Ocorrência de Rhopalurus debilis (C.L. Koch, 1840) (Scorpiones, Buthidae) no estado da Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

This work reports the occurrence of Rhopalurus debilis (C.L. Koch, 1840), in the state of Bahia, Brazil, adding a species to its escorpiofauna and highlighting the importance of carrying out regional studies on these animals. Seven scorpions (2 males, 4 females and 1 young) were collected in the city of Curaçá (08º 59º 31ºS/39º 54º 29ºW), from March 14 th to 16 th , 2003. They were recorded in the Núcleo Regional de Ofiologia e Animais Peçonhentos da Bahia (NOAP) and included in the Scientific Collection of Scorpions of the Federal University of Bahia. These specimens represent a new record of this species in the right riverbank of the São Francisco river.

Scorpions, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil

“…The occurrence pattern of Isometrus maculatus in the Atlantic Forest region from the state of Bahia corroborates its theoretical preference for forested environments (Lourenço 1982c). Likewise, the idea of restriction of Physoctonus debilis and the Rhopalurus species to open vegetation environments (Lourenço 1982b;Lira-da-Silva et al 2005), such as "Caatinga" and "Cerrado", is also reinforced. Besides, the absence of Tityus bahiensis in the state of Bahia, proposed by Lourenço (1982a), is reinforced.…”

“…In order to complement the species lists and records, we also included data from taxonomic articles of the species whose type locality were in Bahia (Lourenço 1981;Lourenço and Eickstedt 1984;Lourenço 1997;Lourenço and Pinto-da-Rocha 1997;Lourenço 2001a;2003;2004;Lourenço et al 2004;Candido et al 2005;Lenarducci et al 2005;Giupponi et al 2009), and articles with the geographical distribution of scorpions which occur in this region (Maurano 1918;Pessôa 1935;Mello-Leitão 1945;Lourenço 1982a;b;c;Lourenço and Eickstedt 1988;Lourenço and Clodsley-Thompson 1996;Lira-da-Silva et al 1997;Lourenço and Clodsley-Thompson 1999;Fet et al 2000;Ministério da Saúde 2001;Lourenço 2001b;2002b;Kovařík 2003;Lira-da-Silva et al 2005;Santos et al 2006;Lourenço 2007;Bertani et al 2008;Souza et al 2009).…”

“…acromelas Lutz and Mello, 1922], Tityus bahiensis, T. serrulatus and T. stigmurus. However, since the 1980's this number is increasing, due to the expansion of field work and, consequently, publications, reaching a total of 18 species in last decade (Lira-da-Silva et al 2005). As a result of intensive field work in the last 12 years, three species were registered for the first time to Bahia (Lourenço 2002b, and another nine species belonging to four different genera were described (Lourenço 1997;Lourenço and Pinto-da-Rocha 1997;Lourenço 2001a;2003;2004;Lourenço et al 2004;Candido et al 2005;Lenarducci et al 2005;Giupponi et al 2009).…”