Animal Sciences Commons^™

Response Of Male Centruroides Vittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) To Aerial And Substrate-Borne Chemical Signals, Steffany B. Steinmetz, Karen C. Bost, Douglas D. Gaffin

Euscorpius

Chemical signaling promotes mate location throughout numerous animal taxa. In this study we investigated the possibility that striped scorpions, Centruroides vittatus, use chemical signaling in the form of odor plumes or substrate-borne deposits as communication channels. A Y-shaped arena was constructed to test scorpions’ use of air-borne chemical cues in the detection of potential mates. A second, circular behavioral choice chamber was used to test male scorpions’ responses to female deposits by direct substrate contact. Male scorpions showed no tendency to move toward the female in tests of air-borne chemical transmission but they did demonstrate behavior associated with chemical …

Scorpiofauna Of Kashan (Esfahan Province, Iran) (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Valerio Vignoli, František Kovařík, Pierangelo Crucitti

Euscorpius

This work contains the results of the zoological expedition of the Società Romana di Scienze Naturali to Kashan, in Iran. Four days of intensive field research provided interesting data on the community structure of scorpions of Kashan. Thirty-two scorpion specimens, all belonging to the family Buthidae, are listed and ecological notes are included. Iranobuthus krali Kovařík, 1997, Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903) and Polisius persicus Fet, Capes & Sissom, 2001 were found for the first time in the examined localities. The species collected belong to different ecomorpho-types, characteristic for the particular geographic position of Kashan. We report presence of two species …

A Powerful New Light Source For Ultraviolet Detection Of Scorpions In The Field, Graeme Lowe, Steven R. Kutcher, Doug Edwards

Euscorpius

We describe a new portable solid-state ultraviolet (UV) light that should greatly improve the ease and effectiveness of fluorescent detection of scorpions in the field. The design is based on an array of InGaN light emitting diodes (LEDs). It is in-expensive, lightweight, simple to implement, energetically efficient and mechanically rugged. Scorpion cuticular fluorescence excited by an LED array is 13-fold brighter than excitation by previously available fluorescent tube lamps drawing the same current from the battery.

Mesobuthus Eupeus (C.L. Koch, 1839) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In Turkey, Ayşegül Karataş, Ahmet Karataş

Euscorpius

Distribution of Mesobuthus eupeus (C.L. Koch, 1839) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Turkey is investigated and new distributional records are given. In addition, data on the variation of the number of pectinal teeth, and some ecological features of M. eupeus are provided.

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

Euscorpius

Table of Contents

Victor Fet and Douglas D. Gaffin. Preface p. i

Karen C. Bost and Douglas D. Gaffin. Sand scorpion home burrow navigation in the laboratory p. 1

Douglas D. Gaffin and Mark E. Walvoord. Scorpion peg sensilla: are they the same or are they different? p. 7

J. 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. 17

Tsunemi Yamashita. Surface activity, biomass, and phenology of the striped scorpion, Centruroides vittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Arkansas, USA p. 25

C. Neal McReynolds. Temporal …

Prey Capture Behavior In The East African Scorpions Parabuthus Leiosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) And P. Pallidus Pocock, 1895 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Jan O. Rein

Euscorpius

Prey capture behavior in Parabuthus leiosoma (Ehrenberg, 1828) and P. pallidus Pocock, 1895 was studied in the laboratory. The behavioral components involved in prey capture were identified and an ethogram is presented. The occurrence of the different prey capture components are analyzed and discussed.

A Review Of The Genus Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) With Descriptions Of Four New Species From Asia And Australia, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Four new species of the genus Isometrus are described: Isometrus (Reddyanus) bilyi from Australia, I. (R.) petrzelkai from Vietnam and Thailand, I. (R.) problematicus from India and I. (R.) khammamensis from India. Keys are presented to all species of both subgenera of Isometrus. Lectotypes are designated for I. (I.) thurstoni Pocock, 1893 and I. (R.) assamensis Oates, 1888. I. (I.) sankariensis Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 is synonymized with I. (I.) thurstoni Pocock, 1893. First time records include I. (I.) thurstoni Pocock, …

High-Level Systematics And Phylogeny Of The Extant Scorpions (Scorpiones: Orthosterni), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

A number of authors (e. g. Birula, 1917a, 1917b; Mello-Leitão, 1945; Stockwell, 1989) addressed above-level systematics of extant scorpions, and accepted the grouping of scorpion families in several superfamilies. At the same time, Kjellesvig-Waering (1986) classified all extant scorpions under the same superfamily, Scorpionoidea. Sissom (1990) and Fet et al. (2000) did not list any superfamilies, considering the systematic situation above family (and often at the family level as well) unresolved. Most recently, Lourenço (2000a) listed six superfamilies, largely following the unpublished but important study of Stockwell (1989). The goal of this paper is to address scorpion systematics and phylogeny …

The Scorpion Sternum: Structure And Phylogeny (Scorpiones: Orthosterni), Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

The structure of the sternum of all major Recent scorpion groups is analyzed in detail. Based on this analysis, two fundamental sternum types are identified, described and illustrated, type 1 and type 2. These sternum types are distinguished by criteria based on external and internal structural features. The sternum types described herein are offered as a replacement for the various characterizations used throughout the last 140 years which emphasize only gross overall shape and proportions. Phylogenetic and taxonomic ramifications of these new sternal types are discussed. The Carboniferous fossil scorpion Palaeopisthacanthus schucherti Petrunkevitch is assigned to sternum type 1 …

Two New Euscorpius Species From Central-Western Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Gioele Tropea, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

Two new Euscorpius species are described, based on specimens collected by P.M. Giachino & D. Vailati in central-western Greece in neighboring Aitoloakarnania (Western Greece) and Fokida (Central Greece) regional units. No Euscorpius specimens were previously available from this area. The first new species, Euscorpius giachinoi sp. n., is very similar to a recently described E. birulai Fet et al., 2014 from Euboea Island, and is also characterized by a low trichobothrial count (Pv = 7, et = 5), a low pectinal teeth count (Dp = 7 in males, 6 in females), and long-limbed features. The second species, …

Etudes On Iurids, Vi. Further Revision Of Calchas Birula, 1899 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), With A Description Of A New Genus And Two New Species., Ersen Aydın Yağmur, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Several new Calchas populations are studied from Turkey, including specimens from Hakkari Province, which borders the northern edge of Iraq. A new genus, Neocalchas, gen. nov., and two new species, Calchas anlasi, sp. nov. and C. kosswigi, sp. nov., are described. The two genera, Calchas and Neocalchas, are diagnosed by their hemispermatophore structure, chelal finger dentition, telson morphometrics and setation, and trichobothrial topology of the pedipalp chela. Genus Calchas Birula, 1899 includes four species: C. anlasi, sp. nov., C. birulai, C. kosswigi, sp. nov., and C. nordmanni; genus …

The First Molecular Phylogeny Of Buthidae (Scorpiones), Victor Fet, Benjamin Gantenbein, Alexander Gromov, Graeme Lowe, Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

The first partial phylogeny of family Buthidae (17 genera) is presented, based on molecular data (16S rRNA mitochondrial DNA). The strong support for a monophyletic Old World group of 13 genera (mainly Palearctic desert forms) is demonstrated, while representative genera from Madagascar (Grosphus) and Southeast Asia (Lychas) group outside, as well as New World genera Centruroides and Rhopalurus. A very strong support is observed for the first time for three groups of Old World genera: (a) Compsobuthus, Mesobuthus, Liobuthus, Kraepelinia; (b) Hottentotta, Buthacus; (c) Orthochirus, Anomalobuthus. Phylogenetic …

Morphology Analysis Supports Presence Of More Than One Species In The “Euscorpius Carpathicus” Complex (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

We investigate a number of scorpion populations from southern and central Europe, commonly classified under a “catch-all” name of Euscorpius carpathicus (L., 1767). This species includes a high number of described subspecies but its composition is not resolved. The detailed morphology analysis in the present paper includes a number of new characters, in particular individually mapped external patellar accessory trichobothria. It suggests that several clearly separated lineages are present. E. carpathicus (L.) is restricted here to geographically marginal populations from Romania (terra typica), which exhibit loss of one trichobothrium in the patellar series em (= 3). Another lineage (Austria, Croatia, …

Two New Andean Species Of Brachistosternus Pocock (Scorpiones: Bothriuridae), Jose A. Ochoa, Louis E. Acosta

Euscorpius

Two new Andean species of the genus Brachistosternus Pocock from southern Peru and northern Chile are described: B. titicaca sp. n. from the Titicaca basin (Departamento Puno, Peru), at 3850-3900 m, and B. quiscapata sp. n. from Departamento Tacna (Peru) and Provincia Arica (Chile), at 3100-3400 m. Both species belong to the subgenus Brachistosternus (Leptosternus) Maury. They are related to the Argentinean species B. (L.) intermedius Lönnberg and B.(L.) montanus Roig Alsina. Comparisons between these four species are provided, including a combination of characters: length/width ratio of metasomal segment V, number of setae of metasomal segment V and tarsus III, …

Etudes On Iurids, V. Further Revision Of Iurus Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), With A Description Of A New Genus And Two New Species, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet, František Kovařík, Ersen Aydın Yağmur

Euscorpius

Iurus populations from the Aegean area are studied, including the Greek islands of Crete, Karpathos, Kythira, Rhodes, and Samos. A new genus, Protoiurus gen. nov., and two new species, Protoiurus rhodiensis sp. nov. and P. stathiae sp. nov., are described. The two genera, Iurus and Protoiurus, are diagnosed by their hemispermatophore structure; a cladistic analysis based on this structure is presented. Genus Iurus Thorell, 1876 includes three species: I. dekanum, I. dufoureius, and I. kinzelbachi; genus Protoiurus includes five species: P. asiaticus comb. nov., P. kadleci comb. nov., P. kraepelini comb. nov., P. rhodiensis sp. nov., and P. …

Euscorpiops Neradi Sp. N. From Thailand (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae), František Kovařík, Jana Plíšková, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

Euscorpiops neradi sp. n. from Thailand is described and compared with other species of the genus Euscorpiops Vachon, 1980. It is the smallest species of the genus, with total length about 25 mm in both sexes. In E. neradi sp. n. external trichobothria on the patella number 16 (5 eb, 2 esb, 2 em, 3 est, 4 et) and ventral trichobothria on the patella number 6. Pedipalp fingers are flexed in males and straight in females.

Alloscorpiops Citadelle Sp. N. From Thailand (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae: Scorpiopinae)., František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Alloscorpiops citadelle sp. n. from Thailand is described and compared with A. anthracinus (Simon, 1887). A. citadelle sp. n. is characterized mainly by a higher number of trichobothria on the patella, which has 29–34 external (23–24 in A. anthracinus) and 19–21 ventral (15–19 in A. anthracinus) trichobothria.

Evolution Of Scorpion Orthobothriotaxy: A Cladistic Approach, Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet

Euscorpius

This study presents a cladistic analysis of the derivation of orthobothriotaxic patterns in scorpions. Included in this analysis are the original three orthobothriotaxic patterns defined by Vachon (1972, 1974), the pattern of the unique scorpion Pseudochactas ovchinnikovi Gromov, 1998, and two trichobothrial patterns of fossil scorpions, the Upper Carboniferous palaeopisthacanthids and the Lower Cretaceous archaeobuthids. An overview of all fossil scorpion material where trichobothria are reported is presented in detail. The approach used in this analysis is to model the existence of an individual trichobothrium, adopting the ‘absence of’, ‘petite size’ and ‘full size’ as incremental stages of a trichobothrium’s …

Contributions To Scorpion Systematics. I. On Recent Changes In High-Level Taxonomy, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

Prendini & Wheeler (2005) criticized the methods of phylogenetic analyses by Soleglad, Fet, and their coauthors, and executed an unprecedented taxonomic action: without analyzing any of these taxa, they performed a wholesale synonymization of four parvorders, eight superfamilies, one family, 11 subfamilies, eight tribes, two subtribes, and three genera (in total, 37 taxa) of scorpions, and made other taxonomic changes. No alternative new classification has been proposed (instead, they revert to a previous classification), and no results of original work on this subject by Prendini & Wheeler (2005) have been presented. Here, we reverse all taxonomic changes performed by Prendini …

Etudes On Iurids, Ii. Revision Of Genus Calchas Birula, 1899, With The Description Of Two New Species (Scorpiones: Iuridae), Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

The relict, phylogenetically important scorpion genus Calchas Birula, 1899 (Iuridae) remained monotypic since its description. Its sole species, Calchas nordmanni Birula, 1899, was known only from northeastern Turkey until Kinzelbach (1980) published first records from southern and southeastern Turkey. A few more localities have been reported from Turkey; the species was also found on two Greek islands, Samos and Megisti. We analyzed significant material (63 specimens, including a previously unpublished large series from Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), and concluded that three distinct, disjunct species exist rather than one widespread species as previously thought. Two new species are described: Calchas birulai sp. …

Ecological Niche Modeling Of Two Scorpion Species Mesobuthus Eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) And M. Phillipsii (Pocock, 1889) From The Iranian Plateau And Zagros Region (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Omid Mirshamsi

Euscorpius

Ecological niche modeling has allowed several advances in the process of species delimitation. In the present study, I used this method to evaluate the climatic divergence between two scorpion species, Mesobuthus eupeus and M. phillipsii. The ecological niche models (ENMs) were created based on presence-only data with the maximum entropy method. The created models, results of spatial analysis (PCA and Hotelling discriminant), and an identity test suggested that the divergence between these two species is associated with significant divergence in their ecological niches. The results of this study provide additional support for the taxonomic validity the studied species.

A New Species Of Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) From Dominican Amber, Wilson R. Lourenço

Euscorpius

Tityus azari sp. n., a new species of fossil scorpion belonging to the genus Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 is described based on a specimen in amber from the Dominican Republic. Although the new species can be associated with the extant fauna of the Neotropical region, it presents some particular morphological features such as the presence of sharp denticles on the edge of pedipalp fingers. Due to the incompleteness of the specimen it cannot be assigned to any precise extant subgenera. Once again, this discovery attests to a considerable degree of diversity in the Dominican amber-producing forests.

The Cretaceous Scorpion Genus, Archaeobuthus, Revisited (Scorpiones: Archaeobuthidae), Chris Baptista, Jorge A. Santiago-Blay, Victor Fet, Michael E. Soleglad

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

The Scorpions Of Hainan Island, China (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Zhi-Yong Di, Zhi-Jian Cao, Ying-Liang Wu, Lin Zhu, Hui Liu, Wen-Xin Li

Euscorpius

The redescriptions and illustrations of three species, Isometrus (Isometrus) maculatus (DeGeer, 1778), Lychas mucronatus (Fabricius, 1798) (Buthidae), and Liocheles australasiae (Fabricius, 1775) (Hemiscorpiidae) from Hainan Island, China are presented. Distribution data and updated key of Hainan scorpions are provided.

Review Of The Subgenus Pandinurus Fet, 1997 With Descriptions Of Three New Species (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae, Pandinus)., František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Pandinus (Pandinurus) awashensis sp. n. from Ethiopia, P. (P.) somalilandus sp. n. from Somaliland, and P. (P.) lowei sp. n. from Democratic Republic of Congo are described and compared with other species of the subgenus. P. (P.) sudanicus Hirst, 1911 stat. n. previously considered a synonym of P. (P.) magrettii Borelli, 1901 is recognized as a valid species. New data on taxonomic characters and distribution of the subgenus Pandinurus are presented. Also presented are a map of distribution, photos of the localities and a key to species using hitherto unpublished characters of the tarsomere spination formula and sexual …

Five New Species Of Chaerilus Simon, 1877 From China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, And Vietnam (Scorpiones: Chaerilidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Chaerilus cimrmani sp. n. from Thailand, C. seiteri sp. n. from Philippines (Negros Island), C. solegladi sp. n. from Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo Island), C. terueli sp. n. from Vietnam (Côn Son Island), and C. wrzecionkoi sp. n. from China (Tibet) are described. A key to all species of the genus Chaerilus Simon, 1877 is also presented.

Three New Species Of Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 From Yemen, Jordan, Israel, And Somaliland (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Compsobuthus krali sp. n. of the werneri group from Yemen, C. levyi sp. n. of the werneri group from Jordan and Israel, and C. somalilandus sp. n. of the acutecarinatus group from Somaliland are described. A key to all species of the genus Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 is presented.

A New Locality Of Mesobuthus Eupeus Thersites (C. L. Koch, 1839) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In East Kazakhstan, Alexander A. Fomichev

Euscorpius

A new locality of Mesobuthus eupeus thersites (C. L. Koch, 1839) is reported, found during the fieldtrip to East Kazakhstan, one of the most northern areas where scorpions are found in Asia. Notes on the habitats, map and photographs of specimens are given.

On Centruroides Margaritatus (Gervais, 1841) And Closely Related Species (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Luis F. De Armas, Rolando Teruel, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

Centruroides edwardsii (Gervais, 1843) comb. nov. is restored as a valid species, and a male neotype from Riohacha, La Guajira Department, Colombia is herein designated; this species ranges from Mexico through Colombia, but there are no reliable records from Guatemala, Belize, and Panama; introduced populations also occur in Cuba (West Indies) and Senegal (Africa). We regard the following species as its junior synonyms: Scorpio (Atreus) degeerii Gervais, 1844, Centrurus gambiensis Karsch, 1879, Centruroides margaritatus septentrionalis Hoffmann, 1932, and Rhopalurus danieli Prado et Rios-Patiño, 1940. We also consider Centruroides margaritatus morenoi Mello-Leitão, 1945 as a junior synonym of …

A Checklist Of The Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Of Panama, With Two New Records, Rolando Teruel, Michiel A.C. Cozijn

Euscorpius

In the present note, we compile a checklist of all scorpion species recorded from Panama. A total of three families, five genera and 14 species are confirmed to occur in the country, and previous records of two other families, four genera, and nine species are discarded as misidentifications, mislabelings, or accidental introductions. Two Buthidae species are herein recorded for the first time from Panama: Tityus tayrona Lourenço, 1991 (so far known only from northern Colombia) and one apparently undescribed species of Ananteris Thorell, 1891.