In Memoriam Richard F. Ayrey (1948 – 2024)

Previously this year we got the sad news that scorpion researcher and enthusiast Richard Ayrey had passed. The Euscorpius journal recently published a memorial article honoring Rich's life and work on scorpions.

 RIP.

Abstract:
This is a memorial issue honoring Richard F. Ayrey (1948 – 2024), a US scorpiologist. A full list of his 26 works is appended, as well as a list of scorpion taxa described by Richard (two genera and 19 species of Vaejovidae), and a map of their type localities in the USA and Mexico.

Reference:
DeBoer-Ayrey M, Myers BT, Bryson Jr RW, Webber MM, Graham MR, Lowe G, et al. In Memoriam Richard F. Ayrey (1948 – 2024). Euscorpius. 2024(384):1-11. [Open Access]

New insight into venom composition in Tityus melici and related medical important Tityus species

 

 Yan Kalapothakis and co-workers recently published a study of the venom composition of the medical important Brazilian scorpion Tityus melici Lourenço, 2003 (Buthidae). This species is morphologically related to Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello, 1922, which is the most medically significant species in Brazil.

Dr. Adolofo Borges, who is one of the authors, has kindly summed up the results of this study for me: "The article presents evidence indicating that venom from Tityus melici, a species belonging to the "Tityus stigmurus" complex, exhibits divergence in toxin antigenicity and enzyme content/activity with respect to Tityus serrulatus using transcriptomic and biochemical approaches. The antivenom prepared in Brazil against T. serrulatus (also within the "stigmurus" group) only partially neutralizes toxicity of this venom, suggesting toxin divergence among these closely related species."

This type of knowledge is very useful when it comes to how to handle and treat serious scorpionism involving these species in Brazil.

Abstract:
The Brazilian scorpion Tityus melici, native to Minas Gerais and Bahia, is morphologically related to Tityus serrulatus, the most medically significant species in Brazil. Despite inhabiting scorpion-envenomation endemic regions, T. melici venom remains unexplored. This work evaluates T. melici venom composition and function using transcriptomics, enzymatic activities, and in vivo and in vitro immunological analyses. Next-Generation Sequencing unveiled 86 components putatively involved in venom toxicity: 39 toxins, 28 metalloproteases, seven disulfide isomerases, six hyaluronidases, three phospholipases and three amidating enzymes. T. serrulatus showed the highest number of toxin matches with 80–100 % sequence similarity. T. melici is of medical importance as it has a venom LD50 of 0.85 mg/kg in mice. We demonstrated venom phospholipase A2 activity, and elevated hyaluronidase and metalloprotease activities compared to T. serrulatus, paralleling our transcriptomic findings. Comparison of transcriptional levels for T. serrulatus and T. melici venom metalloenzymes suggests species-specific expression patterns in Tityus. Despite close phylogenetic association with T. serrulatus inferred from COI sequences and toxin similarities, partial neutralization of T. melici venom toxicity was achieved when using the anti-T. serrulatus antivenom, implying antigenic divergence among their toxins. We suggest that the Brazilian therapeutic scorpion antivenom could be improved to effectively neutralize T. melici venom.

Reference:
Kalapothakis Y, Miranda K, Aragão M, Larangote D, Braga-Pereira G, Noetzold M, et al. Divergence in toxin antigenicity and venom enzymes in Tityus melici, a medically important scorpion, despite transcriptomic and phylogenetic affinities with problematic Brazilian species. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024;263:130311. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Dr. Borges for informing me about the new article and for summing up the results for me!

A new species of Scorpiops from Thailand

 

 Wasin Nawanetiwong and co-workers have recently published a new species of Scorpiops Peters, 1861 (Scorpiopidae) from Thailand.

Scorpiops krachan Nawanetiwong, Kosulic, Warrit, Lourenço & Ythier, 2024

Abstract:
A new species, Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) krachan sp. nov., belonging to the family Scorpiopidae Kraepelin, 1905 is described based on three adult males and one adult female collected in the Kaeng Krachan National Park, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand. The new species presents most features exhibited by scorpions of the subgenus Euscorpiops and can be characterized notably by a very small size, a sexual dimorphism strongly marked with male pedipalps elongated, a distinct trichobothrial pattern and other morphological features. This new taxon may represent one endemic element for the scorpion fauna of Thailand. Aspects of the ecology and distribution of the new species are discussed and compared with that of other relative Scorpiops species.

Reference:
Nawanetiwong W, Kosulic O, Warrit N, Lourenco WR, Ythier E. A new species of the genus Scorpiops Peters, 1861, subgenus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980 from Thailand (Scorpiones, Scorpiopidae). ZooKeys. 2024(11943):161-70. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric for informing me about the new paper!

Family Scorpiopidae

A new high altitude species in the genus Hottentotta from Tibet

 

Eric Ythier has recently described a new species of Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Buthidae) from Tibet, China. 

Hottentotta leetzi Ythier, 2024

The new species was collected at an elevation of 4920 and this probably an elevation record for scorpions in Asia and possible in the world (see discussion about this in the article).

Abstract:
A new species belonging to the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (family Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837) is described on the basis of one adult female specimen collected in Wāgya La, Kangmar County, Tibet (Xizang), China. Hottentotta leetzi sp. n. was collected at an elevation of 4920 m, representing to our knowledge the highest elevation record for a scorpion species in Asia, and maybe in the World. This new scorpion taxon represents the 61st described species among the currently recognized species for the genus Hottentotta and the second reported from China. It is the 30th scorpion species reported from Tibet.

Reference:
Ythier E. A new high-elevation scorpion species of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Tibet, China. Arachnides. 2024(114):1-9. [Open Access]

Thanks to Eric Ythier and Gerard Dupre for informing me about this article!