Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., an unexpected new species from Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., an unexpected new species from Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

Abstract


A new scorpion species, Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., is described from the western foothills of the Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, in the Aegean Region of western Turkey, based on morphological characters. The species is assigned to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, due to the presence of three trichobothria in the em series on the external surface of the pedipalp patella. A. huyukensis sp. n. can be readily distinguished from its all congeners by its yellowish-orange or greyish-orange body and yellow metasomal coloration, the fifth metasomal segment bearing distinct ventrolateral carinae, the presence of six trichobothria in the Pv series, and 4–5 trichobothria in the et series. A. huyukensis sp. n. clearly differs from the geographically close species Euscorpius sultanensis Tropea & Yağmur, 2015, by its reddish brown coloration and higher trichobothrial number in the et series (et = 5 versus 4). The latter species is transferred herein to the genus Alpiscorpius Gantenbein et al., 1999, because it has three trichobothria in the em series and a lower number of trichobothria in the Pv series (Pv = 6). With the description of this species and the new combination for A. sultanensis (Tropea & Yağmur, 2015), comb. n., the number of recognized species in the family Euscorpiidae in Turkey increases to 25, while the genus Alpiscorpius is now represented by 10 species.

Yağmur, E. A., & Yaylı, H. İ. 2025 . Alpiscorpius huyukensis sp. n., an unexpected new species from Sultan Mountains, Konya Province, Turkey (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius, No. 425: 1-15. https://mds.marshall.edu/euscorpius/vol2025/iss425/1/