An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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  An integrative description of Euscorpius diagorasi sp. n. from Rhodes, Greece (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) Abstract The genus  Euscorpius  Thorell, 1876 comprises a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of scorpions in the Mediterranean, with Greece representing one of its principal centers of diversity. In this study, we provide an integrative description of  Euscorpius diagorasi   sp. n. , a new species from Rhodes Island, Greece. The new species is described on the basis of adult male and female morphology and mitochondrial COI sequence data. It is a small oligotrichous species characterized by a total length of approximately 21–25 mm, pale yellow to light brown coloration with darker reddish-brown pedipalps, pectinal tooth count of 8 in the male and 7 in the females, Pv = 7–8, Pe-et = 5–6, and a distinct mitochondrial lineage. Phylogenetic analyses based on COI recovered the Rhodian specimens as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage, sister to...

The arachnological collection at the Natural History Museum of Bern (NMBE), Switzerland: scope, history, and significance

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The arachnological collection at the Natural History Museum of Bern (NMBE), Switzerland: scope, history, and significance

Abstract

The arachnological collection at the Natural History Museum Bern (NMBE) comprises approximately 120,000 vials containing around 500,000 specimens of spiders (Araneae), harvestmen (Opiliones), and scorpions (Scorpiones). While the material originated from around the globe, most of the specimens were collected in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. The collection is organized into five main sections. It encompasses the collections of Konrad Thaler, Peter “Otto” Horak, Peter Sacher, and Ambros Hänggi, along with a general collection that features rare specimens, including material collected from caves. The material is stored in 80% pure ethanol. Since 1996, a total of 60,000 vials with 235,000 specimens of Araneae, representing 2080 different species, have been digitized and electronically catalogued. The collection also holds type material, including 25 holotypes and 453 paratypes of Araneae, three holotypes and paratypes of Opiliones, and one holotype and two paratypes of Scorpiones. A detailed list of the type material is provided in Suppl. material 1.

Kranz-Baltensperger Y, Kropf C, Sann M (2025) The arachnological collection at the Natural History Museum of Bern (NMBE), Switzerland: scope, history, and significance. ZooKeys 1258: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1258.167351