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

Posted by
  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., ...

The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus

Posted by

 


The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus

Abstract

The male of Socca australis Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 is described for the first time based on
a specimen collected in a campsite near the Fitzgerald River National Park in Western Australia. New distribution records are given for two species expanding their known distribution into additional states, S. caiguna Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 (previously known from Western Australia only, now also South Australia) and S. levyashini Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 (previously Victoria only, now also Queensland).

Castanheira, P. de S., Baptista, R. L. C. & Framenau, V. W. (2025). The male of the orb-weaving spider Socca australis (Araneae, Araneidae) and new distribution records in the genus. Australian Journal of Taxonomy 89: 1-5. doi:10.54102/ajt.xf6l5