The Rolando Teruel picture gallery of scorpions of Cuba

Rolando Teruel has shared his great pictures of the scorpions found on Cuba with The Scorpion Files. The individual species are listed in the gallery, but I have also a made a special gallery devoted only to the species of Cuba.

The Rolando Teruel picture gallery of scorpions of Cuba

I big thanks to Rolando for sharing the pictures with us!

New Pandinus from Ethiopia and Uganda and a review of the subgenus Pandinus

Frantisek Kovarik has recently published a review of the subgenus Pandinus Thorell, 1876 of Pandinus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpionidae). Two new species are described:

Pandinus mazuchi Kovarik, 2011 (Ethiopia)
Pandinus ugandaensis Kovarik, 2011 (Uganda)

The paper has taxonomical descriptions, distributional data and habitat information of the species within the subgenus. A identification guide for the subgenus is also presented.

This paper is of great interest both to professional researchers and scorpion enthusiasts as it involves several species that are popular in the pet industry and may make it more easy to identify some of the species sold to captive care. Pandinus sp. Uganda has been offered by several suppliers in Europe. It will be interesting to see if these belong to the new species mentioned above.

Abstract:
Pandinus (Pandinus) ugandaensis sp. n. from Uganda and P. (P.) mazuchi sp. n. from Ethiopia are described and compared with other species of the subgenus. P. ugandaensis sp. n. is characterized by 3-4/3: 3-4/3: 4/3: 4/3 spiniform formula of tarsomere II and only two spines on the inclined anteroventral surface of tarsomere II; eight ventral trichobothria on the chela; 10–11 pectinal teeth in females and 13–14 in males; and 1.6–1.7 length to depth ratio of the fourth metasomal segment. P. (P.) mazuchi sp. n. is characterized by 7/4: 6-7/4: 6-7/5-6: 8/5 spiniform formula of tarsomere II and only two spines on the inclined anteroventral surface of tarsomere II; 10 ventral trichobothria on the chela; 15–17 pectinal teeth; and 1.85 length to depth ratio of the fourth metasomal segment. New data on taxonomic characters, occurences and ecology of P. smithi (Pocock, 1897) and P. phillipsii (Pocock, 1896) are given and the presence of P. smithi (Pocock, 1897) in Ethiopia is verified. Presented are also photos of localities and a key to species of the subgenus.

Reference:
Kovarik F. A review of the subgenus Pandinus Thorell, 1876 with descriptions of two new species from Uganda and Ethiopia (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Euscorpius. 2011(129):1-18. [Free fulltext]

Family Scorpionidae

Anascorp® is approved in the treatment of Centruroides envenomations in the USA

Quite a lot of peoples in Southwestern USA are stung by Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing, 1928 each year, and some (especially children) develop more serious, systemic symptoms. FDA has now approved the use of the anti-venom Anascorp®, which has shown to help children recover from life-threatening reactions due to Centruroides stings.

This news has been reported in several online sources, but I cite JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) here because I was asked to provide a picture to accompany their news report :)) (JAMA is one of the "big-five" scientific journals in medicine).

Reference:
Kuehn BM. Treatment for scorpion stings. JAMA. 2011;306(12):1315. [Free fulltext?]

A new species of Chaerilus from Vietnam

Wilson Lourenco has recently published a new species of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Chaerilidae) from Vietnam.

Chaerilus phami Lourenco, 2011

Abstract:
The scorpion fauna of the Island of Con Son (Poulo Condore), Vietnam is briefly discussed and a new species, Chaerilus phami sp. n. is described. The new species is morphologically distinct from all the other species of Chaerilus described from the mainland in Vietnam.

Reference:
Lourenço WR. Scorpions from the Island of Côn Son (Poulo Condore), Vietnam and description of a new species of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 (Scorpiones, Chaerilidae). Comptes Rendus - Biologies. 2011;334:773-6. [Subscription required for fulltext]

Family Chaerilidae

Hemiscorpius lepturus sting - a case report

Almost all dangerous scorpions (and all species in the family Buthidae) have neurotoxic venom. Hemiscorpius lepturus Peters, 1861 (Hemiscorpiidae) from Iran and Iraq has a venom composition differing significantly from the species of medical importance in Buthidae (by having a cytotoxic venom). And this species is at least as dangerous as the most potent species in Buthidae, causing renal failure, severe pulmonary hemorrhage and other dangerous conditions in many patients.

Eshan Valavi and co-workers have now published a case report of a Hemiscorpius lepturus sting from Iran describing both symptoms and why the venom causes these potential life threatening symptoms.

Abstract:
Hemiscorpius lepturus is a lethal scorpion with potentially cytotoxic venom. Various degrees of local and systemic toxicity have been observed after its envenomation ranging from local erythema to disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and severe pulmonary hemorrhage. In this case report, we report on a seven-year-old patient who developed the hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after being stung by the scorpion H. lepturus. This condition is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, increased serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase and uremia. We evaluated the causes of HUS and found that the levels of C3, C4, CH50 and H factors were normal, but the activity of Von Willebrand factor cleaving protease was decreased (less than 5% of the normal activity). The patient improved after administering therapy with plasma exchange.

Reference:
Valavi E, Ansari MJ, Hoseini S. ADAMTS-13 deficiency following Hemiscorpius lepturus scorpion sting. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl. 2011 Jul-Aug;22(4):792-5. [free fulltext]

Tityus smithii restored and a revision of Tityus from the Lesser Antilles

Rolando Teruel has made a revision of the Tityus described from the Lesser Antilles. Tityus smithii Pocock, 1893 is restored to species status and redescribed. Tityus pictus Pocock, 1893 is redescribed.

Abstract:
In the present paper, the taxonomic status of Tityus pictus Pocock, 1893 and all of its junior synonyms is revised. Tityus smithii Pocock, 1893 is restored as a valid species, and the subspecies Tityus smithii microdon Pocock, 1893 (currently T. pictus microdon) is regarded as its junior synonym. Both T. pictus and T. smithii are redescribed, supplementary information on their morphological variability are given, and their geographical distribution is up- dated, including a new locality record for the latter. Also, the taxonomic position and relationships of all Lesser Antillean species of the genus are clarified: it is demonstrated that T. exstinctus Lourenço, 1995 and Tityus insignis Pocock, 1889 are actually more closely related to T. pictus and T. smithii, and they all form a morphologically compact group of species which shows no clear affinities to any other species-group but “crassimanus” and “quisqueyanus”.

Reference:
Teruel R. Redescription of Tityus pictus Pocock, 1893 and Tityus smithii Pocock, 1893, with notes of the Tityus species from Lesser Antilles (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2011(125):1-26. [Free fultext].

Family Buthidae

New Buthus species from Ethiopia

Frantisek Kovarik has described a new species of Buthus Leach, 1815 (Buthidae) from Ethiopia.

Buthus awashensis Kovarik, 2011

Abstract:
Buthus awashensis sp. n. from the Awash region of Ethiopia, is described and compared with B. berberensis Pocock, 1900 from Somaliland. The new species is characterized chiefly by the total length of 50–65 mm. B. berberensis reaches only 45–55 mm and differs in coloration, with adults having the chela of pedipalp and chelicerae entirely yellow without dark reticulations, and by mophometric characters, mainly the shape of the chela of pedipalp. Pectinal marginal tips extend the to proximal end of the fourth sternite in males of B. awashensis sp. n. and to proximal end of the fifth sternite in males of B. berberensis. Included are color photos of both sexes of dead and alive B. awashensis sp. n. and B. berberensis and of their localities.

Reference:
Kovarik F. Buthus awashensis sp. n. from Ethiopia (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2011(128):1-6. [Free fulltext]

Family Buthidae