University of Isfahan Taxonomy and Biosystematics 3115-9001 14 52 2022 09 23 Fauna of Sistan Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones), Southeast Iran فون عقرب‌‌های منطقۀ سیستان (Arachnida: Scorpiones)، جنوب شرق ایران 23 62 27064 10.22108/tbj.2022.135356.1216 EN Hossein Barahoei Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Agricultural Research Institute, Research Institute of Zabol, Zabol, Iran. Journal Article 2022 10 07 Scorpions are nocturnal predators that primarily feed on invertebrates and other arachnids. To date, 10 species of scorpions from the family Buthidae have been reported in the Sistan region. Sampling was conducted using UV ultralight at night and through direct search or digging during the day in various areas of the Sistan region in 2021 and 2022. Examination of 117 collected scorpion specimens led to the identification of seven species from six genera of the family Buthidae. These include Androctonus cf. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807), A. sistanus )Barahoei & Mirshamsi, 2022(, Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903), Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov., Odontobuthus tirgari )Mirshamsi et al., 2013(, Orthochirus persa (Birula, 1900), and Sassanidothus gracilis (Birula, 1900). Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov. was described as a new species for the world fauna. This species, having a dominant population, was collected from all stations in the region. All specimens were preserved in 80% alcohol and stored in the researchers’ personal collection. Species of the genus Androctonus, which are dangerous scorpions, are found in the Sistan region. The identification of hazardous species is crucial for effective health management. This can be achieved by identifying the scorpion fauna in the region and determining the distribution range of each species. Introduction Scorpions are regarded as the most dangerous arthropods to humans due to their venomous stingers (Sedaghat et al., 2011). In Iran, the annual average of scorpion stings is around 50,000, with approximately 20 deaths per year, predominantly occurring in the southern regions of the country (Dehghani and Fathi, 2012). Scorpions typically seek shelter during the day under stones, in tree trunks, within rock and wall crevices, and in ground holes. They become active at night, preying on invertebrates, particularly insects and other arachnids (Pirali-Kheirabadi et al., 2013). To date, 4 families, 20 genera, and 84 species of scorpions have been reported in Iran. Of these, 10 species from six genera of the Buthidae family are found in the Sistan region (Navidpour et al., 2019; Kovařík et al., 2019, 2020, 2022; Kovařík & Navidpour, 2020; Barahoei et al., 2020, 2021, 2022; Cain et al., 2021; Yağmur et al., 2022).). These include two species of the genus Androctonus (Yağmur et al., 2016; Barahoei et al., 2020), one species of the genus Kraepelinia (Barahoei et al., 2020), three species of the genus Mesobuthus (Vachon, 1958; Mir et al., 2014; Barahoei et al., 2020) one species of the genus Odontobuthus (Mir et al., 2014; Barahoei et al., 2020, 2021), one species of the genus Orthochirus (Habibi, 1971; Kovařík & Fet, 2006a; Barahoei et al., 2020), and two species of the genus Sassanidothus (Farzanpay, 1987; Kovařík & Fet, 2006b; Barahoei et al., 2020). In the only study previously conducted in the Sistan region, Mir et al. (2014) reported eight species in their brief account. Additionally, there have been very few studies in neighboring countries. Consequently, extensive sampling and detailed examination of samples are essential to accurately identify the species in this region. Given the Sistan region's proximity to the Oriental region, identifying its fauna is important, useful, and necessary. The present study represents the first comprehensive survey of scorpion species in the north of Sistan and Baluchistan province. Materials and Methods Sampling was conducted at night using UV light and during the day by moving stones, lumps, and tree trunks in 2021 and 2022. The specimens were preserved in 80% ethanol. Key morphological traits for scorpion identification were determined based on available references (Farzanpay, 1987; Polis, 1990). The morphological identification of species was carried out using valid identification keys (Kovařík et al., 2019, 2020, 2022; Barahoei et al., 2020, 2021). Photography of the samples, including general views and various body parts, was performed using a Canon® EOS 800D digital camera (Japan). Images were edited using Combine Z (Hadley, 2007) and Adobe Photoshop CS5 (Evening, 2013) software. The distribution map was created using the simplemappr online tool. All specimens have been stored in the author's personal collection at the Research Institute of Zabol. Results The examination of 117 collected scorpion specimens resulted in the identification of seven species from six genera of the Buthidae family. Androctonus cf. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) Androctonus sistanus (Barahoei & Mirshamsi, 2022) Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903) Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov. Holotype Female specimen, Sistan and Baluchistan province, Hamon city, Lotak district, Rahmatabad village, 30°45'N, 61°21'E, 481 m, 10 May 1400, col.: H. Barahoei. Affinities Members of the species Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov. are medium-sized scorpions, with adult body lengths ranging from 38-52 mm in males and 51-61 mm in females. Males have 25 to 29 pectin teeth, while females have 18 to 21. The movable pedipalp finger features 11 to 12 rows of oblique teeth and five terminal teeth. The lateral anal arch in females is divided into three parts, with the first lobe exhibiting a short groove. This species is distinguished from many species within the genus by having a ratio of the length to the height of the third metasoma segment between 1.50-1.90. Unlike many other species, the central, lateral, and dorsal central carinae of the carapace in M. rakhshanii are not connected and do not form a lyre shape. This trait sets them apart from other species, except for M. macmahoni (Pocock, 1900). Members of M. macmahoni, ranging in size from 38 mm (male) to 55 mm (female), are found in low-altitude areas of southern Pakistan. The number of pectin teeth in this species is 23-26 in males and 19-23 in females. Additionally, the general body color of M. macmahoni is darker compared to M. rakhshanii. Odontobuthus tirgari (Mirshamsi et al., 2013) Orthochirus persa (Birula, 1900) Sassanidothus gracilis (Birula, 1900) Conclusion Before this study, the Sistan fauna was known to comprise 10 species. However, the current research identified that only seven species are actually distributed in the Sistan region. The earlier reports of some species were the result of misidentifications, which have been corrected through subsequent research. Among these, Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov. has been described as a new species for the global fauna. Androctonus cf. crassicauda (Olivier, 1807) Androctonus sistanus )Barahoei & Mirshamsi, 2022( Mesobuthus rakhshanii sp. nov. Kraepelinia palpator (Birula, 1903) Odontobuthus tirgari )Mirshamsi et al., 2013( Orthochirus persa (Birula, 1900) Sassanidothus gracilis (Birula, 1900) Considering the geographical proximity of the Sistan region to Afghanistan and Pakistan, it appears essential to conduct a detailed and comprehensive investigation of the scorpion fauna in the region and compare it with specimens from the aforementioned countries. Identifying the regional fauna and utilizing species for various purposes is inevitable. To date, there has been very limited specialized research on scorpions in the Sistan region. Therefore, the current study serves as a preliminary step, paving the way for continued and more exhaustive research on the scorpions of this region.

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