The distribution of Orthochirus glabrifrons in United Arab Emirates and Oman and a couple of synonymizations

 

Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers recently published a study on the distribution of Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Buthidae) in The Arabian Peninsula. The species is confirmed for Oman and United Arab Emirates. Map of distribution and habitat pictures are also presented.

The article also synonymizes the following taxa with Orthochirus glabrifrons: Orthochirus kaspareki (Lourenço & Huber, 2000) and Orthochirus kinzelbachi (Lourenço & Huber, 2000). Both were originally described in the genus Paraorthochirus Lourenço & Vachon, 1995, which was later synonymized with Orthochirus. 

Abstract:
Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) was described from Oman (Muscat). Here, we summarize known localities from Oman as well as records from the United Arab Emirates, which is the new country record for this species. Illustrations of morphology of both sexes are given together with a map of distribution. A lectotype of Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) is designated. Paraorthochirus kaspareki Lourenço & Huber, 2000 and Paraorthochirus kinzelbachi Lourenço & Huber, 2000 are synonymized with Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903), syn. n.

Reference:
Kovařík F, Yağmur EA, Ullrich A, Buzás B. The first record of Orthochirus glabrifrons (Kraepelin, 1903) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from the United Arab Emirates. Euscorpius. 2023;2023(379):1-11. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae

Two new species of Compsobuthus from North Africa

Frantisek Kovarik and co-workers have recently publish a paper on species in the genus Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (Buthidae) from Arabia and North Africa. Two new species are described.

Compsobuthus turieli Kovarik, Lowe, Stockmann & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Western Sahara and Morocco)

Compsobuthus ullrichi Kovarik, Lowe, Stockmann & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Egypt)

The article has also a redescription of Compsobuthus arabicus Levy, Amitai & Shulov, 1973.

Abstract:
Two new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949, are described: C. turieli sp. n. from Western Sahara and Morocco, and C. ullrichi sp. n. from Egypt. The species C. arabicus Levy et al., 1973 is redescribed based on analysis of the holotype plus extensive material from Oman and the United Arab Emirates. These species are compared to others from their respective regions: C. kabateki Kovařík, 2003, C. levyi Kovařík, 2012, and C. polisi Lowe, 2001, for which new illustrations and biometrics are provided based on types and topotypic material. The hemispermatophores of C. arabicus, C. turieli sp. n. and C. ullrichi sp. n. are illustrated and described. We also record the karyotypes of C. acutecarinatus, C. arabicus, C. maindroni and C. ullrichi sp. n. All examined specimens possess 2n=22 and chromosomes gradually decreasing in length.

References:
Kovarik F, Lowe G, Stockmann M, Stahlavsky F. Notes on Compsobuthus: redescription of C. arabicus Levy et al., 1973 from Arabia, and description of two new species from North Africa (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2020(298):1-40.

Congratulations on your "own" species, Carlos and Alex! :)

Family Buthidae

A new substitute name for Butheolus pallidus

Wilson Lourenco and Andrea Rossi have recently published an article with a new replacement name for Butheolus pallidus Lourenço & Duhem, 2012 (Buthidae). The reason for this is that it has been discovered that this name is preoccupied by Butheolus pallidus Pocock, 1897 (currently under the genus Orthochirus Karsch, 1891).

The new name for this species from Oman and United Arab Emirates is Butheolus hallani Lourenço & Rossi, 2017. [Author information corrected 17.08.17]

Abstract:
A nomen novum is proposed for Butheolus pallidus Lourenço et Duhem, 2012, a primary junior homonym of Butheolus pallidus Pocock, 1897 (currently Orthochirus pallidus).

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Rossi A. A new substitute name for Butheolus pallidus Lourenço et Duhem, 2012 (Scorpiones, Buthidae), species described from United Arab Emirates/Oman. Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2017;3(13):42-4.

Thanks to Joel Hallan for sending me this article!

Family Buthidae

Two new species from the Arabian Peninsula

Wilson Lourenco and Bernard Duhem have recently described two new species from the Khatan Al'Atash Ridge in the border area between the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Butheolus pallidus Lourenco & Duhem, 2012 (Buthidae)
Compsobuthus lowei Lourenco & Duhem, 2012 (Buthidae)

Abstract:
Two new species of scorpion belonging to the genera Butheolus Simon, 1882 and Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 are described from the region of Khatan Al'Atash Ridge in the border area between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Species of Compsobuthus have already been cited from UAE, but this is the first record of the genus Butheolus from this country.

Reference:
Lourenço WR, Duhem B. Two new species of scorpions from the Arabian Peninsula belonging to the genera Butheolus Simon and Compsobuthus Vachon. Zoology in the Middle East. 2012;55:121-6.

Thanks to professor Wilson Lourenco for sending me this paper!

Family Buthidae

A new Compsobuthus from UAE

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have looked into some of the Compsobuthus species from the Middle East and have described a new species from United Arab Emirates:

Compsobuthus birulai Lourenco, Leguin & Duhem, 2010 (Buthidae)

A better description is presented for Compsobuthus acutecarinatus (Simon, 1882) and C. maindroni (Kraepelin, 1900). The distribution of C. acutecarinatus is confined to Yemen and parts of Oman and previous reported findings from Africa are probably misidentifications. Compsobuthus maindroni is limited to Oman and parts om UAE. Previous proposed distribution on East Africa is probably based on misidentifications.

Abstract:
Two species of the genus Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949, C. acutecarinatus (Simon) and C. maindroni (Kraepelin), have been the subject of several publications in the last three decades. Nevertheless, same doubts remain about their precise identity and range of geographic distribution. We give here precise re-diagnoses in the light of the type material now clearly identified. The holotype at C. acutecarinatus is properly illustrated and measured. A lectotype is designated for C. maindroni, from the large syntype series. A new species of Compsobuthus is also described from United Arab Emirates.

Reference:
Lourenço WR, Leguin EA, Duhem B. Notes on the type material of Compsobuthus acutecarinatus (Simon, 1882) and C. maindroni (Kraepelin, 1900), and description of a new species from United Arab Emirates. Zoology in the Middle East. 2010;50:119-26.

Family Buthidae

A new Odontobuthus from Oman

Graeme Lowe has recently published a description of a new species in the genus Odontobuthus (Buthidae) from Oman. The paper also has an identification key for the genus. The species is distributed in Oman and United Arab Emirates.

Abstract:
The Asian buthid genus Odontobuthus is newly recorded from the Arabian Peninsula where is represented by O. brevidigitus sp. nov. from the Batínah coast and foothills of the Al Hajar mountains of northern Oman. The new species is characterized by short pedipalp fingers, long pectines with narrow basal middle lamella, 2–3 enlarged denticles on ventrosubmedian carinae of metasoma II–III, stout metasoma IV with 10 anterior transverse granules, 3 lateral anal lobes, and enlarged dentition on the ventral anal arch. A model is proposed for the speciation of Odontobuthus by westward dispersal of an ancestral population on the Indus floodplain, followed by vicariant tectonic events in the Miocene and Pliocene that led to divergence of four species in temporal sequence: O. odonturus, O. doriae, O. bidentatus and O. brevidigitus sp. nov.

Reference:
Lowe G. A new species of Odontobuthus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from northern Oman. Euscorpius. 2010(96):1-22. [Free fulltext]

Family Buthidae

A new Buthacus species from United Arab Emirates

Lourenco & Leguin have recently described a new species of Buthacus (Buthidae) from United Arab Emirates:

Buthacus williamsi Lourenco & Leguin, 2009 (Buthidae)

Abstract:
Since the revision of the genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 given by Lourenço (2006), further new species have been recorded from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. One new species, collected in United Arab Emirates, is described here. It was collected in the region of Fujairah, in sandy desert with sparse bushes. It is associated with Buthacus buettikeri Hendrixson, 2006, recently described from Saudi Arabia, and Buthacus tadmorensis (Simon, 1892), described from Syria. The new species is distinguished by its smaller overall size, a smaller number of pectinial teeth, and an aculeus that is only slightly longer than vesicle.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Leguin E-A. A new species of the genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 from the United Arab Emirates (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Zoology in the Middle East. 2009;46:103-11.

Family Buthidae