A new Grosphus from Madagascar

Madagascar is a gold mine for scorpion diversity and professor Wilson Lourenco has now described a new species of Grosphus Simon, 1880 (Buthidae) from the island.

Grosphus bicolor Lourenco, 2012

Abstract:
The southwestern portion of Madagascar appears to have one of the highest levels of scorpion diversity on the island and in two previous publications an analysis of the known species of Grosphus from this region was presented. One more new species, Grosphus bicolor sp. n. is described from dry spiny bush in inland region, between Ranohira and Llakaka.

References:
Lourenco WR. A new species of Grosphus Simon, 1880 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from the Southwest of Madagascar. entomologische Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum Hamburg. 2012;16(188):33-40.

Thanks to professor Lourenco for sending me his paper!

Family Buthidae

Habitat distribution and seasonality of Paruroctonus boreus in Washington State

Paruroctonus boreus (Girard, 1854) (Vaejovidae) is a widespread species in western United State and Canada, and is the most northern scorpion in North America. Richard Zack and Chris Looney have published a study on habitat distribution and seasonality of this species in southcentral Washington State.

Abstract:
The northern scorpion, Paruroctonus boreus (Girard 1854) is recorded from big sage climax, sand dune, cheatgrass dominated, and partially disturbed big sage habitats on the Hanford Nuclear Site, located in southcentral Washington State. Based on a pitfall trapping survey, the species was most commonly encountered in partially disturbed big sage habitat and rarely found in cheatgrass dominated plant communities. A total of 127 specimens were taken with the earliest collection made 20–28 March and the latest 9–24 October. Habitat occurrence on the Hanford Site is compared with comparable studies at other locations. The possible negative effect of cheatgrass invasion on scorpion occurrence is discussed.

Reference:
Zack RS, Looney C. Habitat distribution and seasonality of the northern scorpion, Paruroctonus boreus (Girard) (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), at the Hanford Site, southcentral Washington State. Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 2012;88(3):292-8. [Subscription required for full text]

Morphological investigations of five species from Venezuela

Walter Bechara and Jonathan Liria have published a paper on geometric morphometrics in five species of Buthidae and Scorpionidae from Venezuela. The paper is in Spanish and I have only read the English abstract which is presented below.

Reference:
Bechara WY, Liria J. Morfometría geométrica en cinco especies de Buthidae y Scorpionidae (Arachnida: Scorpiones) de Venezuela. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad. 2012;83:421-31. [Free full text]

Thanks to Walter Bechara for sending me a link to the full text of the paper!

A new Vaejovis from Mexico

Erwin Pabel Miranda-Lopez and co-workers have recently described a species of Vaejovis Koch, 1836 (Vaejovidae) from Morelia, Michocan in Mexico.

Vaejovis morelia Miranda-Lopez, Ponce-Saavedra & Francke, 2012

Abstract:
Vaejovis morelia sp. nov. from Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico is described. This species belongs to the mexicanus group (sensu Sissom, 2000), and is morphologically similar to V. pusillus Pocock, 1898 and V. dzahui Santibañez y Francke 2010, species from mountainous zones, and with which it is compared.

Reference:
Miranda-Lopez EP, Ponce-Saavedra J, Francke OF. Una especie nueva de Vaejovis (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) del centro de México. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad. 2012;83:966-75.

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this paper!

Family Vaejovidae

A new Hemiscorpius from Southwestern Iran

Aysergül Karatas and Muhammed Gharkheloo have described a new species in the genus Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Hemiscorpiidae) from Southwestern Iran.

Hemiscorpius kashkayi Karatas & Gharkheloo, 2013

This is the sixth species in this genus reported from Iran. Knowledge on the taxonomy of this genus is very important as it has high medical importance and it is possible that other species than the well known Hemiscorpius lepturus may cause serious morbidity in humans.

Abstract:
A new Hemiscorpius species, H. kashkayi sp. nov., is described from the Khuzestan and Ahwaz region in southwestern Iran. H. kashkayi is related to H. persicus Birula, 1903, known from Baluchestan in eastern Iran, which does not show sexual dimorphism between males and females, like H. kashkayi. These 2 species differ from all other Iranian Hemiscorpiidae species in having no sexual dimorphism. H. kashkayi is distinguished from H. persicus by its relatively short and well-developed stout metasoma and pedipalp segments, less well-developed patellar process, and carapacial and mesosomal carination.

Reference:
Karatas A, Gharkheloo MM. A new Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Hemiscorpiidae) from southwestern Iran. Turkish Journal of Arachnology. 2013;37:1-9. [Free full text]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for sending me this paper!

Family Hemiscorpiidae

A congress on scorpion (and snake) envenomations in the Mediterranean region in May 2013

Dr. Oulaid Touloun at the Université Cadi Ayyad in Morocco has asked me to inform you about a new congress in May next year focusing on scorpion and ophidian envenomations in the Mediterranean region:

Dear Colleague,

We are pleased to remember  that The Laboratory of Ecology & Environnment L2E organize with the collaboration of Moroccaon Society of Herpetology the First Mediterranean Congress on Scorpion and Ophidian Envenomations (CMESO 1) in Marrakech, Morocco (May 20-23 2013).
This congress will be an opportunity for researchers, experts and the various operators in the domain of envenomations to take stock of the various research topics and to increase the exchange of know-how in zoological research, biochemical, toxicological, Treatment of envenomations and the management of poisoned persons.
CMESO1 has a particular interest because it presents the results of research that have direct impact on the socio-economic and biomedical. It is also the first meeting devoted to scorpion and ophidian envenomations in the Mediterranean region and present also an opportunity to influence policy makers in the countries concerned to pay more attention to this scourge and to respond effectively to this serious problem.
We kindly ask you to link the Congress (www.cmeso1.uca.ma) on your website to ensure wide dissemination. Thank in advance for your collaboration.

Cordialy

Dr. Oulaid TOULOUN
Équipe de Recherche "Écologie Animale & Environnement"
Laboratoire " Écologie & Environnement "
Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences Semlalia BP 2390,
Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Maroc

Three new species of Compsobuthus from Africa and The Middle East

Frantisek Kovarik has published three new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 from East Africa and The Middle East.

Compsobuthus krali Kovarik, 2012 (Yemen)
Compsobuthus levyi Kovarik, 2012 (Jordan and Israel)
Compsobuthus somalilandus Kovarik, 2012 (Somaliland)

An identification key for the genus is supplied.

Abstract:
Compsobuthus krali sp. n. of the werneri group from Yemen, C. levyi sp. n. of the werneri group from Jordan and Israel, and C. somalilandus sp. n. of the acutecarinatus group from Somaliland are described. A key to all species of the genus Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 is presented.

References:
Kovarik F. Three New Species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 from Yemen, Jordan, Israel, and Somaliland (Scorpiones:Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2012 (150):1-10. [Free full text]

Family Buthidae