Scorpio basraensis sp. n. from southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae)

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  Scorpio basraensis sp. n. from southern Iraq (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae) Abstract A new scorpion species, Scorpio basraensis sp. n. , is described and illustrated from Basra Province, southern Iraq. Scorpio basraensis sp. n. is compared with all known species of the genus Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 occurring in countries surrounding Iraq. The new species can be distinguished by the circular genital operculum in males and the cordiform genital operculum in females (not posteriorly elongated), a densely hirsute body, appendages and metasoma, a distinctly elongated telson vesicle, discrete granules on the external surface of the chela manus that are not flattened, and pectinal tooth counts of 11–13 in males and 9–11 in females. With the description of this species, the number of scorpion species known from Iraq increases to 22, whereas the number of recognized species in the genus Scorpio reaches 33. Yağmur, Ersen A.; Makki, Jafar A.; and Najim, Shurooq A. (2026) " Scorpio basraen...

Invertebrates of AlUla: Scorpions, Spiders, Dragonflies and Butterflies (Field Guide)

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Dear Arachnologist Friends,

It’s my pleasure to share that a field guide I co-authored—“Invertebrates of AlUla: Scorpions, Spiders, Dragonflies and Butterflies” (part of the Fauna of AlUla Field Guide Series)—has been made freely available in PDF format by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU).

The guide is available in both English and Arabic, with the aim of reaching a broad audience.
You’ll also find many other publications and field guides from different disciplines available at the same link.

While some taxonomic updates are already underway—particularly for the scorpions—this guide currently represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource for this historically important, yet previously understudied, region of the Arabian Peninsula.

The beautiful illustrations throughout the series were created by the talented Davina Falcão, who brought all the featured animals to life with her art. If interested, I leave here her website to appreciate her art! https://davinafalcaoart.com.

We warmly welcome any feedback or suggestions—and if you're interested in collaborating, there's still a lot of potential to build on this work. For that you can reach me at the email address yurisimone1@gmail.com.

A huge collective hug and see you in Croatia!

A close-up of a signature AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Yuri Simone

https://www.rcu.gov.sa/en/open-data-library