The Scorpion Files Newsblog

 

The genus Nebo Simon, 1878 (Diplocentridae) consists of nine species distributed across Arabia and the Middle East. Due to few specimens available and complicated morphological characters, the taxonomical status of this genus is unresolved. 

Abdulaziz Alqahtani and co-workers have recently published a phylogenetic analysis of the species Nebo hierichonticus (Simon, 1872) and Nebo yemenensis Francke, 1980 from Saudi Arabia and from Palestine. Their analysis show that there are variations both within and between the two species and this may be an indication of undiscovered, cryptic species. More studies are necessary to confirm this.

Abstract:
Background The genus Nebo has been identified as a medically important scorpion species distributed across Arabia and the Middle East. However, its taxonomic status remains unclear.
Aim The molecular phylogeny of two Nebo species from Saudi Arabia and comparative sequences from Palestine is presented based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene.
Methodology Scorpion specimens were collected from two different localities, mainly the Southern part of Saudi Arabia. Then, DNA was extracted, amplified using invertebrate universal primers, and sequenced to identify the COI gene. The obtained sequences were analyzed, and phylogenetic trees based on maximum parsimony, neighborjoining, and Bayesian inference were constructed.
Results The inferred phylogeny indicates the monophyletic status of the family Diplocentridae and its subfamily Nebinae and Diplocentrinae. Also, the phylogenetic analyses support the existence of interspecific and intraspecific variations among/ within Nebo hierichonticus and Nebo yemenensis which may indicate distinct species.
Conclusion Further morphological studies with additional specimens from the Arabian Peninsula may reveal possible undiscovered and cryptic species.

Reference:
Alqahtani AR, Alotaibi NJ, Aly H, Badry A. The phylogenetic relationship among two species of genus Nebo (Scorpiones: Diplocentridae) from Saudi Arabia and Middle East. BMC Zool. 2023;8(1):4. [Open Access]

Family Diplocentridae

 

The Sand Scorpions, also known as the genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 (Buthidae) are widespread in in the sandy deserts of the Palearctic, from West Africa to India. No modern revision has been done for this sand-loving genus.

Shlomo Cain and co-workers have now published a systematic revision of the Buthacus species of the Levant (the Middle East including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt)). 

Here are the taxonomical highlights:

New species:

Buthacus amitaii Caine, Gefen & Prendini, 2021 (Israel)

Buthacus arava Caine, Gefen & Prendini, 2021 (Israel and Jordan)

Buthacus levyi Caine, Gefen & Prendini, 2021 (Egypt, Israel and maybe Libya)

New species status/re-validations:

Buthacus armasi Lourenço, 2013 (Southern Algeria)

Buthacus spatzi (Birula, 1911) (Southern Tunisia and western Libya)

Buthacus fuscata Pallary, 1929 (Southern Algeria)

Buthacus nitzani Levy et al., 1973 (Israel and probably also in the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt))

Buthacus tadmorensis (Simon, 1892) (Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey)*

Buthacus yotvatensis Levy et al., 1973 (Israel and Jordan)

*) B. tadmorensis was listed as a valid species in The Scorpion Files before this article. It seems that the 2005 synonymization was missed by me.

Synonymizations:

Buthacus macrocentrus (Ehrenberg, 1828) synonymized with Buthacus leptochelys (Ehrenberg, 1829)

See abstract and article for more results and details.

The article has an updated identification key for the genus.

Abstract:
Scorpions of the genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 (Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837), commonly known as “sand scorpions,” are widespread in the sandy deserts of the Palearctic, from West Africa to India. Although many new species of Buthacus were described in recent years, no modern revision exists for the genus and the limits of many infrageneric taxa remain unclear. The present contribution addresses the species of Buthacus recorded from the Levant, defined here as the region of the Middle East including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt). Prior to this study, five species and subspecies, including several synonyms, were recognized from the region. Based on extensive new collections, a reassessment of the morphology (including multivariate statistical analysis), and a phylogenetic analysis of morphological and DNA sequence data, published elsewhere, seven species of Buthacus are now recognized from the Levant, raising the number of species in the genus to 30. Three new species are described: Buthacus amitaii, sp. nov., endemic to Israel; Buthacus arava, sp. nov., endemic to Israel and Jordan; and Buthacus levyi, sp. nov., endemic to Egypt, Israel, and perhaps Libya. Buthacus arenicola (Simon, 1885) is redescribed and restricted to northeastern Algeria and central Tunisia, and Buthacus leptochelys (Ehrenberg, 1829) redescribed and restricted to Egypt, Sudan, and perhaps Libya. Buthacus armasi Lourenço, 2013, stat. rev., from southern Algeria, and Buthacus spatzi (Birula, 1911), stat. rev., from southern Tunisia and western Libya, are revalidated, and Buthacus fuscata Pallary, 1929, stat. nov. et stat. rev., from southern Algeria, revalidated and elevated to the rank of species. Buthacus nitzani Levy et al., 1973, stat. nov., currently restricted to Israel but probably present in the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), is elevated to the rank of species. Buthacus tadmorensis (Simon, 1892), stat. rev., recorded from Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and Turkey, and Buthacus yotvatensis Levy et al., 1973, stat. rev., endemic to Israel and Jordan, are redescribed and revalidated. Three new synonyms are presented: Androctonus (Leiurus) macrocentrus Ehrenberg, 1828 = Buthacus leptochelys (Ehrenberg, 1829), syn. nov.; Buthus pietschmanni Penther, 1912 = Buthacus tadmorensis (Simon, 1892), syn. nov.; Buthacus granosus Borelli, 1929 = Buthacus leptochelys (Ehrenberg, 1829), syn. nov. Buthacus arenicola and the seven species of Buthacus occurring in the Levant are diagnosed and illustrated to modern standards, with updated distribution maps. A list of the currently recognized species of Buthacus, and a key to identification of the species occurring in the Levant are also presented.

Reference:
Cain S, Gefen E, Prendini L. Systematic Revision of the Sand Scorpions, Genus Buthacus Birula, 1908 (Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837) of the Levant, with Redescription of Buthacus arenicola (Simon, 1885) from Algeria and Tunisia. Bulletin of The American Museum of Natural History. 2021(450):1-134. [Open access]

Family Buthidae

Scorpio maurus Linneaus, 1758 (Scorpionidae) has been considered monotypic (one species) for almost a century, having at the most 19 recognized subspecies. In spite of a wide distribution in Africa and Asia and occurrence in different habitats, is has been very difficult to find taxonomical characteristics proving that Scorpio maurus in reality is a species complex with many hidden species. The opinion for many years has been that Scorpio maurus is a single, widespread, polymorphic species.

In 2009, Lourenco elevated several subspecies in North Africa to species status. Since them, other species have been described (Blog posts on Scorpio). Talal and co-workers have now published a very interesting study of the Scorpio maurus populations in Palestina and Israel, focusing especially on the two subspecies Scorpio maurus fuscus Ehrenberg, 1829 and Scorpio maurus palmatus Ehrenberg, 1829. The study revealed seven geographically-delimited clades of Scorpio maurus, corresponding to at least four currently recognized subspecies in their study area. Based on genetic, morphological and behavioral support, the authors elevate four subspecies to species status. The results presented support the theory that Scorpio maurus in reality is a species complex, comprising of multiple distinct phylogenetic, ecological and biological species.

Scorpio fuscus (Ehrenberg, 1829). Previously Scorpio maurus fuscus Ehrenberg, 1829.
Scorpio kruglovi (Ehrenberg, 1829). Previously Scorpio maurus kruglovi Ehrenberg, 1829.
Scorpio palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1829). Previously Scorpio maurus palmatus Ehrenberg, 1829.
Scorpio propinquus (Simon, 1872). Previously Scorpio maurus propinquus Simon, 1872.

 Check the article for information about the distribution of the new species.

Abstract:
Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 (family Scorpionidae Latreille, 1802) was considered monotypic for over a century, and comprised a single species, Scorpio maurus Linnaeus, 1758, with 19 subspecies, distributed fromWest Africa, throughout the Maghreb and the Middle East, to Iran. Two parapatric subspecies, Scorpio maurus fuscus (Ehrenberg, 1829) and Scorpio maurus palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1828), have long been recognized in Israel.We examined morphological variation, burrow architecture and genetic divergence among 39 populations across the distribution of the two subspecies to assess whether they are conspecific and, if not, how many species might be involved. Cuticle coloration, pedipalp chela digital carina condition, and selectedmeasurements were recorded. Sixty burrows were excavated and examined for burrow structure and depth. A multilocus dataset comprising concatenated fragments of one nuclear (28S rDNA) and three mitochondrial (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, Cytochrome c Oxidase Subunit I) loci, totaling ca. 2400 base-pairs, was produced for individuals, and a single-locus dataset comprising 658 base-pairs of the COI locus for 156 individuals. Despite overlapping ranges in morphometric characters of pedipalp chela shape, the putative subspecies were easily distinguished by cuticle coloration and condition of the pedipalp chela digital carina, and were also found to differ significantly in burrow architecture and depth. Phylogeographical analyses of the COI and multilocus datasets recovered seven distinct clades. Separate analyses of mitochondrial sequences, and combined analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear sequences support most clades. The two major clades corresponded with the geographical distributions of S. m. fuscus and S. m. palmatus in the region. Specimens from these clades were genetically distinct, and exhibited different burrow structure in geographically-proximate localities, suggesting reproductive isolation. The palmatus clade included two distinct subclades of specimens from localities adjacent to the Dead Sea. Three other clades, comprising specimens from the most northeastern localities, were tentatively assigned to subspecies previously recorded in neighboring Jordan and Syria. The morphological, behavioral and genetic evidence supports previous suggestions that Scorpio maurus is a species complex and justifies the following taxonomic emendations: Scorpio fuscus (Ehrenberg, 1829), stat. nov.; Scorpio kruglovi (Ehrenberg, 1829), stat. nov.; Scorpio palmatus (Ehrenberg, 1828), stat. nov.; Scorpio propinquus (Simon, 1872), stat. nov.

Reference:
Talal S, Tesler I, Sivan J, Ben-Shlomo R, Muhammad Tahir H, Prendini L, et al. Scorpion speciation in the Holy Land: Multilocus phylogeography corroborates diagnostic differences in morphology and burrowing behavior among Scorpio subspecies and justifies recognition as phylogenetic, ecological and biological species. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 2015 May 15.[Subscription required for full text]

Family Scorpionidae

Mazin B. Qumsiyeh and co-workers have recently presented a study of the scorpions found in the Palestinian territories.

Chromosomal data for three species are presented and discussed for the first time.

Abstract:
Seven species were collected from several habitats in the West Bank, namely Leiurus quinquestriatus, Androctonus crassicauda, Compsobuthus werneri, Orthochirus scrobiculosus, Hottentotta judaicus, Nebo hierichonticus, and Scorpio maurus. Karyotypic data on Leiurus quinquestriatus (2n=22), Hottentotta judaicus (2n=16), and Scorpio maurus fuscus (2n=52) are reported here for the first time.

Reference:
Qumsiyeh MB, Salman INA, Michael S, Amr ZS. Records of scorpions from the Palestinian Territories, with the first chromosomal data (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Zoology in the Middle East. 2013;59(1):70-6. [Subscription required for full text]

Thanks to Gerard Dupre for informing me about this paper!