A new species of Opistophthalmus from Namibia

 

 

Eric Ythier recently published a new article describing a new species in the African genus Opistophthalmus C. L. Koch, 1837 (Scorpionidae) from Namibia.

Opistophthalmus tumas Ythier, 2023

Abstract:
A new species of Opistophthalmus C. L. Koch, 1837 is described on the basis of one adult male and one adult female collected in the inselberg of Tumasberg, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Erongo region, Namibia. Opistophthalmus tumas sp. n. shows similarities with O. holmi (Lawrence, 1969) and O. jenseni (Lamoral, 1972) but can be easily distinguished from both species by several morphological features. The new taxon described here raises the number of known species for the genus Opistophthalmus in Namibia to 30, and the total number of currently recognized species for the genus to 60.

Reference:
Ythier E. A new species of Opistophthalmus C. L. Koch, 1837 from Namibia (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Faunitaxys. 2023;11(23):1-6. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for sending me this article!

Family Scorpionidae

Similarities in scorpion burrows imply similar function

Amanda Adams and co-workers have recently published an analysis of the burrow structures of three scorpion species in the family Scorpionidae (Scorpio palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1829) from Israel and Opistophthalmus setifrons Lawrence, 1961 and O. wahlbergii Thorell, 1876 from Namibia).

The following similar architectural structures of burrows were found for all three species:

1. Just below the entrance, all species had a horizontal platform.

2. All three species had at least two bends of the vertical tunnel going down.

3. The burrows of all species ended in an enlarged terminal chamber (usually larger for female occupants).

The article concludes that the similarity of the burrow structure has a common goal of managing the scorpions physical environment (keeping temperature and humidity stable and optimal) and providing protection from predators and cannibalistic conspecifics.

This is an interesting and readable article for those of you interested in scorpion ecology and scorpions adaption to their environment.

Abstract:
Many animals reside in burrows that may serve as refuges from predators and adverse environmental conditions. Burrow design varies widely among and within taxa, and these structures are adaptive, fulfilling physiological (and other) functions. We examined the burrow architecture of three scorpion species of the family Scorpionidae: Scorpio palmatus from the Negev desert, Israel; Opistophthalmus setifrons, from the Central Highlands, Namibia; and Opistophthalmus wahlbergii from the Kalahari desert, Namibia. We hypothesized that burrow structure maintains temperature and soil moisture conditions optimal for the behavior and physiology of the scorpion. Casts of burrows, poured in situ with molten aluminum, were scanned in 3D to quantify burrow structure. Three architectural features were common to the burrows of all species: (1) a horizontal platform near the ground surface, long enough to accommodate the scorpion, located just below the entrance, 2–5 cm under the surface, which may provide a safe place where the scorpion can monitor the presence of potential prey, predators, and mates and where the scorpion warms up before foraging; (2) at least two bends that might deter incursion by predators andmay reduce convective ventilation, thereby maintaining relatively high humidity and low temperature; and (3) an enlarged terminal chamber to a depth at which temperatures are almost constant (±2–4 °C). These common features among the burrows of three different species suggest that they are important for regulating the physical environment of their inhabitants and that burrows are part of scorpions’ Bextended physiology^ (sensu Turner, Physiol Biochem Zool 74:798–822, 2000).

Reference:
Adams AM, Marais E, Turner JS, Prendini L, Pinshow B. Similar burrow architecture of three arid-zone scorpion species implies similar ecological function. The Science of Nature. 2016;103(7):1-11.[Subscription required for full text]

See also: Scorpions have similar tastes in burrow architecture

Nine new anatomy picture collections in SF

Leonard Georg has done it again and contributed with several new detailed anatomy pictures collections to The scorpion Files:

Androctonus crassicauda
Androctonus mauritanicus
Hottentotta salei
Rhopalurus junceus
Rhopalurus pintoi
Uroplectes olivaceus

Optistophthalmus carinatus
Opistophthalmus wahlbergii
Scorpio maurus fuscus

A big thanks to Leonard for sharing these great pictures with us!!

Part I of an Illustrated catalog of scorpions is published

I just received information that František Kovařík has published the first part of his Illustrated Catalog of Scorpions. Part one includes introductory remarks, keys to families and genera, subfamily Scorpioninae with keys to Heterometrus and Pandinus species.

I have not seen this book myself yet, so I'm including the information available from the publisher:
An often encountered problem in estimations of animal diversity is a paucity of illustrated reviews allowing those not engaged in descriptive taxonomy fast orientation in given groups. Whereas for some invertebrates, namely butterflies and beetles, such reviews are available for most families, no such work has so far existed for the scorpions. To fill the gap, I have prepared the present volume. It consists of introductory remarks (morphology, toxicity, reproduction, ontogeny etc.), keys to all families and genera described by the end of 2008, a list of genera with their distributions and numbers of species, and 650 color photos depicting most species of the subfamily Scorpioninae (Heterometrus, Pandinus, Scorpio and Opistophthalmus). Many of the illustrated specimens are types, whose study has in several instances necessitated taxonomic changes. The treatment of Heterometrus and Pandinus includes species diagnoses and keys to species. All species of Pandinus are illustrated, most of them for the first time. The genus Scorpio includes characterizations and photos of all 11 valid subspecies. The volume is printed in A4 format, with a hard cover>

More information about how to order the book can be found on Kovarik's homepage.

10 pages from the book is freely available (pdf).

Jan Ove Rein
Editor of The Scorpion Files

Spiders and Scorpions of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa

A survey of the spiders and Scorpions of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa has recently been published by Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman and coworkers. The article also includes some interesting notes on the ecology of the scorpions collected in the national park.

Abstract:

Among other activities, the South African National Survey of Arachnida (SANSA) aims to survey the biodiversity of arachnids in protected areas of South Africa. The study presented here documents the diversity of spiders and scorpions collected from the Nylsvley Nature Reserve (NNR), South Africa over a 30-year period. The spider fauna of NNR contains 175 species (7.5% of the total recorded in South Africa), in 131 genera and 37 families. Thomisidae is the most diverse spider family in the reserve, with 33 species (18.9% of the total), followed by Salticidae, with 20 species (11.4%), and Araneidae, with 18 species (10.3%). The majority of species (125) are wandering spiders (71.4%), whereas 50 species (28.6%) build webs. Wandering ground-dwelling spiders comprise 52 species, whereas 73 wandering species have been collected from the vegetation. A total of 158 species are new records for the reserve and Oxyopes tuberculatus Lessert, 1915 is newly recorded for South Africa. Six spider species may be new to science. The scorpion fauna of NNR comprises five species (5% of the total recorded in South Africa) in three genera and two families. Buthidae are more diverse in the reserve, with four species and two genera represented. The scorpion fauna of the reserve includes two fossorial and three epigeic species, representing five ecomorphotypes: semi-psammophilous, pelophilous, lithophilous, corticolous and lapidicolous. Five additional scorpion species may be recorded if the reserve is sampled more intensively using appropriate techniques.

Reference:
Dippenaar AS, van der Berg A, Prendini L. Spiders and scorpions (Arachnida: Araneae, Scorpiones) of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve, South Africa. Koedoe. 2009;51(1):1-9. [Free fulltext]

A survey of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia

Namibia has the most diverse scorpion fauna in southern Africa, and all four African families are represented here (Bothriuridae, Buthidae, Hemiscorpiidae, Scorpionidae). Lorenzo & Bird has now published a survey of the scorpion fauna of the Brandberg Massif in Namibia.

The article has ecolocial notes on most species and color pictures of many species and their habitats. See abstract and article for further details.

Abstract:
A previous list of scorpions from the Brandberg Massif and vicinity, north-western Namibia (Omaruru District, Erongo Region), is updated, based on a survey of the Massif and surrounding areas (the region delimited by 21 degrees 00'S-21 degrees 30'S and 14 degrees 00'E-15 degrees 00'E) conducted during three separate expeditions, and augmented by an examination of material in museum collections. More than 1000 specimens, representing more than 100 point-locality records, were examined for the study. Notes on the ecology and distribution of the scorpions on the Massif and surrounding areas are provided. Excluding one dubious record, 20 scorpion species in seven genera (Brandbergia, Lisposoma, Hottentotta, Parabuthus, Uroplectes, Hadogenes, and Opistophthalmus) of four families (Bothriuridae, Buthidae, Liochelidae, Scorpionidae) are recorded from the area, which presently has the richest scorpion fauna in Namibia, if not southern Africa, and ranks among those with the richest scorpion faunas in the world. The high diversity of scorpions on the Brandberg Massif and vicinity is attributed to the heterogeneity of landforms, substrata and habitats in the area. The scorpions of the Massif and surrounding areas may be classified into seven ecomorphotypes, using every available niche. The species richness of the scorpion fauna is inversely correlated with altitude. The greatest diversity of genera and species occurs at the base of the Massif and in the surrounding areas, and decreases towards the summit. Five species occur in the area surrounding the Massif but not at its base, five at its base (below 500 m) but not on its slopes, two on its lower slopes (500-1000 m), but not on its middle slope (1000-1500 m), upperslope (1500-2000 m) or summit (above 2000 m), and two on its summit, upper and middle slopes only. Only five species occur from the base to the summit of the Massif.

Reference:
Prendini L, Bird TL. Scorpions of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia: Species richness inversely correlated with altitude. Afr Invertebr. 2008 Dec;49(2):77-107 [Free fulltext (not yet available)]