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...

Environmental adaptation and functional diversity of calcin peptides from the venom of East Asian scorpions

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Environmental adaptation and functional diversity of calcin peptides from the venom of East Asian scorpions

Abstract

Toxins as naturally occurring hazardous substances, have evolved as a defense mechanism in organisms for survival. The expression of toxins is profoundly influenced by environmental factors, and the investigation of their correlation holds significant implications for understanding toxin-induced harm and developing protective measures. Scorpions are a significant venomous species, and the relationship between the variability in scorpion toxin expression and environmental factors remains unclear. By conducting transcriptome profiling of scorpion samples collected from eight distinct climatic and environmental regions in East Asia, we successfully identified two distinct scorpion species. Furthermore, we found that the divergence in toxin composition, specifically the expression of two recently discovered calcins are closely aligned with the environmental humidity of their respective habitats. These calcins exhibited varying capacities to modulate the binding affinity of [3H]ryanodine to ryanodine receptors, inducing prolonged subconductance states. Our findings demonstrate that the distinct toxin arsenals of these scorpions reflect long-term adaptive evolution to their specific climatic niches. This study underscores the importance of considering ecological factors in understanding the evolutionary diversification of venomous species, providing a theoretical foundation for the rational exploration of natural toxins in traditional Chinese medicine and drug discovery.
Hua, X., Yang, Z., Xiao, L., Gao, S., Yang, F., Tao, B., Wang, Y., Wang, J., Valdivia, C. R., Chen, W., Jiang, W., Sun, H., Wu, D., Pozzolini, M., Chen, L., Valdivia, H. H., & Xiao, L. (2026). Environmental adaptation and functional diversity of calcin peptides from the venom of East Asian scorpions. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 310, 119781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.119781