Passive transponder implantation in Theraphosidae: A tool for traceability and conservation

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  Passive transponder implantation in Theraphosidae: A tool for traceability and conservation Abstract Illegal wildlife trade represents a major global threat to biodiversity, with tarantulas among the most heavily trafficked invertebrate groups due to increasing demand in the international pet market, highlighting the urgent need for effective regulatory frameworks and reliable specimen-level traceability systems to distinguish legally bred individuals from illegally sourced ones. Individual identification is essential to support legal trade, strengthen enforcement mechanisms and reduce illegal trafficking; therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility and safety of passive integrated transponder microchip (PIT TAG) implantation for individual identification in multiple tarantula species under controlled laboratory conditions. Post-implantation parameters assessed included anaesthesia recovery time, feeding behaviour, ecdysis frequency, PIT TAG retention across successive moults...

Androctonus Nazarii, a New Species of Scorpions From Khuzestan Province, Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

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Androctonus Nazarii, a New Species of Scorpions From Khuzestan Province, Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

Abstract

Introduction: 

Recent research has clarified the historically complex taxonomy of the medically significant scorpion genus Androctonus in Iran, chiefly by resolving the A. crassicauda Olivier, 1807 species complex and describing numerous new species. However, the taxonomic status of certain populations in Khuzestan Province (south-western Iran) has remained unsettled.

Materials & Methods: 

The new scorpion species, Androctonus nazarii sp. nov., was collected from Baghmalek in the Zagros Mountains of Khuzestan Province, Iran. The species description is based on two male specimens, which were characterized by a set of distinct morphological features.

Results: 

The species exhibits distinctive diagnostic characteristics, including a brownish-yellow coloration, a light brown carapace devoid of ocular black patches and featuring fine granulation, uniformly yellow legs, and a specific yellowish-brown, finely granulated chela manus. A detailed comparison with its closest relatives (A. crassicauda, A. zagrosensis, A. sumericus, and A. barahoeii) confirms its distinctiveness. 

Conclusion: 

Its discovery fills an important taxonomic gap in south-western Iran and carries significant implications for public health and conservation.


Salabi, F., Zangi, B., Forouzan, A., Jahan-Mahin, M. H., Kazemi, S. M. (2025). 'Androctonus Nazarii, a New Species of Scorpions From Khuzestan Province, Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae)', Archives of Razi Institute, 80(6), pp. 1567-1580. doi: 10.32598/ARI.80.6.3928