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A remarkable diversity of scorpion fauna and its distribution in Greece is discussed. The current list of Greek scorpions includes 32 confirmed species belonging to three families (one of Buthidae, seven of Iuridae, and 24 of Euscorpiidae), as well as a number of unassigned euscorpiid taxa. Uncovered only in the last decade, mainly through the use...
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Citations
... The description of E. olympus, sp. nov., raises the number of species in Euscorpius to 74 across its distribution and to 32 in Greece (Parmakelis et al., 2013;Fet et al., 2016Fet et al., , 2018Podnar et al., 2021;Tropea et al., 2022;Kovařík et al., 2023;table 1). Greece appears to be one of the centers of origin and diversification for Euscorpius. ...
... Fragmentation of the Aegeid plate, the Messinian reemergence of land bridges, Pliocene regression of the Aegean region and later on, Pleistocene sea level fluctuations, appear to have driven the diversification of Euscorpius in the Aegean islands, as in other co-distributed taxa (Çiplak et al., 2010). Patterns of speciation among Euscorpius on the Greek mainland were less obvious (Parmakelis et al., 2013;Fet et al., 2018) until Podnar et al. (2021 shed some light on the evolutionary relationships and time divergences among Balkan Euscorpius. Miocene-Pliocene origins were suggested for most of the species, including those on the Greek mainland, with the Middle Miocene Climate Transition (MMCT) and the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) having played important roles in the major diversification events. ...
... sicanus is more widespread than the other two species, occurring across most of eastern Greece (i.e., Thessaly, including Mount Olympus, Mount Ossa, and Mount Pelion) and parts of central Greece (e.g., Tsaritsani), generally at lower, warmer elevations. This distribution, along with its genetic affinities with other species in western Greece (Fet et al., 2018) and Italy (Podnar et al., 2021), suggests a scenario of early population expansion during interglacial-glacial cycles. An estimate for the divergence of E. aff. ...
Mediterranean mountains and Pleistocene glacial cycles are responsible for much of the unique biodiversity of the Western Palearctic, acting respectively as refugia and drivers of diversification. Mount Olympus, a legendary Greek landmark, is a perfect example. This massif provided a glacial refugium for many species, resulting in a unique biota. In the present contribution, a new euscorpiid scorpion with a distinctive morphology, Euscorpius olympus, sp. nov., is described from an isolated population in the foothills of Mount Olympus. This new species raises the number of species in the genus Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, to 74, in Greece to
32, and in the vicinity of Mount Olympus, to three. The roles of climatic oscillations, altitudinal gradients and habitat heterogeneity on the diversity and distributions of the three species occurring around Mount Olympus are briefly discussed.
... In addition, the taxonomic studies of Euscorpius are hindered by existence of cryptic species complexes, which are difficult to resolve even with phylogenetic analysis using multiple DNA markers. However, in the recent decade a number of studies delineated and described various new and old taxa of this genus resulting in a significant increase of the number of species in Greece (see Fet et al., 2013Fet et al., , 2014Fet et al., , 2018Kovařík et al., 2014;Parmakelis et al., 2013 a, b;Tropea & Rossi, 2012;Tropea et al., 2013Tropea et al., , 2014Tropea et al., , 2017Tropea et al., , 2020Kovařík & Šťáhlavský, 2020). In this study, based on multiple DNA markers and morphological evidence, as a part of an ongoing revisionary study of scorpions of Greece and adjacent areas, we describe two new species from Skyros and Andros Islands, Euscorpius triantisi sp. ...
Two new scorpion species are described from Skyros and Andros Islands (Greece), Euscorpius triantisi sp. n. and E. simaiakisi sp. n. respectively, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Identity and level of divergence of these taxa are confirmed by a phylogeny based on multiple DNA markers (Parmakelis et al., 2013 b). Euscorpius triantisi sp. n. forms a sister clade to E. mylonasi Fet et al., 2014 from Euboea; the new species is characterized primarily by higher trichobothrial numbers (Pv = 8 and Pe-et = 6). E. simaiakisi sp. n. forms a sister clade to E. kritscheri Fet et al., 2013 from Tinos; the new species is primarily characterized by lower trichobothrial numbers (Pv = 7 and Pe-et = 5).
... Regarding Greece, a remarkable diversity of scorpion fauna and its distribution is noticed [7]. There are 32 confirmed species belonging to three scorpion families, one of Buthidae, seven of Iuridae, and twenty four of Euscorpiidae [7]. ...
... Regarding Greece, a remarkable diversity of scorpion fauna and its distribution is noticed [7]. There are 32 confirmed species belonging to three scorpion families, one of Buthidae, seven of Iuridae, and twenty four of Euscorpiidae [7]. Euscorpius sicanus' complex is the most widespread Euscorpius group in Greece, found from southern Peloponnisos to northern Greece, and from Epirus to many Aegean islands [7]. ...
... There are 32 confirmed species belonging to three scorpion families, one of Buthidae, seven of Iuridae, and twenty four of Euscorpiidae [7]. Euscorpius sicanus' complex is the most widespread Euscorpius group in Greece, found from southern Peloponnisos to northern Greece, and from Epirus to many Aegean islands [7]. None of them produces a strong venom, capable of causing serious systemic manifestations. ...
Introduction
Cutaneous traumas from scorpion sting envenomation are rare in European countries. Regarding Greece, Euscorpius sicanus' complex is the most widespread scorpion species. The venom of these small dark brown arthropods, which shelter in woods, usually provokes local cutaneous symptoms: erythema, edema, cellulitis, urticarial plaques, ulcers and rarely skin necrosis. We present a case of a massive soft tissue defect of the neck due to a scorpion sting managed by a Plastic Surgery Department in Greece.
Case report
In March 2020, a 60 year-old lumberjack was referred to our Clinic due to a neck wound resulting from Euscorpius cf. sicanus sting. After multiple surgical debridements in combination with negative pressure wound therapy healthy tissue was achieved. Reconstruction followed using a 7cmX15cm vertical island trapezius musculocutaneous flap based on the dorsal scapular artery and rotated to cover the defect. The trapezius flap, donor site and graft healed well and resulted in satisfying contouring at the one–year follow–up.
Conclusion
This case report is the first presenting Plastic Surgery reconstructive techniques for a massive neck defect after a Euscorpius cf. sicanus scorpion sting. Major complications of such stings need to be managed drastically for the optimum patient's outcome.
... In a phylogenetic study of the genus Euscorpius sensu stricto based on three mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunits 1 and 2, COI, COII; 16S rRNA gene, 16S) and a single nuclear molecular marker (internal transcribed spacer region 1 of the nuclear rRNA gene cluster, ITS1), mostly Euscorpius specimens from the Southern Balkans (Greece) were analyzed by Parmakelis et al. (2013), yielding a large number of new candidate species. Subsequent taxonomic revisions were conducted by Tropea (2015), Tropea et al. ( , 2014Tropea et al. ( , 2017, , Fet et al. (2014), Fet et al. (2018), and Kovařik and Šťáhlavský (2020). Likewise, in the eastern Balkan region (Bulgaria, eastern Serbia, eastern part of North Macedonia), almost all known Euscorpius s. str. ...
... The divergence of the lineages emerging from node E ( Figure 9), that is, the clade comprising the troglophilic (not strict cave dwellers) eastern Adriatic endemic E. feti, the E. tergestinus group, E. hadzii groups, and the "E. sicanus complex" (Fet et al., 2018), was dated to the Upper Miocene 10.3-6.2 Ma. ...
... Ma. The members of the E. sicanus species complex are presently distributed across the Mediterranean (some North African countries, Malta, Sicily, Apennine peninsula, and Greece with Aegean islands) (Fet et al., , 2018Tropea, 2017;Vignoli & Salomone, 2008). ...
The systematics and taxonomy of the scorpion family Euscorpiidae are still unresolved, and, within it, the eastern Adriatic scorpiofauna is largely unknown and under-researched. Based on two mitochondrial sequences (COI and 16S rRNA) and one nuclear marker sequence (ITS1), we put 107 newly analyzed samples originating from the Alps, the Eastern Adriatic, and the adjacent Dinaric karst area into phylogenetic context. Several species delineation approaches were applied to reveal cryptic diversity. Divergence time dating was used to highlight the major events in the evolutionary history of the genera Euscorpius and Alpiscorpius. The deep intraspecific genetic divergences observed in some clades warrant taxonomic revision of several taxa (Euscorpius tergestinus, Euscorpius hadzii, Euscorpius biokovensis, and Euscorpius (Alpiscorpius) croaticus). In this study, the population of E. hadzii from Lastovo Island (formerly Euscorpius carpaticus lagostae) is elevated to species level as Euscorpius lagostae Di Caporiacco, 1950, stat. nov. Euscorpius croaticus is moved to the genus Alpiscorpius as Alpiscorpius croaticus (Di Caporiacco, 1950) comb. nov. The distribution ranges of several species are revised, and based on the new data, a more detailed revision of species distribution is necessary. We attribute the major divergence events to the impact of the Middle Miocene Climate Transition, the Messinian Salinity Crisis, and the Middle Pleistocene Climate Transition. The observed patterns are therefore a direct consequence of the geological history and complex topography of the region, which provided numerous microhabitats, as well as of the Pleistocene microrefugia that enabled their persistence.
... It is apparent from their review that, in spite of the great diversity (1,121 known species), distributional data are still scattered (with many islands without records) and ecological and biogeographical research is very limited. This is even more extreme in the case of scorpions, whose diversity has been mainly uncovered in the last decade through the use of molecular markers, raising from the eight species that were recognized less than a decade ago to 32 confirmed species, most of which cryptic, plus a number of unassigned taxa, making Greek fauna the most diverse in Europe (Fet et al. 2018). The picture emerging from the recent discovery of this impressive cladogenesis has changed considerably previous conclusions about the scorpion biogeography of the Aegean Islands, showing a much more complex evolutionary history than previously thought, in which recent colonization processes overlapped with relict faunas (as indicated by the presence of many island endemics). ...
Two scorpion species, Euscorpius petarberoni sp. n. (Bulgaria) and E. trichasi sp. n. (Greece), are described based on morphological and molecular evidence; E. petarberoni sp. n. is related to E. popovi Tropea et al., 2015, E. drenskii Tropea et al., 2015, and E. thracicus Kovařík et al., 2020, while E. trichasi sp. n. is related to E. kabateki Kovařík & Šťáhlavský, 2020.
Lesvos is the third biggest island of Greece, part of the East Aegean Islands and located near the coastline of Anatolia peninsula. In contrast to other islands, such as Crete, Corfu, Samos and Rhodes, the island’s arthropod fauna was understudied and with many literature gaps and for this reason, extensive research was required. Samplings took place from April 2019 to January 2022 by using pitfall traps, collecting specimens by hand and collecting and isolating galls. At first, samplings with pitfall traps took place between 2nd March 2021 and 5th May 2021 from 28 sampling stations in the area of Pirgoi Thermis. In addition, arthropods were collected by hand throughout the island of Lesvos between April 2019 and January 2022. At the same time, from March 2021 to January 2022, gall samplings from various host plants took place and they were isolated in order to collect emerged adults, parasitoids and inquilines. Consequently, all collected arthropods were photographed with a camera and, then, the photos were uploaded on the online platform iNaturalist in order to fully record the place and the date of each observation. In total, 339 different arthropod species were recorded from 29 orders, from which 12 species are probably new for science and 20 species are new for Greece. Moreover, 33 alien and invasive arthropod species were collected as well as 16 endemic species. Finally, whether Lesvos is an area of endemism is under discussionas well as the value of studying the local fauna to the benefit of agriculturists, doctors and citizens.
The first integrative systematic revision of the relictual Asian scorpion family Pseudochactidae Gromov, 1998, making use of an unprecedented collection of material acquired during several expeditions to most of the type localities, is presented. The subfamilies, genera and species of Pseudochactidae are revised based on a phylogenetic analysis of 140 morphological characters and 8608 nucleotide base pairs of concatenated DNA sequence from two nuclear and three mitochondrial gene loci, and a multivariate statistical analysis of 22 ratios and 8 counts for 60 specimens. Three subfamilies, four genera and six species are recognized in the family. Troglokhammouaninae, subfam. nov., is created to restore the monophyly of the nominotypical subfamily Pseudochactinae Gromov, 1998. Aemngvantom, gen. nov., is created to accommodate Aemngvantom lao (Lourenço, 2012), comb. nov., and Aemngvantom thamnongpaseuam gen. et sp. nov. Four new synonyms are presented: Troglokhammouanus louisanneorum Lourenço, 2017 = Troglokhammouanus steineri Lourenço, 2007, syn. nov.; Vietbocap thienduongensis Lourenço and Pham, 2012 = Vietbocap canhi Lourenço and Pham, 2010, syn. nov.; Vietbocap aurantiacus Lourenço et al., 2018 = V. canhi, syn. nov.; Vietbocap quinquemilia Lourenço et al., 2018 = V. canhi, syn. nov. Revised diagnoses of the subfamilies, genera and species, with comparative images, a key and distribution maps are provided, along with a summary of available data on ecology and conservation status, where applicable. Among the Southeast Asian pseudochactids, all of which appear to be obligately cavernicolous, the three species of Vietbocapinae Lourenço, 2012, are highly troglomorphic whereas the sole species of Troglokhammouaninae is barely so. Applying recently revised definitions of the Schiner-Racovitza system for the classification of subterranean organisms, only Vietbocapinae can be considered troglobitic. The global diversity of cavernicolous, troglomorphic and troglobitic scorpions is similarly revisited and a key to ecological classification of cavernicolous and troglomorphic scorpions presented. The world totals of troglomorphic vs. troglobitic scorpions are currently 58 vs. 28 species, in 29 vs. 17 genera and 15 vs. 13 families, respectively.
