A revision of three vaejovid genera and three new Thorellius species

Edmundo González-Santillán and Lorenzo Prendini have recently published a systematic review of the three North American genera Balsateres González-Santillán and Prendini, 2013, Kuarapu Francke and Ponce-Saavedra, 2010 and Thorellius Soleglad and Fet, 2008 (Vaejovidae). Three new species is described and one taxa is synonymized.

New species:

Thorellius tekuani Gonzalez-Santillan & Prendini, 2018 (Mexico)
Thorellius wixarika Gonzalez-Santillan & Prendini, 2018 (Mexico)
Thorellius yuyuawi Gonzalez-Santillan & Prendini, 2018 (Mexico)

Synonymization:

Thorellius atrox (Hoffmann, 1931) is synonymized with Thorellius cristimanus (Pocock, 1898).

The article present new distributional data and an identification key for the genus Thorellius.

Abstract:
Four genera formed a monophyletic group, referred to as the Kochius clade, in the phylogeny of the North American vaejovid scorpion subfamily Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905: Balsateres González-Santillán and Prendini, 2013; Kochius Soleglad and Fet, 2008; Kuarapu Francke and Ponce-Saavedra, 2010; and Thorellius Soleglad and Fet, 2008. In the present contribution, all except Kochius, treated elsewhere, are revised. The monotypic Balsateres and Kuarapu are redescribed. Thorellius cristimanus (Pocock, 1898) and Thorellius intrepidus (Thorell, 1876) are redescribed and their type localities discussed and clarified. Three new species of Thorellius are described: Thorellius tekuani; Thorellius wixarika; and Thorellius yuyuawi. Vaejovis intrepidus atrox Hoffmann, 1931, is newly synonymized with T. cristimanus based on examination of the type material. A key to identification of the species of Thorellius is presented, and new locality records and updated distribution maps provided for all species covered.

Reference:
Gonzalez Santillan E, Prendini L. Systematic revision of the North American syntropine vaejovid scorpion genera Balsateres, Kuarapu, and Thorellius, with descriptions of three new species. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 2018(420):1-81. [Open Access]

Thanks to Edmundo González-Santillán for informing me about their article!

Family Vaejovidae

A major redefinition and generic revision of the North American vaejovid scorpion subfamily Syntropinae is published

A major revision of the subfamily Syntropinae in Vaejovidae is published by Edmundo Gonzalez-Santillan and Lorenzo Prendini.

A huge paper revising the subfamily Syntropinae in Vaejovidae is recently published. This is a very extensive work, making many changes within the family Vaejovidae. Six new genera are described and one genus is abolished (synonymized). Also, I count six new species (many restored from subspecies or synonymization status). Because of the complexity of this paper I refer to the abstract below for a summary of the main taxonomical conclusions. The changes have been included in The Scorpion Files. Details can also be found in The Scorpion Files' Vaejovidae updates file.

Abstract:
The endemic North American vaejovid scorpion subfamily Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905, is redefined and its component genera revised, based on a simultaneous phylogenetic analysis of 250 morphological characters and 4221 aligned DNA nucleotides from three mitochondrial and two nuclear gene markers. Tribe Stahnkeini Soleglad and Fet, 2006, is removed from Syntropinae. Tribe Paravaejovini Soleglad and Fet, 2008, and subtribe Thorelliina Soleglad and Fet, 2008, are abolished: Paravaejovini Soleglad and Fet, 2008 5 Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905, syn. nov.; Thorelliina Soleglad and Fet, 2008 5 Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905, syn. nov. Eleven genera, six newly described, are recognized within Syntropinae: Balsateres, gen. nov.; Chihuahuanus, gen. nov.; Kochius Soleglad and Fet, 2008; Konetontli, gen. nov.; Kuarapu Francke and Ponce-Saavedra, 2010; Maaykuyak, gen. nov.; Mesomexovis, gen. nov.; Paravaejovis Williams, 1980; Syntropis Kraepelin, 1900; Thorellius Soleglad and Fet, 2008; Vizcaino, gen. nov. Hoffmannius Soleglad and Fet, 2008, is abolished: Hoffmannius Soleglad and Fet, 2008 5 Paravaejovis Williams, 1980, syn. nov. Lissovaejovis Ponce-Saavedra and Beutelspacher, 2001 [nomen nudum] 5 Paravaejovis Williams, 1980, syn. nov. Ten species, formerly placed in Hoffmannius, are transferred to Paravaejovis: Paravaejovis confusus (Stahnke, 1940), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis diazi (Williams, 1970), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis eusthenura (Wood, 1863), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis flavus (Banks, 1900), comb. nov. [nomen dubium]; Paravaejovis galbus (Williams, 1970), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis gravicaudus (Williams, 1970), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis hoffmanni (Williams, 1970), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis puritanus (Gertsch, 1958), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis spinigerus (Wood, 1863), comb. nov.; Paravaejovis waeringi (Williams, 1970), comb. nov. Paravaejovis schwenkmeyeri (Williams, 1970), comb. nov., is removed from synonymy. Four species, formerly placed in Kochius, are transferred to Chihuahuanus, gen. nov.: Chihuahuanus cazieri (Williams, 1968), comb. nov.; Chihuahuanus crassimanus (Pocock, 1898), comb. nov.; Chihuahuanus kovariki (Soleglad and Fet, 2008), comb. nov.; Chihuahuanus russelli (Williams, 1971), comb. nov. Four species, formerly placed in Kochius, Thorellius, or Vaejovis C.L. Koch, 1836, are transferred to Mesomexovis, gen. nov.: Mesomexovis atenango (Francke and Gonza´ lez-Santilla´n, 2007), comb. nov.; Mesomexovis oaxaca (Santiba´n˜ ez-Lo´pez and Sissom, 2010), comb. nov.; Mesomexovis occidentalis (Hoffmann, 1931), comb. nov.; Mesomexovis subcristatus (Pocock, 1898), comb. nov. Mesomexovis variegatus (Pocock, 1898), comb. nov., is reinstated to its original rank as species. Four subspecies are newly elevated to species: Kochius barbatus (Williams, 1971), stat. nov.; Kochius cerralvensis (Williams, 1971), stat. nov.; Kochius villosus (Williams, 1971), stat. nov.; Mesomexovis spadix (Hoffmann, 1931), comb. et stat. nov. Three subspecies are synonymized: Vaejovis diazi transmontanus Williams, 1970 5 Paravaejovis diazi (Williams, 1970), syn. nov.; Vaejovis bruneus loretoensis Williams, 1971 5 Kochius villosus (Williams, 1971), syn. nov.; Vaejovis hoffmanni fuscus Williams, 1970 5 Paravaejovis hoffmanni (Williams, 1970), syn. nov.

Reference:
Gonzalez-Santillan E, Prendini L. Redefinition and generic revision of the North American vaejovid scorpion subfamily Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905, with descriptions of six new genera. Bulletin of The American Museum of Natural History. 2013 (382):1-71. [Free full text]

Thanks to Edmundo Gonzalez-Santillan for informing me about his impressive work!

Family Vaejovidae

New vaejovid genus and species from Mexico

Mexico has a high scorpion diversity and many areas of the country have not yet been properly surveyed for scorpions. Oscar Francke and Javier Ponce-Saavedra now report about a new genus and species in the family Vaejovidae from Michoaca in Mexico.

Kuarapu Francke & Ponce-Saavedra, 2010
Kuarapu purhepecha Francke & Ponce-Saavedra, 2010

This small scorpion is only 2-3 cm long. "Kuarapu" means "scorpion" in the language of the local Tarascan Indians. The species names can be translated as "Tarascan scorpion", as "Purhepecha" is the term used by the Tarascan Indians to refer to themself.

Abstract:
Kuarapu purhepecha, gen. n., sp. n., from Municipio La Huacana, Michoacán, is described from eight adult specimens, four males and four females. It appears most closely related to Serradigitus Stahnke (tribe Stahnkeini Soleglad & Fet, 2006), sharing the serrated pedipalp finger dentition and the placement of trichobothria ib-it near the middle of the fixed finger. The characters that separate it from the four genera currently recognized in the tribe Stahnkeini are the presence of a retrobarbate mating plug in the spermatophore (smooth in other Stahnkeini), the presence of sensory pegs on the basal teeth of the pectines of females, and five distal spinules ventrally on telotarsus III (two on other Stahnkeini). Members of the tribe Syntropini Kraepelin, 1905 do not have serrated pedipalp finger dentition, and trichobothria ib-it are adjacent to the basal inner denticle.

Reference:
Francke OF, Ponce-Saavedra J. A new genus and species of scorpion (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) from Michoacan, Mexico. Boletin de la SEA. 2010 (46):51-7.

Thanks to Oscar Francke for sending me this paper!

Family Vaejovidae