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

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  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., ...

Identification and testing of sex pheromone components of the invasive Australian redback spider (Lactrodectus hasseltii)

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By Toby Hudson - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18357388

Identification and testing of sex pheromone components of the invasive Australian redback spider (Lactrodectus hasseltii)

Abstract

Australian redback spiders Latrodectus hasseltii, known for their strong neurotoxic venom, are a quarantine threat for much of the world. Female redback spiders produce a sex pheromone that attracts males of the species, yet the compounds involved in their attraction remain unresolved. Our project set out to identify these compounds and use them to trap male redback spiders as the first step in the development of a pest management/surveillance tool for these spiders. Headspace volatiles from the silk of virgin and mated female redback spiders was collected by solid phase microextraction and analysed by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Silk samples were also solvent extracted for analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Comparison with synthetic standards on multiple column phases identified the candidate volatile pheromone components as 2-methylpropanoic acid, (S)-2-methylbutanoic acid and 2-pyrrolidone, while N-3-methylbutanoyl-O-(S)-2-methylbutanoyl-L-serine was identified as the main candidate short-range cue. Bioassays with a combination of these four compounds showed similar levels of attraction to the natural virgin female’s silk. Field trapping trials using a mixture of all four compounds successfully trapped male redback spiders in New Zealand vineyards.

Twidle, A.M., Sullivan, T.E.S., Arahanga, M.T. et al. Identification and testing of sex pheromone components of the invasive Australian redback spider (Lactrodectus hasseltii). Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-49837-w