Animal Sciences Commons^™

A Revision Of The Anatolian-Caucasian “Euscorpius Mingrelicus Complex” (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Gioele Tropea, Ersen Aydın Yağmur, Victor Fet

Victor Fet

The taxonomic status of the Anatolian-Caucasian subspecies of Euscorpius mingrelicus (Kessler, 1874) is reconsidered. We restrict E. mingrelicus s.str. to Georgia and Turkey, and elevate to species status three of its subspecies: E. phrygius Bonacina, 1980, stat. n., E. uludagensis Lacroix, 1995, stat. n., and E. ciliciensis Birula, 1898, stat. n. We synonymize E. mingrelicus legrandi Lacroix, 1995 with E. phrygius stat. n., and E. m. ollivieri Lacroix, 1995, with E. mingrelicus.

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. Ii. Stahnkeini, A New Tribe In Scorpion Family Vaejovidae (Scorpiones: Chactoidea), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Victor Fet

The diagnostic characters originally established by Herbert L. Stahnke (1940a, 1940b, 1974) in his description of genus Serradigitus are studied in detail from several new perspectives. A new genus, Stahnkeus, gen. nov., is described based on the presence of inner accessory (IAD) denticles on the chelal fingers, unprecedented in family Vaejovidae. Five species of Serradigitus are transferred to Stahnkeus: Stahnkeus harbisoni (Williams, 1970), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus harbisoni); Stahnkeus deserticola (Williams, 1970), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus deserticola); Stahnkeus subtilimanus (Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus subtilimanus); Stahnkeus allredi (Sissom et Stockwell, 1991), comb. nov. (=Serradigitus allredi); and Stahnkeus polisi (Sissom et Stockwell, 1991), …

A Note On The Scorpions From The Pirin Mountains, Southwestern Bulgaria (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Euscorpiidae), Rolando Teruel, Victor Fet, Luis F. De Armas

Victor Fet

In the present note, four scorpion species are recorded from the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, including the first records for Bulgaria of both Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brullé, 1832) (Buthidae) and the “mingrelicus complex” of the genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Euscorpiidae) (the latter based upon an undetermined species). Also, E. hadzii Caporiacco, 1950 and another undetermined species of Euscorpius belonging to the “carpathicus complex” are recorded from Pirin. The taxonomic affinities of the taxa are discussed, as well as some biogeographical considerations about the scorpions of this poorly studied mountainous area.

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. Iv. Observations On The Hadrurus “Spadix” Subgroup With A Description Of A New Species (Scorpiones: Caraboctonidae), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, Graeme Lowe

Victor Fet

In this study new data are presented on the “spadix” subgroup of genus Hadrurus, including the description of a new species, H. anzaborrego, sp. nov., found primarily in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (ABDSP) in southern California, USA. This species is distinguished by its internal trichobothrial pattern of the chela and its unique carapace pattern. The status of Hadrurus obscurus Williams, 1970 is discussed and new locality data for this species are provided. A phylogenetic key to the genera, species, and subspecies of subfamily Hadrurinae is provided.

Dna Markers Confirm Presence Of Euscorpius Avcii Tropea Et Al., 2012 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) On Samos Island, Greece, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Gioele Tropea, Ersen Aydın Yağmur, Iasmi Stathi, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Victor Fet

Euscorpius avcii Tropea et al., 2012 has been recently described from Dilek Peninsula in western Anatolia (Turkey, Aydın Province). The population from Samos Island in eastern part of the Aegean Sea is found to match closely the Anatolian E. avcii, making it a new, rare species for the Greek fauna, confirmed by two DNA markers as well as morphology. Samos also shares with western Anatolia two other local recently described scorpion species, Iurus kinzelbachi and Neocalchas gruberi (family Iuridae).

Constellation Array In Scorpion Genera Paruroctonus, Smeringurus, Vejovoidus, And Paravaejovis (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Michael Brewer, David P. A. Neff, Michael L. Norton

Victor Fet

The constellation array (a recently discovered sensory structure on the fixed finger of pedipalp; Fet et al., 2006) is analyzed for a large set of species belonging to four genera in the family Vaejovidae: Paruroctonus, Smeringurus, Vejovoidus, and Paravaejovis. It is shown that this structure is an important taxonomic character. Two distinct configurations are identified, a two-sensilla array for Paruroctonus + Smeringurus + Vejovoidus and a three-sensilla array for genus Paravejovis, both differing from other vaejovid configurations so far investigated. The topology of these two array configurations are analyzed using landmark setae identified in this study.

A New Species Of Euscorpius From Bulgaria And Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Gioele Tropea, Victor Fet, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Iasmi Stathi

Victor Fet

A new scorpion species, Euscorpius popovi sp. nov., is described from southwestern Bulgaria and northeastern Greece based on morphological and molecular evidence analyses.

A New Scorpion Genus (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) From Mexico, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Victor Fet

A new vaejovid genus from Mexico, Franckeus, gen. nov., is described based on unique neobothriotaxy. Species placed in this genus are from the Vaejovis “nigrescens” group (previously called the “nitidulus” group). Six species comprise this new genus, distributed throughout Mexico (mainland as well as Baja California Sur): Franckeus nitidulus, F. rubrimanus, F. platnicki, F. minckleyi, F. kochi and F. peninsularis. A new species of the Vaejovis “nigrescens” group, Vaejovis davidi, sp. nov., is also described.

Dna Barcoding Indicates Hidden Diversity Of Euscorpius (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) In Turkey, Victor Fet, Matthew R. Graham, Gergin Blagoev, Ayşegül Karataş, Ahmet Karataş

Victor Fet

The Anatolian fauna of the genus Euscorpius (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) is in the process of reassessment. Twelve species of this genus are currently recognized for Anatolia, of which seven have been recently described on the basis of morphology. We demonstrate additional cryptic diversity in Anatolian Euscorpius by applying molecular markers (mitochondrial COI and 16S rDNA genes) from 14 populations, of which 13 were morphologically characterized by “em=3,” a phenotypic marker on the pedipalp patella. All studied Anatolian forms are strongly supported as a single clade compared to the European (from the Alps to the Balkans) taxa of the subgenus Alpiscorpius. Of …

A Scorpion From A Peatbog: The First Arthropod Fossil From The Late Viséan Of The Moscow Coal Basin, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, Yulia V. Mosseichik, Dmitry E. Shcherbakov

Victor Fet

This note describes a fossil fragment from the Upper Viséan (ca. 330 Ma), of the Moscow Coal Basin (Novgorod Region, Russia). The fossil is identified as the cuticle of a single leg segment (left femur) of a scorpion (Arachnida: Scorpiones), without any further taxonomic placement. The anatomical details of the fragment are given, along with ecological considerations. It is the first fossil scorpion record from Russia.

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. Iii. Subfamilies Smeringurinae And Syntropinae (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Victor Fet

Stockwell (1989), in an unpublished revision, suggested splitting the family Vaejovidae in two subfamilies, introducing also four tribes and four new genera. These results have not been reevaluated for 20 years. Here, we establish a new subfamily Smeringurinae, subfam. nov., with two tribes, four genera, and 40 species and subspecies. The subfamily Smeringurinae includes two tribes: Smeringurini, trib. nov. and Paravaejovini, trib. nov. The tribe Smeringurini includes three genera: Paruroctonus Werner, 1934; Smeringurus Haradon, 1983; and Vejovoidus Stahnke, 1974. The tribe Paravaejovini includes the genus Paravaejovis Williams, 1980. We restore from synonymy the subfamily Syntropinae Kraepelin, 1905, and significantly expand …

Editorial: "Euscorpius" At 50, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Victor Fet

Five years since its conception, “Euscorpius”, the online peer-reviewed research journal devoted to scorpion science, celebrates its 50th issue today with its 50th author, and shows no signs of aging or slowing down. We celebrate these achievements together with the colleagues and friends all around the world, since success of “Euscorpius” became possible only through collaboration, networking, and mutual support—aptly provided in the Internet environment. No other medium allows so much connectivity, rapid response, and coordination as this marvelous modern communication device. For us, “Euscorpius” in its five years became much more than a journal—it is part of our and …

A New Species Of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 From Peloponnese, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae, Gioele Tropea, Victor Fet, Aristeidis Parmakelis, Panayiota Kotsakiozi, Iasmi Stathi

Victor Fet

A new scorpion species, Euscorpius (Euscorpius) erymanthius sp. n., is described from Peloponnese, Greece (Erymanthos Mts.), based on genetic and morphological evidence. It is characterized by small size, light brown to reddish color, and a standard trichobothrial pattern (Pv = 8–9, et = 7–6, em = 4 and eb = 4). In a phylogeny based on multiple DNA markers, the new species groups close with E. corcyraeus Tropea et Rossi, 2012 from Corfu (Kerkyra) Island.

Euscorpius Yagmuri Sp. N., A New Scorpion Species From Epirus, Northwestern Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), František Kovařík, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Victor Fet

A new species Euscorpius yagmuri sp. n., is described from coastal Epirus in northwestern Greece based on morphological evidence. With this new species, the fauna of Euscorpius of Greece now includes 19 species.

A New Trichobothrial Character For The High-Level Systematics Of Buthoidea (Scorpiones: Buthida), Victor Fet, Soleglad E. Michael, Graeme Lowe

Victor Fet

The high-level systematics and phylogeny of the scorpion superfamily Buthoidea are unresolved. A new, formerly undetected character is reported here: the relative alignment of d3 trichobothrium and DMc carina on the pedipalp patella. This and other characters are discussed in the context of possible high-level divisions of Buthoidea. Based on this analysis, we suggest a breakdown of Buthoidea into six proposed tentative phylogenetic groups: Buthus group, Ananteris group, Isometrus group, Charmus group, Uroplectes group, and Tityus group.

Proceedings Of The 3rd Scorpiology Symposium (American Arachnological Society, 28th Annual Meeting), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Victor Fet

Table of Contents Victor Fet and Douglas D. Gaffin. Preface p. iKaren C. Bost and Douglas D. Gaffin. Sand scorpion home burrow navigation in the laboratory p. 1Douglas D. Gaffin and Mark E. Walvoord. Scorpion peg sensilla: are they the same or are they different? p. 7J. Zachary Porterfield, Douglas D. Gaffin, Caitlin Porterfield and Curtis Johnston. Screening for scorpions: A non-invasive approach to tracking the movements of arachnids in sand p. 17Tsunemi Yamashita. Surface activity, biomass, and phenology of the striped scorpion, Centruroides vittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Arkansas, USA p. 25C. Neal McReynolds. Temporal patterns in microhabitat use for …

Graemeloweus, A New Scorpion Genus From Northern California, Usa (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, Matthew R. Graham, Richard F. Ayrey

Victor Fet

Genus Graemeloweus, gen. nov. (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from northern California, USA. The genus is composed of three species formerly placed in Pseudouroctonus: Graemeloweus iviei (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (type species), G. glimmei (Hjelle, 1972), comb. nov., and G. maidu (Savary et Bryson, 2016), comb. nov. Major diagnostic characters of Graemeloweus include a non-bifurcated primary lamellar hook, the presence of a secondary lamellar hook, a complex mating plug with a two part base and an asymmetric crescent-shape barb, and the presence of a well-developed ventromedian (V2) carina on the pedipalp chela. Evidence is presented suggesting that Graemeloweus is …

Kovarikia, A New Scorpion Genus From California, Usa (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, Matthew R. Graham

Victor Fet

Genus Kovarikia, gen. nov. (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from southern California, USA. The genus is composed of three species previously placed in Pseudouroctonus: Kovarikia williamsi (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. (type species), K. bogerti (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov., and K. angelena (Gertsch et Soleglad, 1972), comb. nov. Major diagnostic characters of Kovarikia are its unique neobothriotaxy found on the ventral surface of the pedipalp chelae, the occurrence of a secondary lamellar hook on the hemispermatophore, a crescent-shaped mating plug barb, the presence of a secondary exteromedian (EMc) carina on the pedipalp patella, and a swollen telson vesicle …

Integrating Habitat Suitability Modeling And Radio Telemetry To Describe Habitat Use Of The Western Massasaugas, Sistrurus T. Tergeminus, In Texas, Mitchell R. Barazowski

Biology Theses

Habitat suitability modeling using the software package MaxEnt (Phillips, Anderson, & Schapire, 2006) is a popular method for describing the habitat of rare species. MaxEnt uses “presence only” data to develop models; however presence data are highly skewed towards areas of high detection probability and these areas may not represent the full range of habitat use. Thusly, predictions from models developed using only data from areas with high detection probability may not represent all suitable habitat. This study tested the ability of MaxEnt models developed using three different data sets to accurately describe Western Massasauga (Sistrurus t. tergeminus) habitat at …

Flight Of The Freshwater Fish, Michael H. Wilson

Capstones

Michael H. Wilson

Capstone Abstract

December 27, 2016

Flight of the Freshwater Fish

The Hudson River provides for millions of people as a path for commercial and private transportation, a source of food and energy, and perhaps most importantly for many living in the tri-state area as a destination for recreation and relaxation. The most overlooked feature of the river is how the wildlife shows clear signs of a changing climate and rapid environmental response to the impacts of global warming on the river.

Entire populations of fish species in the lower Hudson have been forced to leave the river …