DNA barcoding of scorpions from Kosovo, with the first record of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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  DNA barcoding of scorpions from Kosovo, with the first record of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) ABSTRACT This study presents DNA barcoding data for Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) and Euscorpius hadzii Caporiacco. Barcode sequences were compared with publicly available reference data to support species identification, together with the evaluation of diagnostic morphological characters. Alpiscorpius dinaricus is recorded from Kosovo for the first time, representing a new national record and contributing to the knowledge of euscorpiid diversity in the region. Diagnostic illustrations of A. dinaricus are provided to facilitate reliable identification and to support future faunistic, taxonomic, and biogeographic studies. Euscorpius hadzii , previously known only from Prizren district, is now reported also from Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains (Western Kosovo). Geci, D., Ibrahimi, H., Bilalli, A., Musliu, M., Strohmeier, T., Koblmüller, S., … S...

The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival

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The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival

The unsustainable use of wildlife is a primary driver of global biodiversity loss. No comprehensive global dataset exists on what species are in trade, their geographic origins, and trade's ultimate impacts, which limits our ability to sustainably manage trade. The United States (US) is one of the world's largest importers of wildlife, trade data being compiled in the US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS), the only comprehensive publicly-accessible wildlife trade database of non-CITES listed species. In total, 21,097 species and over 2.85 billion individuals were traded over the past 22 years (2000-2022). When LEMIS data is combined with CITES records, the US imported over 29,445 wild species, including over 50% of all globally described species in some taxonomic groups. For most taxa, around half of the individuals are declared as sourced from the wild. Although LEMIS provides the only means to assess trade volumes for many taxa, without any associated data on most wild populations, it is impossible to assess the impact or sustainability of trade, or any potential risk of pest or pathogen spread. Furthermore, these insights underscore the likely under-estimation of trade, and the urgent need for other countries to adopt similar mechanisms to accurately record trade.


Alice Hughes, Benjamin Marshall, Aubrey Alamshah et al. The magnitude of legal wildlife trade and implications for species survival, 30 January 2024, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3890407/v1]