 32, and in the vicinity of Mount Olympus, to three. The roles of climatic oscillations, altitudinal gradients and habitat heterogeneity on the diversity and distributions of the three species occurring around Mount Olympus are briefly discussed.

Reference:
Blasco-Aróstegui J, Prendini L. Glacial Relicts? a New Scorpion from Mount Olympus, Greece (Euscorpiidae: Euscorpius). American Museum Novitates. 2023(4003):1-36 [Open Access]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for informing me about this article!

Family Euscorpiidae

Two new species of Urodacus from Western Australia

 

Been awhile since I have seen any taxonomic news from "down under", but now I can report about a recent work by Bruno Buzatto and co-workers where two new species of the genus Urodacus Peters, 1861 (Scorpionidae*) are described from Western Australia.

Urodacus lunatus Buzatoo, Clark, Harvey & Volschenk, 2023

Urodacus uncinus Buzatoo, Clark, Harvey & Volschenk, 2023

The two new species are very similar and can only be separated based on the morphology of their hemispermatophores. I expect that a study of this genus with molecular technology may reveal more hidden species in Australia.

* The placement of the genus Urodacus is unlcear and the current authors have place it in the family Urodacidae, which currently is not used in The Scorpion Files.

Abstract:
Two new species of urodacid scorpion are described from the Pilbara region in Western Australia, where they are both patchily distributed along creek lines in the north-east of the region. Urodacus uncinus sp. nov. and Urodacus lunatus sp. nov. are indistinguishable based on external morphology: adults are medium-sized, yellow burrowing scorpions with remarkable sexual dimorphism in the, telson, in which males have a uniquely swollen vesicle and an aculeus that is more strongly curved than other known species of Urodacus. The species are superficially similar to Urodacus similis L.E. Koch, 1977 and Urodacus yaschenkoi Birula, 1903 in the morphology of the first four metasomal segments, which are extremely short and not much longer than high. The two new species canonly be discerned from each other based on the morphology of their hemispermatophores, which highlights the extremely conserved morphology of species in the genus and suggests that many new species await description with careful examination of their genitalia.

Reference:
Buzatto B, Clark H, Harvey M, Volschenk E. Two new species of burrowing scorpions Urodacus (Scorpiones: Urodacidae) from the Pilbara region of Western Australia with identical external morphology. Aust J Zool. [Open Access]

Family Scorpionidae