Evolution Commons^™

A New Species Of Liocheles Sundevall, 1833 (Scorpiones: Hormuridae) From The Western Himalayas, Virender К. Bhardwaj, Sunil Katal, H. T. Lalremsanga, Zeeshan A. Mirza

Euscorpius

Sampling in the Western Himalayas of India led to the discovery of a population of the genus Liocheles Sundevall, 1833, that differes from all Indian congeners. Molecular and morphological data confirmed the distinctiveness of the population, which is here described as a new species. The new species is morphologically similar to L. longimanus (Werner, 1939), from which it differs in the arrangement of trichobothria on external patella and structure of the hemispermatophore. A preliminary molecular phylogeny of the family Hormuridae based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene is presented.

New Locality Records And Future Habitat Suitability Of Sassanidotus Gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) In The Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan Arid Belt, Ersen A. Yağmur, Kerim Çiçek, Homa Barati, Mohammad Moradi

Euscorpius

This study reports new locality records from Iran and a climate-based habitat suitability assessment for Sassanidotus gracilis (Birula, 1900) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Iran–Afghanistan–Pakistan arid belt. We document new specimens from Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran, with an updated distribution map and illustrations, and we model the species' potential distribution across south-eastern Iran and adjacent parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Habitat suitability was associated mainly with precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the wettest month, precipitation of the driest month, and slope. In an arid setting these rainfall variables are unlikely to indicate a need for moist habitat; they more plausibly track …

First Insular Record And Dna Barcoding Of Euscorpius Vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 From Trizonia Island (Fokida, Greece), Konstantinos Kalaentzis, Francesco Frigioni, Alexios Panagiotopoulos, Elias Tzoras, Styliani Minoudi, Alexandros Triantafyllidis

Euscorpius

Euscorpius vailatii Tropea & Fet, 2015 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), originally described from Aitoloakarnania and Fokida (Greece), is herein reported from Trizonia Island in the Gulf of Corinth, representing the first insular record for the species. The examined specimens are consistent with the diagnostic morphology of E. vailatii. The first molecular data for the species are provided, based on both mainland and insular populations. Comparative analyses further highlight the distinctiveness of E. vailatii from geographically close congeners, while phylogenetic results indicate a sister-taxon relationship with E. erymanthius, supporting a Quaternary biogeographic history shaped by the evolution of the Gulf of …

Formalization Of Nomenclatural Acts Proposed In Tang (2026) (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Chaerilidae, Scorpiopidae), Victoria Tang

Euscorpius

Several nomenclatural, taxonomic, and faunistic decisions put forth in Tang (2026) are formalized herein: (1) four nomina dubia, Chaerilus tessellatus Qi et al., 2005, Scorpiops langxian Qi et al., 2005, S. pococki Qi et al., 2005, and Isometrus (Reddyanus) wenjieae Huang et al., 2025; (2) two junior subjective synonyms, Scorpiops langxian = S. pococki = S. tibetanus Hirst, 1911 syn. n.; (3) one new “aspidonym”, Scorpiops obluda Tang, 2026 sp. indet. nomen nudum; and (4) removal of Scorpiops hardwickii (Gervais, 1843) and S. petersii Pocock, 1893 from the Chinese scorpiofauna. Reddyanus tibetanus (Lourenço & Zhu, 2008) is maintained …

A Geometric Morphometric Analysis Of Acetabular Shape Variation Across Bat Families, Jordan L. Huff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight, and research is concentrated on this adaptation. Their non-flight locomotion has received comparatively little attention. Previous studies show that non-flight locomotor behaviors vary across families. Members of Pteropodidae are efficient climbers but cannot effectively walk, whereas Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae are better at terrestrial locomotion but show reduced arboreal capabilities. The non-flight locomotion of Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae is less understood, although rhinolophids exhibit limited terrestrial locomotion. This study examined whether differences in locomotor behavior are associated with variation in acetabular morphology. A geometric morphometric analysis of acetabular shape was conducted across multiple …

What Does Sentience Mean At The Neural Level?, Björn Brembs

Animal Sentience

Jonathan Birch's (2025) LSE criteria for sentience include motivational trade-offs, exemplified by C. elegansweighing hunger against desiccation risk. Yet once the neural circuit is known, this "trade-off" reduces to a single inhibitory synapse—an ‘elemental’ account discrediting the ‘molar’ one. My commentary illustrates the same discrepancy in Drosophila: dopaminergic ramping during courtship as it progressively suppresses threat-detecting neurons; so persistence past danger reflects recalibrated valuation rather than a weighed decision. As neurobiology increasingly discovers such discrepancies, all criteria resting on behavioral classifications risk being defined away without altering the behavior's validity.

Scorpiops Walteri Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Scorpiopidae) From Myanmar, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Scorpiops walteri sp. n. (Scorpiopidae) is described from Myanmar, fully illustrated with color photos showing its morphology and habitus. Scorpiops walteri sp. n. is the only species of the genus with a combination of the following five characters: chelal trichobothrium Eb₃ located in middle of manus between trichobothria Dt and Est; patella of pedipalp with 11–12 ventral and 19 external trichobothria; fingers of pedipalps strongly undulate in male; pedipalp movable finger with ca. 47 IAD; and chela length to width ratio 2.8 in male.

Euscorpius Emae Sp. N. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), A New Scorpion Species From Montenegro, František Kovařík

Euscorpius

A new species Euscorpius emae sp. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) from Montenegro is described, fully complemented with color photographs. E. emae sp. n. is morphologically unique by yellow to orange color, very narrow metasoma and enlarged chela. Pedipalp patella external trichobothria numbers are 4eb, 4eb_a, 2esb, 4em, 4est, 5et, and ventral aspect of patella with 9 trichobothria.

Tails From The Isle Of Devils: Two New Records Of Non-Native Invasive Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) Successfully Intercepted In Bermuda, Including The First Record Of Caraboctonidae, Danniella Sherwood, Mark Outerbridge, Struan R. Smith, Jenny Gosling, Myles Darrell

Euscorpius

Hadruroides sp. (Scorpiones: Caraboctonidae) is newly recorded as a successfully intercepted non-native invasive species in Bermuda, based on examination of a desiccated and damaged immature female specimen. A second record of an intercepted Centruroides gracilis (Latreille, 1804) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is reported based on examination of an adult male.

Scorpions Of Angola (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part I. Family Buthidae, With Descriptions Of Two New Species., František Kovařík

Euscorpius

All scorpion species of the family Buthidae known from Angola are listed, with color photographs and maps of their distribution. Diagnosis of Babycurus ansorgei Hirst, 1911 is revised; its male is described for the first time. Babycurus crassicaudatus Roewer, 1952, is revalidated (it was erroneously synonymized with B. ansorgei, since the females of both species are morphologically almost identical). Uroplectes angolensis sp. n. and U. xavieri sp. n. are described from Angola. Validity of Uroplectes ngangelarum Monard, 1930 is confirmed as different from U. planimanus (Karsch, 1879); its lectotype is designated. Lectotype is also designated for Uroplectes planimanus …

Natural Behavior Vs. Subjective Experience In Fish Welfare Assessments, Ronald G. Oldfield

Animal Sentience

Several commentaries on the Oldfield & Bonano (2024) target article proposed that natural behavior should play a larger role in assessing the welfare of fishes in zoos and aquariums. However, the natural-behavior concept of animal welfare has been widely criticized because natural behaviors do not necessarily improve welfare, and unnatural behaviors do not necessarily reduce it. I review the three major concepts of animal welfare — physical health, natural behavior, and affect/feelings — and argue that behavior patterns, whether natural or otherwise, should be evaluated according to their effects on health and subjective experience. Using the affect/feelings concept and the …

Effect Of Temperature On The Defensive And Predatory Behavior Of The Scorpion Hadrurus Obscurus (Scorpiones: Hadruridae), Zia Nisani, Megan Bennett, Audrey Enriquez, Mel Iniquez, Emilia Martinez Rios, Brooklyn Stone

Euscorpius

Scorpions employ their stinging mechanism both for defense and predation, and being ectothermic, temperature influences their physiology and behavior. As such, we hypothesized that temperature both affects defensive stinging and prey-capture behavior in scorpions. We tested the effects of body temperature on these behaviors in the desert hairy scorpion, Hadrurus obscurus Williams, 1970. In the first experiment, scorpions were placed in temperature-controlled chambers with either high (26-28°C) or low (21- 22°C) temperatures and probed to elicit a defensive sting. We recorded the reaction time and the number of probes needed to elicit a sting. In the second experiment, we observed …

Compsobuthus Hadeki Sp. N. From Iraq (Scorpiones: Buthidae), František Kovařík, František Šťáhlavský

Euscorpius

A new species, Compsobuthus hadeki sp. n. from Iraq is described and fully complemented with color photographs and compared with morphologically the most similar species, C. matthiesseni (Birula, 1905). The two species can be unequivocally separated by the following morphological features: in C. hadeki sp. n., movable finger of pedipalp bears 9 rows of granules; telson with aculeus shorter than vesicle, and metasoma III with 10 carinae. Cytogenetic analysis was performed, revealing a diploid chromosome count of 22 in C. hadeki sp. n.

A Reassessment Of “Tityus” Tenuimanus Banks, 1910, As A Misidentified Leiurus Sp. (Scorpiones: Buthidae), Mohamed Mousaid, Ersen A. Yağmur, Zoe Flores, Alana Rivera, Aziza Lansari, Abdellah Bouazza

Euscorpius

This study re-examines the holotype of “Tityus” tenuimanus Banks, 1910, previously synonymized with Buthus atlantis Pocock, 1889 by Lourenço & Francke (1984). Our results indicate that the specimen is a misidentified representative of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828, as it exhibits the diagnostic characters of this genus: the central lateral and posterior median carinae of the carapace fused into a lyre-shaped configuration, and tergites I–II bearing five granular carinae (a character absent in the genus Buthus Leach, 1815). Moreover, the holotype lacks one of the most distinctive characters of the genus Tityus Koch, 1836, namely the presence of a subaculear tubercle. The …

Scorpions In Brazilian Caves And Other Subterranean Habitats, Jonas E. Gallão, Bruno D, Lenhare, Misael Oliveira-Neto, Maria E. Bichuette

Euscorpius

Arachnids have successfully colonized subterranean environments. Compared to spiders, harvestmen, and pseudoscorpions, scorpions have a moderate number of subterranean species, including troglophiles and troglobites. Among the four families and 184 species and three subspecies of scorpions found in Brazil, three families and at least 33 species and one subspecies have been documented in subterranean habitats. This study presents a faunistic list of scorpion occurrences in caves and other types of subterranean habitats in Brazil, along with distribution maps and an attempt to classify species based on their use of and dependence on subterranean environments.

The Genus Nebo Simon, 1878 (Scorpiones: Diplocentridae) In Oman, Graeme Lowe

Euscorpius

No abstract provided.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Host: Fleas And The History Of Pikas In North America, Josh Pletcher

All NMU Master's Theses

Parasite phylogenetics can offer windows into the cryptic evolutionary history of hosts, often highlighting events that are not recorded by the phylogenetics of the host. Pikas (small lagomorphs) host a diverse parasite community comprising endoparasites (e.g., coccidians, nematodes, and cestodes) and ectoparasites (e.g., fleas and mites). Phylogenetic analysis of pika endoparasites has revealed pikas evolved in Asia and colonized North America in two waves, and that contact between these two pika lineages allowed parasites to be transferred from one lineage to another and to survive the extinction of their original host. To uncover these cryptic histories, understanding the biogeography of …

Ontogeny And The Effects Of Perinatal Stress In The First Immature Skeleton Of Teleoceras Aepysoma (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae), Joe Gajewski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recovery of an immature fossil rhinoceros (Teleoceras aepysoma) skeleton (ETMNH 32999) from the Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee offers the first insights into the ontogeny of the species. ETMNH 32999 is interpreted to be a subadult male in an age class equivalent to ~17-20% of potential lifespan. Comparative analyses support the hypothesis that subadults of related taxa are typically ~91% of average adult size in most dimensions. However, certain cranial dimensions are substantially lower than expected in ETMNH 32999, averaging only ~74% of the average conspecific adult. Such departure from typical growth rates is suggested to be attributable …

Aggression And Fish Welfare: Challenges And Opportunities, Christine M. Soper, Peter D. Dijkstra

Animal Sentience

Oldfield & Bonano’s (2024) [O&B] target article discusses the wellbeing and sociality of bony fishes. Many fish species, such as cichlids, are not only social but territorial. Aggression is normal, but territorial aggression in a captive environment can have a negative impact on welfare. Aggression-related injuries and deaths are prevalent in pet stores as well as research settings. We discuss the need to develop effective methods to minimize the negative consequences of aggression.

An Integrative Description Of Euscorpius Diagorasi Sp. N. From Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Konstantinos Kalaentzis, Francesco Frigioni, Eliza Kaitetzidou, Alessio Iannucci, Alexandros Triantafyllidis

Euscorpius

The genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 comprises a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of scorpions in the Mediterranean, with Greece representing one of its principal centers of diversity. In this study, we provide an integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n., a new species from Rhodes Island, Greece. The new species is described on the basis of adult male and female morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data. It is a small oligotrichous species characterized by a total length of approximately 21–25 mm, pale yellow to light brown coloration with darker reddish-brown pedipalps, pectinal tooth count of 8 in the male …

Mapping Sensory Landscapes: Distribution And Arrangement Of The Anterior Lateral Line System In Texas Catfish, Tatiana Flores, Ruben Tovar

Research Papers

Fish have a system of sensory organs known as the lateral line system. This system contains numerous mechanoreceptive neuromasts and electroreceptive ampullary organs (Northcutt et al, 2000). Neuromasts are small, hair-like structures located within canals in the lateral line system just under the fish’s skin and are open to the environment through small pores visible on its skin (Parker, 2025). Water flows into these canals through the pores which stimulates the sensitive hair cells, resulting in electrical signals sent to the fish’s brain. The brain interprets these signals and creates “images” of the fish’s surroundings, helping it to see even …

Does Shape Matter?: How Salamander Head Morphology Shifts Based On Environment, Caitlyn Pinaga, Naomi Ramirez, Sonia Cerrillo

Posters - 2026

Groundwater salamanders of the genus Eurycea represent a diverse group of amphibians inhabiting the aquifer systems of central Texas, where both surface-dwelling and fully subterranean species coexist. Subterranean habitats impose extreme selective pressures, including complete darkness, limited nutrient availability, and stable environmental conditions, which drive convergent morphological traits such as eye reduction or loss, decreased pigmentation, and elongation of appendages. A key evolutionary pattern seen in these systems is sensory compensation, in which the reduction of one sensory modality, in this case vision, is accompanied by the enhancement of others. In aquatic salamanders, this often involves expansion of the lateral …

Smell Over Sight: Determining Levels Of Olfactory Gene Expression Between Surface And Subterranean Eurycea Salamanders, Sonia Cerrillo, Iliana Melendez, Naomi Ramirez

Posters - 2026

In the karst aquifers of central Texas, including the Edwards and Trinity systems, organisms live in an environment defined by constant temperatures, total darkness, and scarce food resources. These conditions have driven the evolution of salamanders in the genus Eurycea, particularly those that have adapted to subterranean life. Cave-dwelling species like Eurycea rathbuni exhibit hallmark “blind salamander” traits, including educed eyes, loss of pigmentation, and flattened head morphology. In contrast, surface-dwelling relatives such as Eurycea nana and Eurycea sosorum retain fully developed eyes and pigmentation, while some species like Eurycea latitans display both surface and subterranean forms across different populations.

The Missing Lynx: Investigating Passive And Active Rewilding With The Eurasian Lynx, Isaiah Charles, Tatiana Flores, Isabella Lopez

Conservation Biology

The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) is a wild cat native to the boreal forests, mountains and grasslands of Europe and Asia (Bhattacharyya, 2025). The Eurasian lynx keep ungulate populations in check which allow for forests to recover from overgrazing, promoting biodiversity and ecological balance. However, the Eurasian lynx had become locally extinct across Europe by the 1900s due to habitat loss, hunting by farmers in retaliation for predation of livestock and the illegal fur trade. Conservation and ecological restoration efforts to rebuild the lynx population have been underway. Rewilding is a form of ecological restoration involving the reintroduction of a …

Comparing Head Shape Of Polymorphic Subterranean E. Latitans And Subterranean E. Sp. 4, Brandon Chapa, Jordan Cosgrove, Lizzeth Holguin

Posters - 2026

Eurycea latitans (E. latitans) from Honey Creek Cave and unnamed Eurycea species from New Braunfels, Texas (E. sp. 4) are two paedomorphic subterranean species. E. latitans is polymorphic, meaning it also exists as a surface species. Similarities in morphology of subterranean salamander species may be due to convergent evolution as a result of living in similar environments. These similarities include having flatter, wider heads, and wider mouths than surface species (Tovar et al. 2025). Variation may also exist among different subterranean salamander species. Texas Eurycea salamanders display “complex patterns of morphological divergence”, suggesting that isolation and local environmental pressures can …

Mapping Sensory Landscapes: Distribution And Arrangement Of The Anterior Lateral Line System In Texas Catfish, Tatiana K. Flores, Ruben Tovar

Posters - 2026

Fish have a system of sensory organs known as the lateral line system. This system contains numerous mechanoreceptive neuromasts and electroreceptive ampullary organs (Northcutt et al, 2000). Neuromasts are small, hair-like structures located within canals in the lateral line system just under the fish’s skin and are open to the environment through small pores visible on its skin (Parker, 2025). Water flows into these canals through the pores which stimulates the sensitive hair cells, resulting in electrical signals sent to the fish’s brain. The brain interprets these signals and creates “images” of the fish’s surroundings, helping it to see even …

Teeth That Tell Time: Elemental Analysis From Shark Teeth, Gisele-Elizabeth Perez

Posters - 2026

Sharks (Chondrichthyes) have hunted in the oceans for over 400 million years, their teeth leaving history behind, constantly becoming a part of the fossilization process (Worm et al. 2013). Their survival throughout 5 major extinctions is due to their ability to adapt easily with slow metabolism, a wide range of diet, and an efficient physiology. Shark teeth are vital to the hunting and consumption of their prey, making it a point for scientists to study them. Their tooth minerals contain fluorapatite in their enameloid, and dentin in the “root” of the tooth, with extinct species containing dentin and hydroxyapatite in …

A Revision Of The Psammophilic Genus Liobuthus Birula, 1898 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), With A Description Of Four New Species From Central Asia, Victor Fet, František Kovařík, Graeme Lowe, Matthew R. Graham

Euscorpius

The rare Central Asian psammophilic scorpion genus, Liobuthus Birula, 1898 (Scorpiones: Buthidae), is revised. Five species are delineated according to results from three species delimitation approaches using mitochondrial DNA. Results are supported by diagnostic morphology, including an assessment of the distinctive neobothriotaxy. The type species, L. kessleri Birula, 1898, is confirmed for Iran (northeast), Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (south). Four new species are described: L. atamuradovi sp. n. (Turkmenistan),  L. danovi sp. n. (Kazakhstan, northern Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan), L. shukurovi sp. n. (southwestern Tajikistan), and L. vachoni sp. n. (southern Kazakhstan), The unique additive neobothriotaxy (on both pedipalp femur and patella) …

The Impacts Of Wing-Flashing By Northern Mockingbirds On Foraging, Parental Care, And Reproductive Success, Anna R. Starman

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Foraging efficiency may be enhanced by flashing patches of white wing and tail feathers and has been documented in several avian species. Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos, NOMO) exhibit this “wing-flashing” (WF) behavior while foraging, during displays, and in response to predators. In NOMOs, WF has been hypothesized to increase foraging success, but previous findings are inconclusive. To further investigate the biological role(s) of WF behavior in NOMOs, the ventral surface of white primary feathers of male NOMOs were artificially darkened, and the foraging and provisioning rates of undarkened (control) males and their mates were compared. While foraging, undarkened …

Systematics Of Disk-Winged Bats (Thyroptera), Courtney L. Klumpp

Capstone Showcase

This thesis investigates the evolutionary relationships among disk-winged bats in the genus Thyroptera, a small group of Neotropical bats known for the adhesive suction disks on their wings and feet that allow them to roost inside tightly rolled leaves. The distinctive morphology and behavior of these bats have not been extensively documented, and their phylogenetic relationships remain only partially resolved. The goal of this research is to better understand how these species are related to one another and to determine whether the five recognized species of Thyroptera form a single monophyletic group. To address this question, morphological and genetic …