Hossein Barahoei and co-workers recently published a study of Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 found in Iran. They report of a new species from Eastern Iran.
Androctonus rostami Barahoei, Mirshamsi, Amiri, Moeinadin & Rakhshani, 2025
The number of species in the genus from Iran is now five: A. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), A. kunti Yagmur, 2023, A. sistanus Barahoei & Mirshamsi, 2022, A. sumericus Al-Khazali & Yagmur, 2023 and A. rostami Barahoei, Mirshamsi, Amiri, Moeinadin & Rakhshani, 2025.
The distribution range of the studied species in Iran is outlined and mapped.
Abstract:
Two species of Androctonus have been reported to date from Iran: Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) and A. sistanus Barahoei and Mirshamsi, 2022, which is distributed only in the southeast of Iran. Investigating and identifying the distribution range of dangerous species is critically important for scorpion management. A total of 105 specimens of Androctonus were collected from representative locations in Esfahan, Yazd, Kerman, Hormozgan, Hamadan, and Khuzestan provinces. These samples were studied morphologically, morphometrically, molecularly (COI gene sequencing), and through species distribution modeling (SDM) using the MaxEnt model. Four Androctonus species were identified through the morphological and molecular studies: A. crassicauda, A. sistanus, A. sumericus, and A. rostami sp. nov. (from eastern Iran). The four described species of Androctonus in Iran form well-defined phenetic groups based on morphometric analyses. SDM results indicated that all predicted models have high accuracy and some overlap with each other. Temperature seasonality for A. crassicauda and annual precipitation for A. sistanus, A. rostami, and A. sumericus were the highest contributing variables. With this first Iranian report of A. sumericus, the description of a new species, and the presence of A. kunti in the northwest of Iran, the number of species of this genus in the country is increased to five. The distribution range of the studied species in Iran is outlined and mapped. The potential distribution modeling for the current period delineated the distribution range of each of the four sampled species. Considering the lethality of the venom of Androctonus scorpions, determination of species distribution ranges provides theoretical backing for studies of significant importance for the prevention of scorpion stings, as well as a foundation for further biochemical and serological studies to develop specific antivenoms for each species.
Reference:
Barahoei H, Mirshamsi O, Amiri M, Moeinadini A, Rakhshani E. Integrative taxonomy reveals the existence of a new species of fat-tailed scorpion Androctonus (Buthidae) in Iran. Turkish Journal of Zoology. 2025;49. [Full text not available yet]
Thanks to Gerard for sending me this article!
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