In Memoriam: Giraldo Alayón García

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  In Memoriam: Giraldo Alayón García -  Photo © Facebook/National Museum of Natural History of Cuba In Memoriam: Giraldo Alayón García The arachnological community mourns the loss of Giraldo Alayón García, a Cuban zoologist whose work helped bring the spiders of Cuba and the wider Caribbean into clearer scientific view. As a researcher and curator at Cuba’s National Museum of Natural History, Dr. Alayón devoted decades to studying arachnids. His publications on spider taxonomy, evolution, and biogeography gave other researchers a stronger foundation for understanding the region’s biodiversity. He also shared that knowledge through teaching and scientific exchange far beyond Cuba. For those of us who care about taxonomy, his legacy is a reminder of the patient work behind every species description: examining specimens, recording differences, and preserving knowledge that others can build upon. His contributions will continue to guide the study of Caribbean spiders for years to ...

Scorpions (Arachnida Scorpiones) of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories: current knowledge and future directions

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Scorpions (Arachnida Scorpiones) of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories: current knowledge and future directions

Abstract
Current knowledge on the diversity, distribution, ecology and medical importance of the scorpions from the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) is synthesised and discussed. Scorpions are absent from British Antarctic and British Indian Ocean territories, the Falkland Islands, the Pitcairn Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. No scorpions are native to Bermuda, but a single stowaway buthid has previously been detected and successfully intercepted. The remaining territories all contain endemic or long-term established introduced species, which is discussed in detail for each territory. Maps of the distribution of endemic and non-endemic taxa are presented, alongside photographs of specimens in life. Future research directions, particularly the need for additional research in biodiversity hotspots of the Caribbean, are discussed.

Many thanks to Danni Sherwood for forwarding this manuscript. Via ResearchGate

Sherwood, Danniella & De Armas, Luis & Sharp, Adam & Fowler, Liza. (2024). Scorpions (Arachnida Scorpiones) of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories: current knowledge and future directions. BIODIVERSITY JOURNAL. 15. 41-52. 10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2024.15.1.41.52.