A New Species of Scorpio from Saudi Arabia (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae)

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  A New Species of Scorpio from Saudi Arabia (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae)  Abstract A new species of  Scorpio  Linnaeus, 1758 is described from Al Ula Governorate, Al Madinah Province, Saudi Arabia.  Scorpio furvus  sp. nov. is distinguished from closely related congeners, including  S. fuscus ,  S. kruglovi ,  S. palmatus ,  S. jordanensis , and  S. yemenensis , by a unique combination of morphological characters notably the granulation pattern of the pedipalp chela, metasomal proportions, pectinal structure and length, and overall dark coloration. Morphometric comparisons further support its distinct status. The discovery of this species highlights the underestimated diversity of the genus  Scorpio  in the Arabian Peninsula and reinforces the view that the  Scorpio maurus  complex comprises multiple geographically restricted taxa requiring continued integrative taxonomic investigation. Aloufi, A., Afifeh, B. A., ...

A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions

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A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions

Abstract

The Afrotropical representatives of the zodariid spider genus Asceua Thorell, 1889 are revised. Apart from the known species A. radiosa Jocqué, 1986 (Comoros, Mayotte) and A. lejeunei Jocqué, 1991 (DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria), six new species are recognized and described: A. arborivaga sp. nov. (♀, Guinea), A. foordi sp. nov., (♂♀, DR Congo, Guinea, South Africa), A. incensa sp. nov. (♂♀, DR Congo), A. luki sp. nov. (♂♀, DR Congo), A. palustris sp. nov. (♀, DR Congo) and A. ventrofigurata sp. nov. (♂♀, Tanzania). A key to the species is provided. Some of the species have a very large distribution, which is unusual in the Zodariidae. The phenomenon is probably linked to the canopy dwelling behaviour, which appears common in the genus but unique for this spider family.

Jocqué R, Henrard A (2024) A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions. African Invertebrates 65(2): 161-198. https://doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.65.138029