A new species of Alpiscorpius from Denizli Province in Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur has recently described a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from near the Çardak District, Denizli Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey. In addition, re-examination of two species in the same region have resulted in two new combinations.

New species:

Alpiscorpius akkayai Yagmur, 2026

New combinations:

Alpiscorpius hakani (Tropea & Yagmur, 2016) [Transferred from Euscorpius Thorell, 1876]

Alpiscorpius honazicus (Tropea, Yagmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis & Yesilyurt, 2016) [Transferred from Euscorpius Thorell, 1876]

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n., is described from near Lake Acıgöl, Çardak District, Denizli Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al. based on the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n. can be readily distinguished from all its congeners by its yellow-orange body and yellow or yellow-orange metasomal colouration; the presence of distinct ventrolateral carinae on metasomal segment V; the presence of seven trichobothria in the Pv series; and five to six trichobothria in the et series. Alpiscorpius akkayai sp. n. was collected from a low-altitude locality geographically close to the known distributions of Euscorpius hakani Tropea and Yağmur and Euscorpius honazicus Tropea, Yağmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis and Yeşilyurt. Therefore, the occurrence of this new species in this locality is unexpected. Both species are herein transferred to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al. because they possess three trichobothria in the em series and a reduced number of trichobothria in the Pv series (Pv = 7 and 6, respectively), and the new species is particularly compared to these two species. With the description of this new species and the new combinations Alpiscorpius hakani (Tropea and Yağmur) comb. n. and Alpiscorpius honazicus (Tropea, Yağmur, Karampatsou, Parmakelis and Yeşilyurt) comb. n., the number of recognised species of the family Euscorpiidae increases to 26, and the genus Alpiscorpius is now represented by 13 species in Turkey.

Reference:
Yağmur EA. Alpiscorpius akkayai an unexpected new species from Denizli Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Journal of Natural History. 2026;60(29-32):1645–61. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Ersen for informing me about the new species!

Family Euscorpiidae 

DNA barcoding and distribution of euscorpiid scorpions from Kosovo

 

Donard Geci and co-workers have recently published a study of the little known scorpion fauna of Kosovo. A DNA barcoding together with morphological characters confirmed for the first time the presence of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco, 1950) (Euscorpiidae) in Kosovo. Illustrations to facilitate the identification of this species is provided. The distribution of Euscorpius hadzii Caporiacco, 1950 in Kosovo is expanded.

Abstract:
This study presents DNA barcoding data for Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) and Euscorpius hadzii Caporiacco. Barcode sequences were compared with publicly available reference data to support species identification, together with the evaluation of diagnostic morphological characters. Alpiscorpius dinaricus is recorded from Kosovo for the first time, representing a new national record and contributing to the knowledge of euscorpiid diversity in the region. Diagnostic illustrations of A. dinaricus are provided to facilitate reliable identification and to support future faunistic, taxonomic, and biogeographic studies. Euscorpius hadzii, previously known only from Prizren district, is now reported also from Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains (Western Kosovo).

Reference:
Geci D, Ibrahimi H, Bilalli A, Musliu M, Strohmeier T, Koblmüller S, et al. DNA barcoding of scorpions from Kosovo, with the first record of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Journal of Natural History. 2026;60(21-24):1243–58. [Subscription required for full text]

Family Euscorpiidae 

A new species of Alpiscorpius from Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur recently published an article describing a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from northern Turkey.

Alpiscorpius tropeai Yagmur, 2025

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius tropeai sp.n., is described from Gümüşhane and Tokat Provinces in northern Turkey. The species is classified within the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 based on the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella and is characterized by a low trichobothrial count (Pv = 5 and et = 4). With this addition, the number of known species in the family Euscorpiidae increased to 25, while in the genus Alpiscorpius to nine species now in Turkey.

Reference:
Yagmur EA. Alpiscorpius tropeai sp.n. from the Gümüşhane and Tokat Provinces, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Arthropoda Selecta. 2025;34:377–86. [Open Access]

Thanks to Ersen for sending me his new article!

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Alpiscorpius from Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur and Halil Yayh have recently published an article describing a new species of  Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from Sultan Mountains in Turkey.

Alpiscorpius huyukensis Yagmur, 2025

In addition, the article transfers Euscorpius sultanensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2015 to Alpiscorpius. New status: Alpiscorpius sultanensis (Tropea & Yağmur, 2015).

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., is described from the western foothills of the Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, due to the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. A. huyukensis sp. n. can be readily distinguished from its all congeners by its yellowish-orange or greyishorange body and yellow metasomal coloration, the fifth metasomal segment bearing distinct ventrolateral carinae, the presence of six trichobothria in the Pv series, and 4–5 trichobothria in the et series. A. huyukensis sp. n. clearly differs from the geographically close species Euscorpius sultanensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2015, by its reddish brown coloration and higher trichobothrial number in the et series (et = 5 versus 4). The latter species is transferred herein to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, because it has three trichobothria in the em series and a lower number of trichobothria in the Pv series (Pv = 6). With the description of this species and the new combination for A. sultanensis (Tropea & Yağmur, 2015), comb. n., the number of recognized species of the family Euscorpiidae in Turkey increases to 25, with the genus Alpiscorpius represented by ten species.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Yayh HI. Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., an unexpected new species from Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2025(425):1–15. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Alpiscorpius from The Murat Mountain in Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur has just published an article describing a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from The Murat Mountain in Turkey.

Alpiscorpius victori Yagmur, 2025

This species was found at quite high altitudes ranging from 1354 to 2073 meters. 

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius victori sp. n., is described from Mount Murat, located in Kütahya and Uşak Provinces in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological evidence. The species is classified within the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, due to the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. With the addition of this species, the number of known species in the family Euscorpiidae rises to 23, while the genus Alpiscorpius now includes seven species in Turkey.

Reference:
Yagmur EA. Alpiscorpius victori sp. n. from the Murat Mountain, Kütahaya and Usak Provinces, Turkey (Scorpiones, Euscorpiidae). Zoodiversity. 2025;59(2):101-12. [Open Acces, but issue is not available yet]

Thanks to Victoria for informing me about this article!

Second euscorpid species discovered from the Greek island of Lesvos and a change of genus

 

Ersen Yagmur and Özgün Sipahioğlu have recently published an article describing the discovery of Alpiscorpius idaeus (Yağmur & Tropea, 2017) (Euscorpiidae) from the island of Lesvos, Greece. In the article, the authors also make the decision to transfer this species from Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 to Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999.

Abstract:
The scorpion species Euscorpius idaeus Yağmur & Tropea, 2017, previously known from Mount Kazdağı in the Balıkesir and Çanakkale Provinces of Turkey, is reported for the first time from the Lesvos Island, Greece. In this study, it is transferred to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999. Detailed illustrations of Alpiscorpius idaeus (Yağmur & Tropea, 2017), comb. n. from the Lesvos Island population are provided.

Reference:
Yagmur EA, Sipahioğlu Ö. The first record of Alpiscorpius idaeus (Yağmur & Tropea, 2017), comb. n. from the Lesvos Island, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2025(409):1-6. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Alpiscorpius from western Turkey

 

Ersen Yagmur recently published an article describing a new species of  Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from western Turkey.

Alpiscorpius orgeli Yagmur, 2024

Abstract:
A new species Alpiscorpius orgeli sp. nov. is described based on morphological evidence from Demirci District of Manisa Province in western Turkey. With this addition, the number of scorpion species recorded in Turkey now stands at 22 for the Euscorpiidae family and five for the genus Alpiscorpius.

Reference:
Yagmur EA. Alpiscorpius orgeli sp. nov., a new scorpion species from Manisa Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Zoology in the Middle East. 2024;Published online: 07 Oct 2024. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Ersen and Victoria for sending me this article!

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Alpiscorpius from Turkey

 Gioele Tropea and co-workers just published a new paper describing a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from the Istanbul Province in Turkey.

Alpiscorpius istanbulensis Tropea, Yagmur & Parmakelis, 2024

Abstract:
A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius istanbulensis sp. n., from Istanbul Province, Turkey, is described based on morphological and molecular evidence, raising the number of Euscorpiinae species to 19, including 12 related or phylogenetically close to the genus Alpiscorpius.

Reference:
Tropea G, Yagmur EA, Parmakelis A. A new Alpiscorpius from İstanbul Province of Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Biologia Serbica. 2024;46. [Open Access]

Thanks to Ersen Yagmur and Gerard Dupre for sending me this article!

Family Euscorpiidae

A new species of Alpiscorpius from Croatia

 

Martina Podnar and co-workers have recently described a new species of Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) from Krk Island, Croatia.

Alpiscorpius liburnicus Tvrtkovic & Rebrina, 2022

The new species was found in caves, but showed no troglomorphic adaptations.

Abstract:
Alpiscorpius liburnicus sp. n. is described from Krk Island, Croatia, as the first cave dwelling scorpion species in the genus. Clear differences from the genetically closest epigean species were found in metasomal morphometry. Its delineation is supported phylogenetically based on mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) and nuclear (ITS1) markers. In the barcode fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI), the uncorrected pairwise genetic distances to other known taxa in “Alpiscorpius croaticus group” range between 4.2 and 4.8 %. The first molecular evidence of the species’ presence on the coastal part of Mt. Velebit implies its potential distribution in the whole of the eastern Adriatic coastal area, roughly from Rijeka City area to the source of the Zrmanja River. The new species is sympatric with common epigean taxa of the “Euscorpius tergestinus group” and with the synanthropic E. italicus in Mediterranean habitats. The phylogenetic relationships within the “A. croaticus group” are estimated. Localities of epigean A. croaticus are restricted to the continental side of southern and southeastern parts of Mt. Velebit. There it is sympatric and syntopic with the smaller A. omega in karst beech forests, with an extrazonal enclave in the Velika Paklenica canyon area on the southern slopes of the mountain. The third taxon in the group is known at the moment from a single locality in the middle part of Mt. Velebit, where it is also syntopic with A. omega in a beech forest near limestone cliffs.

Reference
Podnar M, Tvrtković N, Vuković M, Rebrina F, Grbac I, Hörweg C. Alpiscorpius liburnicus sp. n. with a note on the “Alpiscorpius croaticus group”(Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) in Croatia. Natura Croatica: Periodicum Musei Historiae Naturalis Croatici. 2022;31(2):265-82. [Open Access]

Thanks to Siegfried Huber for sending me this article!

Family Euscorpiidae

Major work on the phylogeny and systematics of Euscorpiinae in the eastern Adriatic region

 

The systematics and taxonomy of the members of the family Euscorpiidae is still a major challenge in site of numerous research papers in the last decades.  The four traditional European taxa known some decades ago, are now split into a huge diversity of genera and species. And there is still more to come as there are many cryptic species and geographic areas that are still not properly investigated.

Martina Podnar and co-workers have recently published an extensive phylogenetic analysis where they have reviewed the scorpions of the genera Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 and Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 (Euscorpiidae) with a focus on the eastern Adriatic region. 

This is a very extensive study full of new information and data, and some of it is above my head. But the main conclusions are that their analyses point to the existence of several new taxa and the ranges of several species have been revised. In addition they have made the following taxonomic conclusions:

Euscorpius lagostae Di Caporiacco, 1950 from Lastovo Island, Croatia is raised to species status (formerly Euscorpius carpaticus lagostae Di Caporiacco, 1950).

Euscorpius croaticus is moved to the genus Alpiscorpius as Alpiscorpius croaticus (Di Caporiacco, 1950). 

Why do have so many species? The current article indicate that this is probably due to complex topography creating many microhabitats, but also due to microrefugia in the Pleistocene that allowed new taxa to evolve.

Abstract:
The systematics and taxonomy of the scorpion family Euscorpiidae are still unresolved, and, within it, the eastern Adriatic scorpiofauna is largely unknown and under-researched. Based on two mitochondrial sequences (COI and 16S rRNA) and one nuclear marker sequence (ITS1), we put 107 newly analyzed samples originating from the Alps, the Eastern Adriatic, and the adjacent Dinaric karst area into phylogenetic context. Several species delineation approaches were applied to reveal cryptic diversity. Divergence time dating was used to highlight the major events in the evolutionary history of the genera Euscorpius and Alpiscorpius. The deep intraspecific genetic divergences observed in some clades warrant taxonomic revision of several taxa (Euscorpius tergestinus, Euscorpius hadzii, Euscorpius biokovensis, and Euscorpius (Alpiscorpius) croaticus). In this study, the population of E. hadzii from Lastovo Island (formerly Euscorpius carpaticus lagostae) is elevated to species level as Euscorpius lagostae Di Caporiacco, 1950, stat. nov. Euscorpius croaticus is moved to the genus Alpiscorpius as Alpiscorpius croaticus (Di Caporiacco, 1950) comb. nov. The distribution ranges of several species are revised, and based on the new data, a more detailed revision of species distribution is necessary. We attribute the major divergence events to the impact of the Middle Miocene Climate Transition, the Messinian Salinity Crisis, and the Middle Pleistocene Climate Transition. The observed patterns are therefore a direct consequence of the geological history and complex topography of the region, which provided numerous microhabitats, as well as of the Pleistocene microrefugia that enabled their persistence.

Reference:
Podnar M, Grbac I, Tvrtković N, Hörweg C, Haring E. Hidden diversity, ancient divergences, and tentative Pleistocene microrefugia of European scorpions (Euscorpiidae: Euscorpiinae) in the eastern Adriatic region. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 2021;Accepted Manuscript:1-26. [Subscriotion required for full text]

Thanks to Luis Roque for sending me this article.

Family Euscorpidae

New taxa from a new study of Balkan Euscorpiidae populations

 

Gioele Tropea has recently published a major study of Balkan Euscorpiidae populations. As usual these days, there are still many cryptic species hiding in European Euscorpiidae populations. These are the new taxa described in this article:

New subgenera in the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999:

Balkanscorpius Tropea, 2021

Hadzius Tropea, 2021

New species:

Alpiscorpius (Hadzius) karamani Tropea, 2021 (Central and west Serbia)

Alpiscorpius (Balkanscorpius) pavicevici Tropea, 2021 (Southern Serbia, south-west Bulgaria (?))

Alpiscorpius (Balkanscorpius) zloporubovici Tropea, 2021 (Central and west Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina (?))

New status and new combination (raised to species from subspecies):

Alpiscorpius (Balkanscorpius) caporiaccoi (Bonacina, 1980)

Alpiscorpius (Balkanscorpius) dinaricus (Di Caporiacco, 1950)

Synonymization:

Alpiscorpius beroni (Fet, 2000) is synonymized with A. (Balkanscorpius) dinaricus (Di Caporiacco, 1950)

Abstract:
Some Euscorpiinae populations with the trichobothrial series em = 3 from the Balkans, mainly from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, are examined, resulting in the description of two new subgenera, Balkanscorpius subgen. n. and Hadzius subgen. n., three new species, Alpiscorpius (Hadzius subg. n.) karamani sp. n., A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) pavicevici sp. n. and A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) zloporubovici sp. n., and elevation to species status in the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 and subgenus Balkanscorpius subgen. n. of A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) dinaricus (Di Caporiacco, 1950) stat. n. et comb. n. and A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) caporiaccoi (Bonacina, 1980) stat. n. et comb. n. A. beroni (Fet, 2000) has been synonymized with A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) dinaricus stat. n. et comb. n. The lectotype for A. (Balkanscorpius subg. n.) caporiaccoi stat. n. et comb. n. is designated. The forgotten species Scorpius bosnensis Mollendorf, 1873 is considered nomen dubium.

Reference:
Tropea G. Concerning some Balkan Euscorpiidae populations (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Biologia Serbica. 2021;43.

Thanks to Gioele Tropea for sending me his article!

Family Euscorpiidae

 

Updated identification on a few scorpions in a museum collection

 

There are a lot of scorpions in museum- and university collections around the world. Many of these were collected and identified decades and even centuries ago. In the meantime, scorpion taxonomy has been revised and updated and I guess a lot of the specimens in these collections may have both new status and names.

Ersen Yagmur has recently examined several specimens of Euscorpiidae collected by R. Kinzelbach in Turkey in the 1970s and deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz (NMM), Germany and updated their identification.

Abstract:
I examined the specimens of Euscorpiidae collected by R. Kinzelbach in Turkey in the 1970s and deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz (NMM), Germany. According to the current taxonomy, one “Euscorpius carpathicus” specimen from the İzmir Province is identified as E. avcii; two “E. carpathicus” specimens from the Mersin Province are identified as E. koci; and one “E. germanus mingrelicus” specimen from the Düzce Province is identified as Alpiscorpius phrygius.

Reference:
Yagmur EA. On R. Kinzelbach‘s euscorpiid specimens from Turkey deposited in the Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz, Germany (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2021(334):1-5. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae

A large revision of parts of the genus Euscorpius with two new genera

The genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) has turned out two be very complex with many cryptic and hidden taxa that has only been revealed after genetical analysis. A large number of new species have been described in the last decade.

Less attention have been on the complex Alpiscorpius complex containing the old taxa Euscorpius germanus C. L. Koch, 1837 and E. mingrelicus Kessler, 1874. Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers have now published a major study investigating this species complex in Italy, Austria and Slovenia. The study has resulted in the following taxonomical changes:

Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 is raised from subgenus status. The following species are included in this genus (New comb. = Transfered from genus Euscorpius):

A. alpha (Caporiaco, 1950). New comb.

A. beroni (Fet, 2000). New comb.

A. beta (Di Caporiacco, 1950). New status. Previously part of E. alpha.

A. delta Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Italy.

A. gamma (Caporiaco, 1950). New comb.

A. germanus (C.L. Koch, 1837). New comb.

A. kappa Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Slovenia.

A. lambda Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Slovenia and Italy (?).

A. mingrelicus (Kessler, 1874). New comb.

A. omega Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Slovenia.

A. omikron Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Slovenia.

A. phrygius (Bonacina, 1980). New comb.

A. sigma Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Italy and Slovenia.

A. uludagensis (Lacroix, 1995). New comb.

A. ypsilon Kovarik, Stundlova, Fet & Stahlavsky, 2019. New species from Austria and Slovenia.

The authors inform that the populations of Euscorpius (Alpiscorpius) spp. in the major part of the Balkan Peninsula remain unrevised. This means that there may be further changes in the future.

Tetratrichobothrius Birula, 1917 is raised from subspecies status and the genus' only species is Tetratrichobothrius flavicaudis (DeGeer, 1778), which is transfered from Euscorpius.

The article has a identification key for the new genus Alpiscorpius.

Abstract:
Two subgenera of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) are elevated to the genus status: Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, stat. n. and Tetratrichobothrius Birula, 1917, stat. n. Seven new Alpine scorpion species are described and illustrated: Alpiscorpius delta sp. n. (Italy) from the “alpha group” (“germanus complex”); A. kappa sp. n. (Slovenia) and A. lambda sp. n. (Slovenia) from the “germanus group” (“germanus complex”); A. omega sp. n. (Slovenia), A. omikron sp. n. (Slovenia), A. sigma sp. n. (Italy, Slovenia), and A. ypsilon sp. n. (Austria, Slovenia) from the “gamma group” (“mingrelicus complex”). The taxonomic validity of these cryptic species is confirmed through cytogenetic and DNA analysis (Štundlová et al., 2019). Alpiscorpius beta (Di Caporiacco, 1950), comb. n., stat. n. (Italy, Switzerland) is restored from synonymy and elevated to species level within the “alpha group”. Euscorpius germanus marcuzzii Valle et al., 1971 (Italy), recently elevated to species level, is synonymized with Alpiscorpius germanus (C. L. Koch, 1837), comb. n. (which is found in Austria, Italy, and Switzerland but not in Slovenia). The genus Alpiscorpius currently includes 15 valid species (6 in “germanus complex” and 9 in “mingrelicus complex”). Many populations of Alpiscorpius spp. from the Balkan Peninsula, formerly listed under Euscorpius gamma or E. mingrelicus, remain unassigned.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Stundlova J, Fet V, Stahlavsky F. Seven new Alpine species of the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, stat. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius. 2019(287):1-19. [Open Access]

Family Euscorpiidae