In Memoriam Gerard Dupre (1947 - 2026)

 

Photo: Le Parisien 28.07.16.

Last week I got the sad news about the passing of French scorpion researcher Gerard Dupre at the age of 78. I had regularly contact with Gerard and he was a supporter of The Scorpion Files and often sent me new articles long before I discovered them myself. I'm very grateful for all his help all these years and he will be missed. 

Eric Ythier has sent me some facts about Gerard's life and carrier.

Gerard first encounter with a scorpion was in 1974 during his crossing of the Sahara. He then developed a passion for scorpions due to his regular trips in Africa. His meeting with Profs. Max Vachon and Max Goyffon solidified this passion. He became a corresponding member of Paris Museum (MNHN) and he founded in 1989 the first French arachnology association (“Groupe d’Etudes des Arachnides”, GEA) with up to 300 members. Together with this association he created the Journal “Arachnides”, published quarterly, stopped in 2002 in its paper version (53 no.) then started again in 2008 in electronic version (downloadable on The Scorpion Files). Last no. 125 was published in Jan 2026.

Gerard was always very much involved in the bibliography of scorpions since his participation together with Prof. Jacqueline Heurtault to the “list of arachnological publications” at MNHN’s International Center of Arachnological Documentation (“Centre International de Documentation Arachnologique, CIDA)”. Author of the very useful “Worldwide blibliography of scorpions from antiquity to nowadays”, started in 1998 and updated every year. He was author of numerous articles about scorpion biology and of numerous useful faunistic synopses by country, region, continent etc. Also, an author of regular taxonomical list updates. He also authored two books on scorpion rearing, one in French (“Les scorpions, Biologie, Elevage”, 1998) and one in English (“Scorpions, guide to captive breeding”, 2010). He also held regular public and school presentations to raise awareness about scorpions.

In 2016 Gerard got a scorpion species named after him: Buthus duprei Rossi & Tropea, 2016.

Finally, it is important to mention that he was always kind to help scorpion colleagues in providing missing papers and his help and contributions will be missed by many in the scorpion community. 

RIP 

Eric Ythier & Jan Ove Rein
 

A new species of Ananteris from French Guiana

 

Eric Ythier and Wilson Lourenco have recently described a new species of Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (Ananteridae) from the foot of the Mount Grand Matoury in French Guiana.

Ananteris duponti Ythier & Lourenco, 2026

The article has am identification key for the Ananteris species in French Guiana. 

The biogeography of the family and the genus is discussed.

Abstract:
One new species belonging to the genus Ananteris Thorell is described from the foot of the Mount Grand Matoury, French Guiana. The description of this new species brings further evidence about the biogeographic patterns of distribution presented by most species of the genus Ananteris, which are highly endemic in many natural formations of South America and in particular in French Guiana. The new taxon described here raises the number of known species for the genus Ananteris in French Guiana to 13, and the total number of currently recognized species for the genus to 100. A geographical distribution map of the species occurring in French Guiana is presented and an identification key is proposed.

Reference:
Ythier E, Lourenco WR. On the genus Ananteris Thorell, 1891 in French Guiana, with description of a new species. Faunitaxys. 2026;14(18):1–12. [Open Access]

Family Ananteridae 

New study shows that Androctonus venom causes rapid blood clotting in humans

 

Scorpion venom is known for its neurotoxic effects that can cause death and serious morbidity in humans. A recent study by Sam Campbell and co-workers shows that the venom in four Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Buthidae) species also have a procoagulant toxicological function. In plain text, the venom causes blood clots that make the blood coagulate. Interestingly, antivenom for Androctonus envenomations seem to fail to neutralise procoagulation. 

These findings are important in assessing envenomated patients and their treatment. In addition, the findings can also have potential when it comes to developing diagnostic tools for blood disorders or treatments.

Abstract:
While scorpion venoms are well-characterised as being potently neurotoxic, their effects upon blood coagulation are understudied. Here, we report novel procoagulant toxicological functions for Androctonus amoreuxi, A. australis, A. bicolor and A. crassicauda venoms. Factor activation tests with A. amoreuxi venom revealed cofactor-dependent activation of Factor VII (FVII) and Factor X (FX) to be the primary zymogen targets, with FX the more potently activated. Activation of both factors was demonstrated to be dependent upon the proteinaceous cofactor Factor Va (FVa) and the biochemical cofactors calcium and phospholipid. It was also shown that venom was able to convert Factor V (FV) into a form of FVa that was equipotent to endogenous FVa, suggestive of the venom cleaving FV at the same activation site as thrombin. Intriguingly, low level FXII activation only proceeded with the venom-activated form of FVa and was not reliant upon calcium or phospholipid. Antivenom produced with Androctonus species included in the immunising mixture failed to neutralise procoagulation. However, neutralisation of procoagulant activities was achieved by the metalloprotease inhibiting drugs marimastat and prinomastat, thereby not only revealing the enzyme type responsible for the effects upon blood coagulation, but also suggesting therapeutic options. These results indicate that venom-induced coagulopathy resulting from scorpion envenomation may require greater consideration in pathophysiological profiling of envenomed patients. The implications extend beyond the field of toxinology, building a foundation for evolutionary studies into the selection pressures that have resulted in some species having potent effects upon blood biochemistry, whether as a weapon for predation or defence.

Reference:
Campbell SID, Seneci L, Jones L, Champagne PS, Fry BG. The sting that clots: The Factor VII and Factor X activating procoagulant effects of Androctonus scorpion venoms are potentiated by Factor Va as a cofactor. Biochimie. 2026;245:31–9. [Open Access]

Thanks to Jeroen Kooijman for informing me about this article! 

 

A phylogenetic analysis of the ancient Asian scorpion family Pseudochactidae

 

As previously mentioned, the ancient, relictual Asian scorpion family Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998 is probably one of the most interesting scorpion families in the world. It consist of both of extinct and extant taxa, and the latter is often labeled as "living fossils" due to their unique morphology. 

In a recent article, Lorenzo Prendini and co-workers present a new phylogenetic analysis of the genus with new information about the phylogeny and taxonomy of this fascinating family and its evolution. 

Abstract:
The ancient, relictual Asian scorpion family Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998, has a disjunct distribution. Five genera and seven species of living pseudochactids are assigned to one epigean subfamily, Pseudochactinae Gromov, 1998, from Central Asia and southern China, and two hypogean subfamilies, Troglokhammouaninae Prendini et al., 2021, and Vietbocapinae Lourenço, 2012, from caves of the Khammouan-Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng Karst in the northern Annamite (Trường Sơn) Mountains of Laos and Vietnam. The extinct subfamily Chaerilobuthinae Lourenço and Beigel, 2011, comprises one genus and 15 species, hypothesized to be endogean, from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The discovery and uncertainty regarding the phylogenetic placement of Qianxie solegladi Tang, 2022, from South China, together with the discovery that the Cretaceous amber Chaerilobuthinae, from the Burma Terrane, is the sister group of the extant pseudochactid subfamily Vietbocapinae provided an opportunity to revisit the phylogeny and biogeography of Pseudochactidae, and their adaptation to subterranean habitats in Southeast Asia. In the present contribution, pseudochactid phylogeny is reanalyzed using three mitochondrial markers (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I), three nuclear markers (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, Internal Transcribed Spacer) and 143 morphological characters, for all extant pseudochactid taxa and seven exemplar species of the extinct Chaerilobuthinae. Divergence time and ancestral range estimation are conducted and the evolution of troglomorphic characters investigated to reassess how this lineage of “living fossils” dispersed and diversified. Recent changes to the systematics of Pseudochactidae are confirmed. The four subfamilies, genera, and species were monophyletic with high support and the following scheme of relationships: (Pseudochactinae (Troglokhammouaninae (Chaerilobuthinae + Vietbocapinae))). Phylogenetic analyses, reinforced by a multivariate morphometric analysis and pairwise genetic distances, confirm the validity of the monotypic, epigean Chinese genus, Qianxie Tang, 2022, which formed a monophyletic group with the epigean Central Asian genus, Pseudochactas Gromov, 1998, rather than the hypogean Southeast Asian genus, Troglokhammouanus Lourenço, 2007. Qianxie solegladi is transferred to Pseudochactinae. A revised time tree of Pseudochactidae suggests that the Burmese Chaerilobuthinae diverged from the Indochinese subfamilies, Troglokhammouaninae and Vietbocapinae, in the Early Cretaceous (ca. 117 Ma), consistent with Early Devonian rifting of the Burma Terrane.

Reference:
Prendini L, Xuan Q, Du SE, Wang C-BE, Ehrenthal VL, Loria SF. Phylogeny and divergence time estimation of relictual Asian scorpion family suggests Early Cretaceous connections between Burma Terrane and Eurasia, and corrects placement of Chinese taxon. American Museum Novitates. 2026(4051):1–55. [Open Access]

Family Pseudochactidae