A new Vaejovis from USA

David Sissom has published a new Vaejovis (Vaejovidae) from new Mexico, USA:

Vaejovis bigelowi Sissom, 2011

Abstract:
Vaejovis bigelowi, a new species of the scorpion family Vaejovidae, is described from the northern portion of the Peloncillo Mountains in southwestern New Mexico. The new species is most closely related to V. jonesi Stahnke, 1940 from which it may be distinguished by morphometries and carination of the metasoma.

Reference:
Sissom WD. A new species of the genus Vaejovis from Southwestern New Mexico (Arachnida: Scorpiones: Vaejovidae). Southwestern Entomologist. 2011;36(1):85-90.

Thanks to David Sissom, Kari McWest and Michael Soleglad for all sending me this paper!

Family Vaejovidae

A new Butheoloides species from Morocco

Wilson Lourenco and co-workers have described a new species of Butheoloides Hirst, 1925 (Buthidae) from Morocco.

Butheoloides littoralis Lourenco, Touloun & Boumezzough, 2011

Abstract:
A new species belonging to the genus Butheoloides Hirst, 1925 (subgenus Butheoloides Hirst, 1925) (Scorpiones, Buthidae) is described from two localities in Morocco: north of Sidi Ifni in the southern coast and Sidi Moussa west of Tiznit. With the description of Butheoloides (Butheoloides) littoralis sp. n., the total number of species of this genus known from Morocco is raised to five. This makes Morocco the region in Africa with the highest diversity for Butheoloides species.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Touloun O, Boumezzough A. The genus Butheoloides Hirst, 1925 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) in Morocco, with a descritpion of a new species. Euscorpius. 2011(113):1-7. [Free fulltext]

Family Buthidae

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!!

A new Chaerilus fra Vietnam

Wilson Lourenco has described a new species in the genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Chaerilidae) from Vietnam.

Chaerilus julietteae Lourenco, 2011

The article also suggest a species group division of the genus into the variegatus species-group and the truncatus species-group.

Abstract:
Chaerilus julietteae sp.n.is described from a coastal massif of southernVietnam. The new species is totally distinct morphologically from Chaerilus petrzelkai Kovarik, also described from the SouthVietnam: it shows more affinities with Chaerilus pictus (Pocock,1890), described from Bangladesh. An attempt to divide the genus Chaerilus into species-groups is also proposed.

Reference:
Lourenço WR. The genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Scorpiones, Chaerilidae) in Vietnam; description of a new species with comments on possible species-groups. Comptes Rendus Biologies. 2011;In Press. [Subscritpion required for fulltext]

Family Chaerilidae

Odontobuthus doriae venom as cancer medicine

Scorpions have been used in traditional medicine since ancient times, and in the last decade there have been a lot of research into scorpion venom to find potential agents to be used in medicine and treatment of serious diseases like cancer. Chlorotoxin from the venom of Leiurus quinquestriatus is one example of a very promising agent in the fight against serious brain cancer.

Jamil Zargan and co-workers have now showed that the venom of Odontobuthus doriae (Thorell, 1876) (Buthidae) induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) and inhibits DNA synthesis (inhibit cell growth and cell proliferation) in human neuroblastoma cells (Wikipedia on neuroblastoma). More investigations of the venom of this species are of course necessary, but the properties shown by the venom in this study will make it a valuable therapeutic agent in cancer research.

Abstract:
Scorpion and its organs have been used to cure epilepsy, rheumatism, and male impotency since medieval times. Scorpion venom which contains different compounds like enzyme and non-enzyme proteins, ions, free amino acids, and other organic inorganic substances have been reported to posses antiproliferative, cytotoxic, apoptogenic, and immunosuppressive properties. We for the first time report the apoptotic and antiproliferative effects of scorpion venom (Odontobuthus doriae) in human neuroblastoma cells. After exposure of cells to medium containing varying concentrations of venom (10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 lg/ml), cell viability decreased to 90.75, 75.53, 55.52, 37.85, and 14.30%, respectively, after 24 h. Cells expressed morphological changes like swelling, inhibition of neurite outgrowth, irregular shape, aggregation, rupture of membrane, and release of cytosolic contents after treatment with venom. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level increased in 50 and 100 lg/ml as compared to control, but there was no significant increase in LDH level at a dose of 10 and 20 lg/ml. Two concentrations viz. 50 and 100 lg/ml were selected because of the profound effect of these concentrations on the cellular health and population. Treatment with these two concentrations induced reactive nitrogen intermediates and depolarization in mitochondria. While caspase-3 activity increased in a concentrationdependent manner, only 50 lg/ml was able to fragment DNA. It was interesting to note that at higher dose, i.e., 100 lg/ml, the cells were killed, supposedly by acute necrosis. DNA synthesis evidenced by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation was inhibited in a concentrationdependent manner. The cells without treatment incorporated BrdU with high affinity confirming their cancerous nature whereas very less incorporation was noticed in treated cells. Our results show apoptotic and antiproliferative potential of scorpion venom (O. doriae) in human neuroblastoma cells. These properties make scorpion venom a valuable therapeutic agent in cancer research.

Reference:
Zargan J, Sajad M, Umar S, Naime M, Ali S, Khan HA. Scorpion (Odontobuthus doriae) venom induces apoptosis and inhibits DNA synthesis in human neuroblastoma cells. Mol Cell Biochem. 2011 Feb;348(1-2):173-81. [Subscription required for fulltext]

A new Auyantepuia from Suriname

Wilson Lourenco has described a new species in the genus Auyantepuia Gonzalez-Sponga, 1978 (Chactidae) from Suriname last year, but didn't I learn about this paper until today.

Auyantepuia surinamensis Lourenco, 2010

The genus Auyantepuia has been synonymized with other genera by Soleglad & Fet, 2005. Lourenço & Qi (2007) have chosen not to accept this synonymization, and described the new species in Auyantepuia in 2007. The taxonomy of The Scorpion Files follows Soleglad & Fet (2005), but it is impossible for me to know where to put the new species. I have chosen to reinstate Auyantepuia in The Scorpion Files for this species and the one presented here until a new revision on the family Chactidae is published.

Abstract:
A new species, Auyantepuia surinamensis sp. n. (Chactidae), is described from a savannah-like formation, located in NW Albina, between Albina and Moengo in Marowijne, Suriname. The description of the new species confirms the pattern of distribution presented by the genus Auyantepuia, which is basically confined to the Guiano-Amazon regions. The new species represents a first ecological exception, because it was found in a savannah-like formation, whereas all other species have been described from forested formations.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Duhem B. A new species of Auyantepuia Gonzalez-Sponga, 1978 (Scorpiones, Chactidae) from Suriname. Entomol Mitt Zool Mus Hamburg. 2010 Jun;15(182):137-45.

Family Chactidae

A new Compsobuthus from Algeria

Wilson Lourenco described a new species of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (Buthidae) from Algeria last year, but i didn't learn about this one until today.

Compsobuthus tassili Lourenco, 2010

Abstract:
The Compsobuthus species previously recorded from 'Tassili des Ajjer' in the South of Algeria by Vachon (as Compsobuthus berlandi Vachon, 1950), is now confirmed as a new species. The description is based on one adult male recently collected in the mountains of 'Tassili des Ajjer', and on one of the three specimens previously cited from this region by Vachon as C. berlandi. The new species is presumably endemic to 'Tassili des Ajjer'.

Reference:
Lourenco WR. The Compsobuthus species from 'Tassili des Ajjer', Algeria (Scorpiones, Buthidae) and description of a new species. Entomol Mitt Zool Mus Hamburg. 2010 Jun;15(182):147-55.

Family Buthidae