Taxonomic comments on some species of Bothriurus from Brazil and one new species

 

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have recently published an article with considerations of some species in Bothriurus Peters, 1861 (Bothriuridae) from the state of Paranà in Brazil. Main findings:

Bothriurus trifinium Lourenço, Wilme & Ythier, 2026 [New species from the Northwest of the state of Paraná in Brazil.]

Bothriurus semiellipticus Prado, 1934 [Raised to species status from synonymy with B. bonariensis (C.L. Koch, 1842).]

Abstract:
A new species, Bothriurus trifinium sp. n. is described from an area of Riparian wet-forests in the Northwest of the state of Paraná in Brazil. The new species can be associated with other species previously described from the nearby regions of Paraná but also from Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay. The description of this new species attests once again about the existence of micro-endemic populations within different groups of Bothriurus. Comments are also proposed on the taxonomic status of some previously described species, with one species revalidated and some synonymies suggested.

Reference:
Lourenço WR, Wilmé L, Ythier É. New considerations on the species of the genus Bothriurus Peters (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae) described or cited from the state of Paraná, Brazil and description of a new species. Faunitaxys. 2026;14(56):1–10. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for informing me about this article!

Family Bothriruidae 

Cave and subterranean dwelling scorpions in Brazil

 

As many other invertebrates, som scorpions have adapted to a life in caves and/or in subterrean habitats. A few are true troglobites, adapted to cave life only (often with several troglomorphic adaptions). Others are troglophiles or trogloxenes, living both inside and outside the subterranean realm. 

Jonas Gallao and co-workers have recently published a review summing up the knowledge of cave and subterranean scorpions in Brazil. They found that three families and at least 33 species have been reported from these kinds of habitats. 

Abstract:
Arachnids have successfully colonized subterranean environments. Compared to spiders, harvestmen, and pseudoscorpions, scorpions have a moderate number of subterranean species, including troglophiles and troglobites. Among the four families and 184 species and three subspecies of scorpions found in Brazil, three families and at least 33 species and one subspecies have been documented in subterranean habitats. This study presents a faunistic list of scorpion occurrences in caves and other types of subterranean habitats in Brazil, along with distribution maps and an attempt to classify species based on their use of and dependence on subterranean environments.

Reference:
Gallao JE, Lenhare BD, Oliveira-Neto M, Bichuette ME. Scorpions in Brazilian caves and other subterranean habitats. Euscorpius. 2026(430):1–12. [Open Access] 

Discovery of an unknown cave-dwelling scorpion from Australia

 

It is always interesting to read about new, cave dwelling scorpions. Some of these are just troglophiles without any special morphological adaptions, while others are true troglobites with adaptions like lack of pigments and reduced or no eyes.

In a recent article, Michael Curran and co-workers describe a new scorpion discovered in caves the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The taxonomic status of the scorpion will be treated in a future article, but preliminary analysis place it in the family Bothriuridae. The new species has distinct troglomorphic traits. It lacks eyes and pigmentation, and has weakened/diminished appendages.

It will be interesting to read the follow-up study on the taxonomy of this scorpion and another unknown bothriurid fra the same area. These two specimens represent the first reported troglobitic members of the family Bothriuridae.

Abstract:
We report the first troglobitic members of the scorpion family Bothriuridae from Australia, discovered in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and provide a brief review of Australian troglofaunal scorpions. Scorpions are rare in subterranean ecosystems, with only 28 species recorded globally. Two described and two undescribed subterranean scorpion species were previously known from Australia. The Pilbara specimen documented herein exhibit pronounced troglomorphic traits, including complete loss of ocelli and pigmentation and weakened/diminished appendages, consistent with obligate subterranean adaptation. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses place the specimen within Bothriuridae. Photographs, collection details, and molecular data are provided. Together with a previously collected undescribed bothriurid from the Pilbara, this discovery represents the first documented troglobitic Bothriuridae globally. Formal taxonomic treatment will follow in a subsequent dedicated study.

Reference:
Curran M, Rodman S, Huey J, Floeckner S, Gunawardene N, Lythe M, et al. First record of troglobitic Bothriuridae (Scorpiones) in Australia from the Pilbara. Subterr Biol. 2026;56:85–101. [Open Access]

Thanks to Matt Simon and Francesco Frigioni for sending me this article!

A phylogenetic analysis of the South American genus Urophonius with the description of a new species

 

Andrés Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers recently published a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Bothriuridae) distributed in the southern parts of South America. A new high-altitude species from Chile is described. 

Urophonius andinus Ojanguren-Affilastro & Pizarro-Araya, 2026

 Urophonius is special in that most of the species are active during winter. The evolution of this and the physiological adaptions necessary for winter activities are discussed. 

Abstract:
This study presents the first total evidence dated phylogenetic analysis of the scorpion genus Urophonius, integrating 115 morphological characters and five molecular markers (28S, 18S, H3, 16S, COI). Our comprehensive phylogenetic framework provides novel insights into the genus’ diversification timeline and evolutionary processes. Additionally, we described Urophonius andinus n. sp. from the central Chilean Andes, a high-altitude species found at 2400 m.s.a.l., representing the highest elevational record for the genus. This new species is placed within the granulatus species group, characterized by a spring–summer activity period.

Reference:
Ojanguren‐Affilastro AA, Santibáñez‐López CE, Alfaro FM, Ramírez MJ, Iuri HA, Mattoni CI, et al. First total evidence dated phylogeny of the scorpion genus Urophonius (Bothriuridae), with new insights into the transition to winter activity, and the description of the first highland Andean species of the genus. Systematic Entomology. 2026;51(1):e70032. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Victoria for sharing this article!

Family Bothriuridae 

A new species of Brachistosternus from Chile

 

 The unique geography of Chile is the origin of pockets of endemic species. Andres Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have recently described a new species of Brachistosternus Pocock, 1893 (Bothriuridae) from the upper basin of the Maule Valley, located in the Maule Region of central Chile.

Brachistosternus pehuenche Ojanguren Affilastro, Alfaro, Iuri, Camousseigt-Montolivo & Pizarro-Araya, 2025

Abstract:
Brachistosternus pehuenche sp. nov. (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) is described from the Mauline Andean forests of the northern Chilean Patagonia, located within the upper basin of the Maule Valley. Its unique geography and the discovery of this partial isolation, as a result of the surrounding higher altitudes, support the role of this valley as a biodiversity hotspot, fostering a variety of endemic epigean arthropods. The discovery of this third endemic scorpion species highlights the area’s ecological uniqueness. The species is most similar to Brachistosternus negrei, a species found in the southern Chilean forests, but distinct morphological traits, such as pigmentation patterns and metasomal structures, clearly separate the two. This study underscores the ecological value of the Maule Valley, which, despite its high endemism, remains unprotected and is subject to significant anthropogenic pressures, including agriculture, hydropower projects, and international transit routes. The need for conservation initiatives in this region is critical to preserve its exceptional biodiversity. This work not only adds to the taxonomy of Brachistosternus but also raises fundamental questions about the processes driving endemism in the Andes and the broader implications for the conservation of montane ecosystems.

Reference:
Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Alfaro FM, Iuri HA, Camousseigt-Montolivo B, Pizarro-Araya J. Description of Brachistosternus pehuenche sp. nov. (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae), a new scorpion species from the upper Maule Valley, in the southern Chilean Andes. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 2025;101(3):969–81. [Open Access]

Thanks to Gerard, Matt and Victoria for informing me about this article!

Family Bothriuridae

Goats are not scorpions' best friend

 

                                                    Illustration: DALL-E/ChatGPT

Habitat destruction due to human impact is a threat to many animals, scorpions included. In a recent study, Thayna Rhayane Brito-Almeida and co-workers have investigated the impact of non-native, grassing goats on the scorpion fauna in Brazil.

The study showed that the goats have a negative impact on the habitat and both the species richness and abundance of scorpions in areas with grazing goats. The presence of goats also seemed to cause reduced body mass and size in the scorpions compared to areas without goats.

Abstract:
Extensive grazing carried out freely by exotic goats represents an important source of anthropogenic degradation in seasonally dry tropical forests of Brazil. The presence of these herbivores may negatively impact the local fauna through the reduction of habitat complexity. In this study, we investigate the effect of goat farming in scorpion assemblage from Brazilian seasonally dry tropical forest. Scorpions were sampled in 36 areas (18 disturbed and 18 undisturbed) distributed in three sites in the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil. At each location, we recorded a set of local variables such as litter depth, diameter at breast height of trees, vegetation density (trees and shrubs), and detritus (stones and fallen logs). In total, 396 scorpions were collected, distributed across six species and two families. Our results showed that scorpion diversity was negatively affected, with species richness and abundance reduced in areas influenced by goats. Furthermore, in these sites, the composition of the species was also affected, with habitat-generalist species favoring habitat-specialist species. Finally, sites with free pasture of goats presented scorpions with reduced body condition (body mass and size) than sites without goats. Furthermore, habitat degradation caused by free pasture of goats negatively affects the assemblage of scorpions in terms of their diversity and body condition the seasonally dry tropical forest of Brazil.

Reference:
Brito‐Almeida TR, Foerster SÍA, Lima JR, da Silva MA, de Moura GJB, de Araujo Lira AF. Free Pasture of Exotic Goats Reduces Diversity and Negatively Affects Body Condition in Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Assemblage From Brazilian Seasonal Dry Tropical Forest. Ecology and evolution. 2025;15(1):e70804. [Open Access]

Thanks to André for sending me their article!

A new species of Timogenes from north western Argentina

 

 

For the first time in 45 years, a new species in the genus Timogenes Simon, 1880 (Bothriuridae) has been described. Alexis Barrios-Montivero and co-workers recently described a new species in this small genus from the Pipanaco salt flat of arid Northwestern Argentina.

Timogenes pipanaco Barrios-Montivero & Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2024

Abstract:
We describe Timogenes pipanaco sp. nov. (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) from north western Argentina. This species is most similar to Timogenes haplochirus Maury & Roig Alsina 1977, both sharing a shallow internal excavation in pedipalp chela of males. This is the smallest known species of the genus with males averaging 33.3 mm, and is the only species of the genus with extremely reduced stridulatory organ. This species is apparently endemic to the Pipanaco salt flat in arid north western Argentina, and is active in spring. This is the first species of genus Timogenes described after 45 years.

Reference:
Barrios-Montivero AE, Salas LB, Ojanguren Affilastro AA. Description of Timogenes pipanaco sp. nov.,(Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) a new salt flat species from north western Argentina. Zootaxa. 2024;5536(2):277-90. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Andres and Victoria for informing me about this article!

Family Bothiuridae

Using chemical cues to avoid intraguild predators and to find potential mates

 

It is well known that scorpions can detect and use chemical cues thanks to chemosensitive hairs on the pectins and on part of the pedipalps. Chemical cues can be used to discover and seek out conspecifics for mating, but also to avoid conspecifics or other scorpions that want to eat you (cannibalism is well documented in scorpions, often larger individuals preying on smaller and larger females may also kill and eat potential suitors).

Welton Dionisio-da-Silva and co-workers published earlier this summer a study of the use of chemical cues in the two Brazilian scorpions Bothriurus rochai Mello-Leitão, 1932 (Bothriuridae) and Jaguajir rochae (Borelli, 1910) (Buthidae). They tested the behavioral response to chemical cues from a heterospecific scorpion, and the response of male individuals (B. rochai and J. rochae) to chemical cues from conspecific females.

The study showed that smaller individuals avoided sites with the "smell" of larges individuals, whiles larger predators preferred the sites with the "smell" of smaller scorpions. In addition, males of both species trailed the chemical cues of females. 

According to the authors, this is the first evidence of a scorpion species detecting and hunting a heterospecific scorpion through chemical cues.

Abstract:
Chemical perception is essential among arthropods for mate recognition, prey search, and predator avoidance, especially for solitary predators which are often aggressive. Such mechanisms may be intensified in environments like the Caatinga, a seasonally dry tropical forest in Brazil, characterized by low habitat complexity and high seasonal variation. Thus, we investigated chemical perception between two scorpion species from this environment, involved in intraguild competition. Experiments assessed their response to chemical cues from prey, predators, and potential mates. We use Y-mazes to test the time spent by the scorpions between Y-arms with or without a given substrate-borne chemical cue (site preference) and the number of active individuals during trials (presence of activity). Scorpions’ activity was not influenced by chemical stimuli, although they clearly exhibit site preferences. The smaller predators avoided sites with the larger species’ chemical cues, while the larger predators preferred sites with the smaller species’ cues. Additionally, both species trailed female chemical cues. These findings suggest a dual-oriented arms race where prey and predator modulate their behaviour to avoid and hunt heterospecifics, respectively. This study provides the first evidence of a scorpion using chemical cues to detect a heterospecific scorpion and highlights the importance of this trait in arachnids.

References:
Dionisio-da-Silva W, Araujo Rocha-da-Silva KL, Veloso HMG, DaSilva MB. Hide and seek: chemical cues drive site preference among potential mates and intraguild competitors. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 2024:blae058. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Welton Dionisio-da-Silva for sending me their article!

 

A new species of Urophonius from Chile

 

Urophonius Pocock, 1893 in the family Bothriuridae consists of small burrowing scorpions from southern South America. One special feature with this genus is that some of the species are active in winter. Andrés Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have recently described a new species from Andean Mauline Chilean forests.

Urophonius trewanke Ojanguren-Affilastro, Alfaro, Ramirez, Camousseigt-Montolivo & Pizarro-Araya, 2024

The authors have also included a phylogenetic analysis of the genus based on morphological characters.

Abstract:
Urophonius trewanke sp. nov. is described from the Mauline Andean woods of northern Chilean Patagonia. This species belongs to the granulatus species group, which includes the most basal species within the genus. This species is only active in summer as in all species of its group. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Urophonius based on morphological characters to establish the position and relationships of the new species in the genus.

Reference:
Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Alfaro FM, Ramírez MJ, Camousseigt-Montolivo B, Pizarro-Araya J. A new species of genus Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae), from Andean Mauline Chilean forests, with a phylogenetic re-analysis of the genus. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 2024;100(2):469-82. [Full text supplied by authors]

Thanks to Victora Tang for informing me about this article!

Family Bothriruidae

What's on the menu for a group of Brazilian scorpions?

 

It is generally stated that most scorpions are generalist prey on a wide diversity of animals (including other scorpions). In spite of this generalization and "common knowledge", there are few systematic studies on the diet composition of many scorpion species.

Dionisio-da-Silva and co-workers have recently published a study of the prey composition of scorpions from different environments in Brazil. A generalist diet and cases of cannibalism are reported.

Abstract:
The overall assumption that scorpions are generalist predators is often based on conspicuous information from the literature. Here, we compiled a list of prey consumption by scorpions from different environments in Brazil to produce a documentation of predations by this taxon. This list is based on observations made under natural conditions in Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, and Cerrado formations. We compiled 135 predation instances including 11 scorpion species from field work through 14 years. The observed diet composition of the scorpions was mainly based on cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, and other scorpions. Such data highlights the generalist diet and cannibalism of scorpions with many cannibalistic events among the records of intraguild predation. Overall, this study broadens the knowledge of the diet composition of Brazilian scorpions under natural conditions.

Reference:
Dionisio-da-Silva W, Foerster SIA, Gallao JE, Lira AFA. What's for dinner? Prey consumption by Neotropical scorpions across contrasting environments. J Arachnol. 2024;52:26-30. [Sunscription required for full text]

Scorpion assemblages in threatened Brazilian forests

 

Understanding the scorpion biodiversity, distribution, species composition in time and space between and within habitats is important, especially in a time were many scorpion habitats and ecosystems are threatened, both by human impact and climate changes.  

André Lira and co-workers have recently published a study on the role of environmental factors in explaining beta-diversity patterns in threatened Brazilian forests. André (personal communication) kindly explained to me what bet-diversity is: "Basically, beta diversity addresses the change in species composition between one place and another. In my article, I used two components of beta diversity, species replacement and differences in species richness, each of which gives an answer about how the composition of a given community is structured."

The main conclusion of the study is that the scorpion species composition does not vary in a consistent way between different forest types investigated. See abstract and article for more details.

Abstract:
1. A systematic understanding of the variation in species composition across time and space is urgently needed to protect threatened Brazilian forests.

2. This study has disentangled the among-site variation in beta diversity among scorpion assemblages from the Caatinga and Atlantic Forest. We calculated the relative contribution of species replacement and differences in species richness in explaining the beta diversity in each forest, correlating such metrics with environmental characteristics. Finally, we estimated the relative site-specific contribution to identify potential environmental drivers determining unique combinations of species composition.

3. The average among-site dissimilarity in scorpion assemblages was higher in the Caatinga than that in the Atlantic Forest. The differences in species composition among Caatinga sites were mainly due to the spatial replacement of species. Differences in species richness at the local scale explained most of the variation in species composition among Atlantic Forest sites.

4. Environmental variables related to topography and land use partially explained the variation in among-site dissimilarity, species replacement, differences in species richness and the ecological uniqueness in terms of species composition in the Caatinga. Environmental variables describing topography and land use were also important in explaining differences in species richness and local contributions to the beta diversity among Atlantic Forest sites. The relative site-specific contribution to beta diversity was higher in Caatinga sites located in ecotonal zones and Atlantic Forest sites situated within conservation reserves.

5. Using scorpions as biological models, we have demonstrated that the species composition does not vary in a consistent way between different forest types.

Reference:
de Araujo Lira AF, de Moura GJB, Foerster SÍA. Scorpion assemblages in threatened Brazilian forests: The role of environmental factors in explaining beta‐diversity patterns. Insect Conservation and Diversity. 2023;First published 15 November 2023. [Sunscription required for full text]

Thanks to André for sending me their article and updating my ecology knowledge.

New records of scorpion stowaways discovered in United Kingdom

 

It is well known that scorpions occasionally are discovered in areas and countries where they do not belong. These are usually accidental introductions from holiday luggage and shipments of goods. In most cases these scorpions will not be established in their new country. 

Daniella Sherwood and Luis de Armas have recently published an article presenting old and new records of scorpions detected as stowaways in the United Kingdom.

Abstract:
Previous and new records of scorpions detected as stowaways in the United Kingdom are presented and discussed. Five taxa are recorded in the scientific literature for the first time: Centruroides insulanus (Thorell, 1876, Centruroides sp. (nigrovariatus species group), Hottentotta cf. tamulus (Fabricius, 1798), Mesobuthus sp. and Cercophonius squama (Gervais, 1844). Also, we discuss a sixth undeterminable scorpion of which only a single photograph was available.

Reference:
Sherwood D, de Armas LF. Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) as stowaways accidently imported into The United Kingdom. Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2023(42):209-13. [Full text supplied by author]

Thanks to Daniella for sending me this article!

A new cryptic species in the genus Brachistosternus from the Argentinean central Andes

 

Andres Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have discovered a new species in the genus  Brachistosternus Pocock, 1893 (Bothriuridae) from the Argentinean central Andes. 

 Brachistosternus diaguita Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2023

The new, high-altitude species is a cryptic species that is very difficult to separate from other related species in the area. A phylogenetic analysis supports the status of the new genus.

Abstract:
In this contribution we describe Brachistosternus diaguita n. sp. from the Argentinean central Andes, which is closely related to Brachistosternus montanus Roig-Alsina 1977, also from the same region. To corroborate reciprocal monophyly of the species, Bayesian inference was carried out on a selection of taxa, for which three mitochondrial (16S rDNA, 12SrDNA and COI) and two nuclear (28S rDNA and 18S rDNA) gene fragments had previously been sequenced for previous contributions on this genus by our group. Finally, we explored the potential distribution of Argentinean high Andean species of this genus using Maxent.

Reference:
Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Ceccarelli FS, Mattoni CI, Salas L, Iuri H, Ochoa JA, et al. On the southernmost high Andean scorpion species, with the identification of a cryptic new species of Brachistosternus (Bothriuridae) through morphology, molecular data and species distribution models. Zoologischer Anzeiger. 2023;302:248–59. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Andres for sending me their new article!

Family Bothriuridae

A new species of Bothriurus from Brazil

 

Wilson Lourenco has recently published a new species of Bothriurus Peters, 1861 from the State of Pará in Brazil.

Bothriurus andorinhas Lourenco, 2023

Abstract:
A new species Bothriurus andorinhas n. sp. is described from an area of transition between savanna-like formations and wet-forests in the south of the state of Pará in Brazil. The new species can be associated with other species of what can be defined as the Bothriurus rochai complex. The description of this new species attests once again about the existence of micro-endemic populations within different groups of Bothriurus. Comments are proposed on some ecological particularities of the micro-habitat of the new taxon and about the region where the new species was discovered in the state of Pará.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. A new species of Bothriurus Peters (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae) from ‘Parque Estadual da Serra dos Martírios/Andorinhas’ in the State of Pará, Brazil. Faunitaxys. 2023;11(4):1-7. [Open Access]

Thanks to Nicolas Machiavel for sending me this article!

Family Bothriruidae

A new high-altitude Bothriurus species from Chile

 

Andres A. Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have recently described a new species of Bothriurus Peters, 1861(Bothriuridae) from high-altitude habitats in north-central Andes of the Coquimbo Region in Chile.

Bothriurus mistral Ojanguren Affilastro, Mattoni, Alfaro & Pizarro-Araya, 2023

Abstract:
We describe Bothriurus mistral n. sp. (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) from the Chilean north-central Andes of the Coquimbo Region. This is the highest elevational discovery for Bothriurus in the western slopes of the Andes. This species was collected in the Estero Derecho Private Protected Area and Natural Sanctuary as part of the First National Biodiversity Inventory of Chile of the Integrated System for Monitoring and Evaluation of Native Forest Ecosystems (SIMEF). Bothriurus mistral n. sp. is closely related to Bothriurus coriaceus Pocock, 1893, from the lowlands of central Chile. This integrative research includes a combination of traditional morphometrics and geometric morphometric analyses to support the taxonomic delimitation of the species.

Reference:
Ojanguren-Affilastro AA, Benitez HA, Iuri HA, Mattoni CI, Alfaro FM, Pizarro-Araya J. Description of Bothriurus mistral n. sp., the highest-dwelling Bothriurus from the western Andes (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae), using multiple morphometric approaches. PLoS One. 2023;18:e0281336. [Open Access]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this article!

Family Bothriurudae

Taxonomical changes missed in 2021

I try to keep The Scorpion Files as updated as possible and fortunately I have access to a lot of journals through my work and many researchers also send me their new articles. But I do not discover all new changes that are published. 

Thanks to Gerard Dupre's list of new taxa in 2021 published in issue 104 of Arachnides, I have disocered a few taxa that have been missing from The Scorpion Files:

Family Bothriuridae

Bothriurus goiano Lovato, Anker & Lourenco, 2021 (Brazil)

Family Buthidae:

Ananteris obscura Lourenco & Motta, 2021 (Brazil)

Microananteris serrulata Lourenco, 2021 (French Guiana)  

Microananteris inselberg Lourenco, 2021 (French Guiana)  

Orthochirus milloti Lourenco, 2021 (Mali)

Please informed me of errors or missing taxonomical changes in The Scorpion Files.

References:

Dupre, G. Nouveaux Taxa de Scorpions pour 2021. Arachnides. 2021(104):1003. [Open Access]

Lovato ML, Anker A, Lourenço WR. A new species of Bothriurus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae) from the Parque Nacional dass Emas in central Brazil. Revista ibérica de Aracnología. 2021(38):52-62.

Lourenço WR, Motta PC. One more new species of Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from the Cerrados of the Federal District in Brazil. Revista ibérica de aracnología. 2021(38):121-5.

Lourenço WR. The genus Microananteris Lourenço, 2003 in French Guiana (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoosystema. 2021;43(20):377-86. [Subscription required for full text]

Lourenço WR. The true status of the specimen belonging to the genus Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Aguelhok (Aguel’hoc), Mali. Revista ibérica de aracnología. 2021(38):99-102.

Family Bothriuridae

Family Buthidae

Physiological adaptions in winter active species of Urophonius

 

Scorpions are mainly known from warm regions and their adaptions to arid habitats are well studied. Less known and studied are scorpions that inhabit high altitudes or other habitats that experience sub-zero temperatures during the year. A special case among these are the two species Urophonius achalensis Abalos & Hominal, 1974 and U. brachycentrus (Thorell, 1876) (Bothriuridae) from Argentina that are unusual in that they actually are active during the winter (in periods with sub-zero temperatures).

C.Fernando Garcia and co-workers published last year a study investigating the possible physiological adaptations to different temperatures in the two winter active bothriurids. Their main conclusion is that the acclimatization to cold generates important lipidic metabolic variations in different organs and tissues.

Abstract:
Different organisms (mainly poikilotherms) are subject to environmental fluctuations that could affect their normal physiological functioning (e.g., by destabilization of biomembranes and rupture of biomolecules). As a result, animals regulate their body temperature and adapt to different environmental conditions through various physiological strategies. These adaptations are crucial in all organisms, although they are more relevant in those that have reached a great adaptive diversity such as scorpions. Within scorpions, the genus Urophonius presents species with winter activity, being this a peculiarity within the Order and an opportunity to study the strategies deployed by these organisms when facing different temperatures. Here, we explore three basic issues of lipid remodeling under high and low temperatures, using adults and juveniles of Urophonius achalensis and U. brachycentrus. First, as an indicator of metabolic state, we analyzed the lipidic changes in different tissues observing that low temperatures generate higher quantities of triacylglycerols and fewer amount of structural lipids and sphyngomielin. Furthermore, we studied the participation of fatty acids in adaptive homeoviscosity, showing that there are changes in the quantity of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids at low temperature (mainly 16:0, 18:0, 18:1 and 18:2). Finally, we observe that there are quantitative and qualitative variations in the cuticular hydrocarbons (with possible water barrier and chemical recognition function). These fluctuations are in some cases species-specific, metabolic-specific, tissue-specific and in others depend on the ontogenetic state.

Reference:
Garcia CF, Oviedo-Diego M, Laino A, Peterson G, Mattoni CI, Peretti AV, et al. Low temperatures induce physiological changes in lipids, fatty acids and hydrocarbons, in two rare winter scorpions of genus Urophonius (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae). J Therm Biol. 2021;96. [Sunscription required for full text]

Thanks to Andres Ojanguren-Affilastro for sending me their article!

Two new species of Brachistosternus from high altitude habitats in Chile

 

The deserts in northern Chile have a high scorpion diversity, but many parts of this region are not yet fully investigated. Andres Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have recently publish an article describing two new species of  Brachistosternus Pocock, 1893 (Bothriruidae) from high altitude habitats in the Antofagasta Region in Chile.

Brachistosternus chimba Ojanguren Affilastro, Alfaro & Pizarro-Araya, 2021

Brachistosternus llullaillaco Ojanguren Affilastro, Alfaro & Pizarro-Araya, 2021

Abstract:
We describe two new scorpion species of genus Brachistosternus from protected areas of Antofagasta Region in northern Chile. Brachistosternus chimba n. sp. has only been collected in La Chimba National Reserve, in the Chilean Coast Range. Brachistosternus llullaillaco n. sp. is a high altitude Andean species of the Lullaillaco National Park. Both species were collected as part of the first survey of the terrestrial arthropods of the protected areas of Antofagasta Region, in the frame of the First National Biodiversity Inventory of Chile of the Integrated System for Monitoring and Evaluation of Native Forest Ecosystems (SIMEF) and Project FIC-R Recovery Plan for La Chimba National Reserve.

Reference:
Ojanguren Affilastro AA, Alfaro FM, Pizarro-Araya J. Two new scorpion species from protected areas in Antofagasta Region, Chile (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae, Brachistosternus). Zootaxa. 2021;5040(1):111-31. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Matt Simon for informing me about this article and to Andres for sending it to me! 

Family Bothriuridae

Scorpions found at elevated altitudes of an area of conservation in the Caatinga, Brazil

 

In a 2020 article, Phelipe Rêgo Lisboa de Souza and co-workers presented the results of a study of the scorpion fauna at elevated altitudes of an area of conservation in the Caatinga, Brazil. Nine species from Buthidae and Bothriuridae were found in the study area.

Abstract:
This study aims to report the diversity of scorpions at elevated altitudes in the Parque Estadual das Sete Passagens (PESP), in an area of conservation located in the Chapada Diamantina within the Caatinga domain in north-eastern Brazil. Data collection occurred in December 2016 and December 2017, through the use of pitfall traps and nocturnal manual collection with the help of ultraviolet torches. 86 individuals were collected, pertaining to nine species, grouped into two families. The Bothriuridae represented 71% of samples, with Bothriurus sp. 1 occurring at all sample altitudes. Whereas, the Buthidae represente 29% of samples, with Ananteris sp, the most represented species, occurring at altitudes of 1,000m and 1,076m and Tityus stigmurus inhabiting areas with extensive human presence. The ample diversity found in the PESP, reveals that this location can be considered representative of the scorpiofauna of Bahia and of the Caatinga, especially due to the lack of data available on scorpions in semi-arid environments.

Reference:
de Souza PRL, Benati KR, Peres MCL. Scorpions (Arachnida, Scorpiones) at elevated altitudes of an area of conservation in the Caatinga. Ciencia e Natura. 2021;42:e29. [Open Access]

Thanks to Phelipe Rêgo Lisboa de Souza for sending me their article!

Two new species in the "winter" genus Urophonius from Patagonia, Argentina

 

Some scorpions in the genus Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Bothriuridae) are special in that they are one of few scorpions having a winter activity period during real winter conditions. Andr
es A. Ojanguren-Affilastro and co-workers have recently published the first phylogenetic analysis of this genus. Two new species are described from Patagonia, Argentina.

Urophonius araucano Ojanguren-Affilastro, 2020

Urophonius pehuenche Ojanguren-Affilastro & Pizarro-Araya, 2020

The article also describes and discuss the unusual winter activity observed in some species of Urophonius. A few species actually seem to be active only in the winter! By the way, Urophonius granulatus (Pocock 1898) has the record of being the southernmost scorpion of the world.

Abstract:
The first phylogenetic analysis of genus Urophonius is performed based on morphological characters. Three monophyletic species groups are recovered. Species of the granulatus species group and Urophonius mondacai have summer or spring activity patterns. The exochus and brachycentrus species groups form a monophyletic group with a winter activity pattern, which is so far unique in scorpions from temperate and cold areas. Additionally, two new Patagonian species of Urophonius are described, one from Argentina and one from Chile. Finally, we discuss the southernmost distributions of scorpions in continental Patagonia. We suggest that the southern limit of the group could be related not only with a decrease in temperature, but also with an increase of precipitation.

Reference:
Ojanguren Affilastro AA, Ramirez MJ, Pizarro-Araya J. Phylogenetic analysis of the winter and southernmost scorpion genus Urophonius Pocock, 1893 (Bothriuridae), with the description of two new Patagonian species. Zoologischer Anzeiger. 2020;289:50-66. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Andres for sending me their article!

Family Bothriuridae