A new scorpion book is available

Dutch scorpion enthusiast Jeroen Kooijman has previously authored a scorpion book written in Dutch. Now an English version is available. Kooijman is an experienced scorpion enthusiast that has been keeping and breeding scorpions for more than 20 years. He has also given lectures, courses and more about scorpions in The Netherlands for many years.

The book covers most aspects of scorpion biology and useful information for keeping scorpions in captivity. The book is illustrated with many color pictures. The book will be useful both for the captive care enthusiast and those who want to learn more about scorpions in general.

The book is published by the Dutch Scorpion Society and can be ordered from info@schorpioen.org.

Thanks to Jeroen for sending me a copy of the book!

Reference:
Kooijman J. Scorpions: Nederlandse Schorpionenvereniging; 2020.

Five new species of Euscorpius from Albania, Greece, North Macedonia and Serbia

For the last two decades numerous new cryptic species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) have been described from Europe. This has been possible thanks to molecular phylogenetic in combination with the more traditional morphological characteristics. Frantisek Kovarik and Frantisek Stahlavsky have now published five new species in this genus.

Euscorpius bonacinai Kovarik & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Albania)

Euscorpius janstai Kovarik & Stahlavsky, 2020 (North Macedonia)

Euscorpius kabateki Kovarik & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Greece)

Euscorpius sadileki Kovarik & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Serbia)

Euscorpius scheraboni Kovarik & Stahlavsky, 2020 (Greece)


Two new characteristics for Euscorpius identification are also presented.

Abstract:
Five new species are described: Euscorpius bonacinai sp. n. (Albania), E. janstai sp. n. (North Macedonia), E. kabateki sp. n. (Greece), E. sadileki sp. n. (Serbia), and E. scheraboni sp. n. (Greece), fully complemented with color photographs. New species are distinguished from all other species of the genus on the basis of five taxonomic characters. Two other new characters, shape of the pedipalp chela fingers and number of chromosomes, are presented and discussed. In addition to the analyses of external morphology, we also describe karyotypes of two species: E. janstai sp. n. (2n=112) and E. sadileki sp. n. (2n=90).

Reference:
Kovarik F, Stahlavsky F. Five new species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Euscorpius. 2020(315):1-37. [Open Access]

Family Euscopiidae

A review of scorpion predators in Cuba

Tomás M. Rodríguez-Cabrera and co-workers have studied instances of predation involving Cuban scorpions from various localities around the island and have compiled a review of all predators reported for scorpions in Cuba in a recently published article.

Abstract:
The ecology of Cuban scorpions is very insufficiently studied and the scarce existing information on their natural enemies is dispersed in the literature. However, scorpions in general are well known to play an important role both as predators and prey in natural ecosystems. Herein we present new instances of predation on different species of scorpions in Cuba, and a review on the topic.

Reference:
Rodríguez-Cabrera TM, Teruel R, Savall EM. Scorpion predation in Cuba: new cases and a review. Euscorpius. 2020(306):1-7. [Open Access]

A new species of Didymocentrus from the Lesser Antillean island of Martinique

Rolando Teruel and Karl Questel have recently published a description of a new species in the genus Didymocentrus Kraepelin, 1905 (Diplocentridae) from  the Lesser Antillean island of Martinique.

Didymocentrus martinicae Teruel & Questel, 2020

The new species is edemic to Martinique and its small satellite islets Gros Îlet and Îlet-à-Ramiers.

Abstract:
A new species of the diplocentrid scorpion of the genus Didymocentrus Kraepelin, 1905 is herein described from the Lesser Antillean island of Martinique. It long remained misidentified as Didymocentrus lesueurii (Gervais, 1844), the only species of this genus inhabiting the adjacent island of Saint Lucia. The direct comparison of adults of both sexes from these two islands revealed solid morphological characters, which warrant their recognition as two different taxa. Each one is endemic from a single major island, where it is widespread even in its satellite islets. This addition raises the known composition of the genus to 12 species, 10 of them exclusively Antillean.

Reference:
Teruel R, Questel K. A new Lesser Antillean scorpion of the genus Didymocentrus Kraepelin, 1905 (Scorpiones: Diplocentridae). Euscorpius. 2020(313):1-15. [Open Access]

Family Diplocentridae

Arizona tarantula preys on scorpions

Scorpions are fierce predator catching many different prey, but they are also hunted by a wide range of predators. It has been reported on several occations that scorpions have been preyed on by theraphosid spiders (aka Tarantulas) and recently Jennifer Duberstein and Dannielle Sherwood have published a research note documenting an Paravaejovis spinigerus (Vaejovidae) being caught and eaten by an Aphonopelma chalcodes Chamberlin, 1940 in Arizona, USA.

Abstract:
No abstract.

Reference:
Duberstein JN, Sherwood D. Predation of Paravaejovis spinigerus (Wood, 1863) (Scorpiones: Vaejovide) by Aphonopelma chalcodes Chamberlin, 1940 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) in Arizona. Arachnology. 2020;18(5):496-8.[Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Dannielle Sherwood for sending me their article!

Four new species of Ananteris from French Guiana

Eric Ythier and co-workers have recently published a review of the Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (Buthidae) found in French Guiana and described four new species:

Ananteris dacostai Ythier, Chevalier & Lourenco, 2020

Ananteris mamilihpan Ythier, Chevalier & Lourenco, 2020

Ananteris sipilili Ythier, Chevalier & Lourenco, 2020

Ananteris tresor Ythier, Chevalier & Lourenco, 2020

An identification key for the genus in French Guiana is also provided.

Abstract:
A synopsis is proposed for all the scorpion species of the genus Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) collected in French Guiana, including thorough diagnoses and distributional records for each documented species. Four new species are also described, raising the total number of Ananteris species described from French Guiana to eleven. Most species are illustrated, a geographical distribution map is presented and a key to the species is proposed.

Reference:
Ythier E, Chevalier J, Lourenco WR. A synopsis of the genus Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in French Guiana, with description of four new species. Arachnida - Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 2020;VI(XXVIII):2-33.

Family Buthidae

Six new species of Orthochirus from Iran

As a part of an ongoing field study of the scorpion fauna of Iran, Frantisek Kovarik and Shahrokh Navidpour has publish and article describing six new species of Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 (Buthidae) from Iran.

Orthochirus hormozganensis Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020

Orthochirus kermanensis Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020

Orthochirus kucerai Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020 

Orthochirus masihipouri Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020

Orthochirus semnanensis Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020 

Orthochirus vignolii Kovarik & Navidpour, 2020

The article provides several color pictures of the new taxa and their habitat.  An identification key for the genus Orthochirus in Iran, Iraq and Turkey is also provided.

Abstract:
Six new scorpion species from Iran, Orthochirus hormozganensis sp. n. (Hormozgan Province), O. kermanensis sp. n. (Kerman Province), O. kucerai sp. n. (Kerman Province), O. masihipouri sp. n. (Bushehr Province), O. semnanensis sp. n. (Semnan Province), and O. vignolii sp. n. (Yazd Province) are described, compared with other Iranian Orthochirus species, and fully illustrated with color photographs. A key and a distribution map of Orthochirus of Iran, Turkey, and Iraq (18 species) are included.

Reference:
Kovarik F, Navidpour S. Six new species of Orthochirus Karsch, 1892 from Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Euscorpius. 2020(312):1-42. [Open Access]

Family Buthidae