Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have recently described a new species of the medical important genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Buthidae) from the south of Niger.
Leiurus sahelicus Lourenco, El-Hennaway & Ythier, 2025
The authors also restore Leiurus aegyptiacus Lourenço & El-Hennawy, 2021 from synonymy with L. libycus (Birula, 1908).
A distribution map of the African members of Leiurus is also presented.
Abstract:
One more African new species belonging to the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 is described. The description is based on six adult males and one adult female collected in the region of Mir, South of Niger. The new species shows affinities with other Leiurus species distributed in the Western portion of Africa; however, several characteristics attest that, once again, this population is certainly distinct. The ecological features of the type locality are particular since the area is characterised by savannah-like vegetation, instead of arid-desert formations; formation previously defined exclusively for Leiurus savanicola Lourenço, Qi & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2006 described from Cameroon and Leiurus nigerianus Lourenço, 2021 described from Nigeria. This new scorpion taxon represents the 28th known species of the genus Leiurus. Comments are equally proposed on the recent synonymy of Leiurus aegyptiacus Lourenço & El-Hennawy, 2021 with Leiurus libycus (Birula, 1908), and this species is revalidated. A geographical distribution map of the distribution of the African species of the genus Leiurus is presented.
Reference:
Lourenco WR, El-Hennawy HK, Ythier E. A further new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from the South of Niger and confirmation of the extension of the distribution range of the genus to the Southern zones of the Sahara Desert. Serket. 2025;21(1):1–11. [Article supplied by authors]
Thanks to Eric for sending me their article!
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