Updated catalogue and taxonomic notes on the Old-World scorpion genus Buthus Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones, Buthidae)

Abstract

Since the publication of the ground-breaking “Catalogue of the scorpions of the world (1758–1998)” (Fet et al. 2000) the number of species in the scorpion genus Buthus Leach, 1815 has increased 10-fold, and this genus is now the fourth largest within the Buthidae, with 52 valid named species. Here we revise and update the available information regarding Buthus. A new combination is proposed: Buthus halius (C. L. Koch, 1839), comb. n. from Portugal and Spain. B. halius is removed from junior synonymy with Buthus occitanus (Amoreux, 1789), and proposed as a senior synonym of B. ibericus Lourenço & Vachon, 2004, syn. n. Moreover, following I.C.Z.N. article 23.9.2 we propose to maintain as valid B. ibericus (nomen protectum) and to consider the disued B. halius as a nomen oblitum. Buthus europaeus tridentatus Franganillo, 1918 is proposed as a junior synonym of B. occitanus (Amoreux, 1789), syn. n. Buthus sabulicola Touloun, 2012 is proposed as a junior synonym of Buthus bonito Lourenço & Geniez, 2005, syn. n. Buthus occitanus tunetanus neeli Gysin, 1969 is proposed as an informal senior synonym of Buthus tassili Lourenço, 2002, informal syn. n. Two taxa are rised to species rank, Buthus nigrovesiculosus Hirst, 1925, stat. n. and Buthus parroti Vachon, 1949, stat. n.. We further confirm the restricted distribution of B. occitanus that is confined to southeastern France and northwestern Iberian Peninsula and does not occur in North Africa. Additionally, Androctonus barbouri (Werner, 1932), comb. n. from the Agadir region of Morocco, is hereby transferred to the genus Androctonus. We summarize and provide a critical appraisal of the diagnostic characters currently in use for the genus. The catalogue section considers the names for species, subspecies and varieties that have been used for Buthus scorpions. Information about types, including collection numbers and localities are included when available. Finally, an annotated listing of synonymies and an updated bibliography are given.

Diversity and distribution pattern of scorpions from the Ouarsenis massif of Tissemsilt, North-West Algeria

“…It was collected from all studied biotopes and represented almost half of the specimens collected (47.49 %). This species was mentioned in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya (Sousa et al 2017). Widespread one in Algeria (Vachon 1952;Sadine et al 2012Sadine et al , 2016Lourenço 2013;Lourenço et 2018b;Ouici et al 2020;Sadine et al 2020;Abidi et al 2021;Touati et al 2021;Ythier et al 2021) and the most abundant scorpion in Ouarsenis massif (Chedad et al 2021).…”

Toxinology in the proteomics era: a review on arachnid venom proteomics

“…Most epidemiological reports have been based on B. occitamus cases in Morocco and based on the current taxonomical classification this species is not found in this country. Therefore, more epidemiological data are required to state the common medical manifestations of accidents with this genus [ 4 , 8 ].…”

Review of Androctonus baluchicus (Pocock, 1900) with description of new species from Iran (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

“…Vachon [1952] established the genus classification and turned it into a morphologically and geographically homogeneous group with seven known species in the North of Africa. Androctonus now consists of 33 species [Rein, 2021] which are distributed in deserts and semi-arid regions on the Atlantic coast of Africa from Togo to Morocco [Lourenço, 2005[Lourenço, , 2008Lourenço, Qi, 2007;Lourenço et al, 2009;Teruel, Kovařík, 2014;Rossi, 2015;Sousa et al, 2017;Ythier, 2021;Ythier, Lourenço, 2022], in Northern Africa from Algeria to Tunisia [Vachon, 1952;Teruel et al, 2013;Teruel, Kovařík, 2014;Ythier, 2021], in Ethiopia [Rossi, 2015],…”