The first record of Euscorpius lesbiacus Tropea et al., 2020 (Scorpiones:

Euscorpiidae) in Turkey

Ersen Aydın Yağmur

June 2021 — No. 333

EuscorpiusOccasional Publications in Scorpiology

EDITOR: Victor Fet, Marshall University, ‘fet@marshall.edu’ ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Michael E. Soleglad, ‘msoleglad@gmail.com’

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Euscorpius is the first research publication completely devoted to scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Euscorpius takes advantage of the rapidly evolving medium of quick online publication, at the same time maintaining high research standards for the burgeoning field of scorpion science (scorpiology). Euscorpius is an expedient and viable medium for the publication of serious papers in scorpiology, including (but not limited to): systematics, evolution, ecology, biogeography, and general biology of scorpions. Review papers, descriptions of new taxa, faunistic surveys, lists of museum collections, and book reviews are welcome.

Derivatio Nominis

The name Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 refers to the most common genus of scorpions in the Mediterranean region and southern Europe (family Euscorpiidae).

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Publication date: 19 June 2021

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:29CD5AB6-EF1C-4219-BF8D-137861F53A0E

Euscorpius - Occasional Publications in Scorpiology. 2021, No. 333

Introduction

The genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 was recently reviewed and its two subgenera, Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999 and Tetratrichobothrius Birula, 1917, were elevated to the genus level (Kovařík et al., 2019). Turkish fauna of Euscorpiidae was revised in the last decade, and many new species were described (Yağmur, 2021). Many known populations that were classified under these new species were previously reported as belonging either to Euscorpius carpathicus/“E. carpathicus complex” (now genus Euscorpius s.str.), or E. mingrelicus/“E. mingrelicus complex” (now Alpiscorpius).

Turkey has 18 species that belong to family Euscorpiidae (Yağmur, 2021). Seven of those, which have 4 external trichobothria in em series of the pedipalp patella, can be currently accepted in the genus Euscorpius s.str. These are: Euscorpius alanyaensis Tropea et al., 2016, E. avcii Tropea et al., 2012, E. gocmeni Tropea et al., 2014, E. koci Tropea & Yağmur, 2015, E. lesbiacus Tropea et al., 2020 (first record), E. lycius Yağmur et al., 2013, and E. tauricus (C. L. Koch, 1837). Kovařík et al. (2019) placed under the genus Alpiscorpius three species from Turkey: Alpiscorpius mingrelicus (Kessler, 1874), A. phrygius (Bonacina, 1980) and A. uludagensis (Lacroix, 1995). The position of eight remaining species has to be further revised, as they appear to be closer to Alpiscorpius then Euscorpius; these are: Euscorpius aladaglarensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2016, E. arikani Yağmur & Tropea, 2015, E. ciliciensis Birula, 1898, E. eskisehirensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2015, E. hakani Tropea & Yağmur, 2016, and E. sultanensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2015.

Euscorpius lesbiacus was described very recently from Lesvos Island (Greece) and was known only from Lesvos (Tropea et al., 2020). E. lesbiacus is characterized by trichobothrial numbers Pv = 7 and Pe-et=6, and pectinal tooth numbers 8 to 9 in males and 7 in females. Here, we introduce the new record of Euscorpius lesbiacus in Turkey.

Material and Methods

Specimens of Euscorpius lesbiacus were collected from the İzmir Province in two localities under stones. Identification of specimens was done after Tropea et al. (2020). Photographs of E. lesbiacus were taken by Canon EOS 7D. Stacking of pictures was made using Helicon Focus software. The specimens were deposited in AZMM (Alaşehir Zoological Museum, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Alaşehir, Manisa, Turkey). The map showing the localities of the specimens was generated with the SimpleMappr https://www.simplemappr.net/api (Shorthouse, 2010). The trichobothrial nomenclature is after Vachon (1974) and morphological nomenclature after Stahnke (1971) and Hjelle (1990).

Systematics

Family Euscorpiidae Laurie, 1896Genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876

Euscorpius lesbiacus Tropea, Fet, Parmakelis, Kotsakiozi, Stathi & Zafeiriou, 2020

(Figures 1–18)

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E2B4E9E2-6DBF-499B-9F82-6E8FA68932B7

Material examined. Turkey, İzmir Province, Aliağa District, Aliağa Town, 38°47'50"N 26°58'47"E, 80 m a. s. l., 2♂1♀, 21 April 2020, leg. E. A. Yağmur (AZMM/Sco-2020:01-03). Same data but 1♂1♀, 6 March 2021, leg. E. A. Yağmur & N. Tezcan (AZMM/Sco-2021:01-02); Foça District, Kozbeyli Village, Fula Hill, 38°42'59"N 26°52'10"E, 197 m a. s. l., 3♂6♀, 6 March 2021, leg. E.A. Yağmur & N. Tezcan (AZMM/Sco-2021:03-11).

Diagnosis. Total length between 24.5–26.1 mm. Colour of the specimens is very light brown reddish without reticulations or marbling in the adults. Number of trichobothria on pedipalp

The first record of Euscorpius lesbiacus Tropea et al., 2020 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) in Turkey

Ersen Aydın Yağmur

Manisa Celal Bayar University, Alaşehir Vocational School, Alaşehir, Manisa, 45600 Turkey; email: ersen.yagmur@gmail.com

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:29CD5AB6-EF1C-4219-BF8D-137861F53A0E

SummaryThe scorpion species Euscorpius lesbiacus Tropea et al., 2020, previously known only from Lesvos Island (Greece), is recorded for the first time from the İzmir Province, Turkey. Detailed illustrations of E. lesbiacus are given.

2 Euscorpius - 2021, No. 333

Figures 1–4: Euscorpius lesbiacus from Тurkey. Figures 1–2. Male, dorsal (1) and ventral (2) views. Figures 3–4. Female, dorsal (3) and ventral (4) views.

Yağmur: The first record of Euscorpius lesbiacus in Turkey 3

Figures 5–17: Euscorpius lesbiacus from Тurkey. Figures 5–7, 9–14, 16. Female, pedipalp chela dorsal (5), ventral (6) and external (7) views, pedipalp patella ventral (9), dorsal (10) and external (13) views, pedipalp femur dorsal (11) and ventral (12) views, telson lateral (14) and metasoma and telson lateral (16). Figures 8, 15, 17. Male, pedipalp chela external (8), telson lateral (15) and metasoma and telson lateral (17).

Euscorpius - 2021, No. 333 4

manus ventral surface is 4 (3V + 1 Et1); trichobothrium et is located distally to the notch of the fixed finger and est is located on the centre of the notch on fixed finger; dsb usually is located on proximally half to the notch. Number of trichobothria on the pedipalp patella ventral surface (Pv) is from 6 to 8, usually 7. Number of trichobothria on pedipalp patella external surface usually is eb = 4, eba = 4, esb = 2, em = 4, est = 4, et = 5 to 6, usually 6. Pectinal teeth count (Dp) is 7 to 8 in males, usually 8 and 6 to 8, usually 7 in females. Chela carina V1 external to trichobothrium Et1. Fixed finger has a large notch in males. The lobe on the movable finger is located distally to the notch on the fixed finger in males. Fixed and movable fingers obsolete in females. Carapace is nearly same length and width in males, slightly wider in females. Metasoma is thin. Metasomal segment I is nearly in same length and width. Metasomal segment V with granulated ventrolateral and ventromedian carinae. Telson is nearly of the same height as width in males and slightly wider than high in females.

Trichobothrial and pectinal teeth count variation.

The variation observed in 14 examined specimens (6♂8♀) is given below.

Pectinal teeth in males: 7/8 (1), 8/8 (5). Pectinal teeth in females: 6/7 (4), 7/7 (3), 7/8 (1).

Pedipalp patella trichobothria Pv: 6/6 (1), 6/7 (2), 7/7 (10), 7/8 (1).

Pedipalp patella trichobothria Pe: et = 5/5 (1), 5/6 (2), 6/6 (11); est = 4/4 (14); em 4/4 (14); esb = 2/2 (14); eba = 4/4 (14); eb = 4/4 (14).

Comments

Tropea et al. (2020) described Euscorpius lesbiacus from the Lesvos Island, Greece, where it was recorded from many localities. This island is located very close to the mainland of Anatolia, with a distance of about 15 km in some points. Some coastal islands, including Lesvos, were connected to the Anatolian mainland with land bridges during Pleistocene period (Parmakelis et al., 2013), which would allow spreading of animal species between Anatolia and the eastern Aegean Islands, such as scorpion species Euscorpius avcii and Iurus kinzelbachi (Iuridae) (Soleglad et al., 2012; Parmakelis et al., 2013). The trichobothrial pattern of the İzmir Province population matches that of the Lesvos population reported by Tropea et al. (2020); the DNA data from Turkey are not yet available for comparison.

Acknowledgements

I thank Nurullah Tezcan for his help during field trip.

References

HJELLE, J. T. 1990. Anatomy and morphology. Pp. 9-63 in: Polis, G.A. (ed.), Biology of Scorpions. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.

KOVAŘÍK, F., J. ŠTUNDLOVÁ, V. FET, & F. ŠŤÁHLAVSKÝ. 2019. Seven new Alpine species of the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1994, stat. n. (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius, 287: 1−29.

Figure 18. Distribution of Euscorpius lesbiacus. Black circle, type locality; red circles, records of Tropea et al. (2020); green circles, new records in Turkey.

Yağmur: The first record of Euscorpius lesbiacus in Turkey 5

PARMAKELIS, A., P. KOTSAKIOZI, G. TROPEA, E. A. YAĞMUR, I. STATHI, V. FET & M. Е. SOLEGLAD. 2013. DNA markers confirm presence of Euscorpius avcii Tropea et al., 2012 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) on Samos Island, Greece. Euscorpius, 161: 1−6.

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STAHNKE, H. L. 1971. Scorpion nomenclature and mensuration. Entomological News, 81: 297–316.

TROPEA, G., V. FET, A. PARMAKELIS, P. KOTSAKIOZI, I. STATHI & S. ZAFEIRIOU. 2020. Euscorpius lesbiacus sp. n., a new species of scorpion from Lesvos Island, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Revista Ibérica de Aracnologia, 37: 185–195.

VACHON, M. 1974. Etude des caracteres utilises pour classer les familles et les genres de Scorpions (Arachnides). 1. La trichobothriotaxie en arachnologie. Sigles trichobothriaux et types de trichobothriotaxie chez les Scorpions. Bulletin du Museum nationald’Histoire naturelle, Paris, 140: 859–958.

YAĞMUR, E. A. 2021. Türkiye’nin Akrepleri. Akrepler “Yaşayan Fosiller”. Editörler: H. Arıkan & E. Akçiçek. İzmir: Ege Üniversitesi Yayınları, Fen Fakültesi Yayın No. 221. 156 s.