海南岛的蝎子地理分布研究

蝎目是蛛形动物中较早登陆且又比较原始的类群,在蛛形动物进化历程中占重要地位,是已知最古老的陆生节肢动物之一,具有较高的药用价值和食用价值.本文对海南岛蝎子的生态地理分布进行了研究,从理论上丰富了热带地区蝎目动物的地理分布和物种丰富度等方面的内容;在实践上,拓宽了应用的领域,有利于对不同蝎目动物的资源开发和利用,同时也为保护这类古老的动物提供了依据.经调查,共发现蝎目动物2科3属3种,均为海南已有记录种类,其中钳蝎科2种,分别为等蝎属的斑等蝎和狼蝎属的细尖狼蝎;瘦尾蝎科1种,系链尾蝎属的澳链尾蝎.     

赣东北地区鱼类区系的研究

赣东北地区共有鱼类１３５种和亚种,隶属于１０目２２科８０属。其中纯淡水鱼类１２８和亚种,占总数的９４．８％。鲤形目是最主要鱼类群,有９５种和亚种,占纯淡水鱼类的７４．２％。鲤科鱼类最丰富,有８０种和亚种,占纯淡水鱼类的６２．５％。此地区鱼类区系以东亚特有的江河平原鱼类为主要组成成分;此外,既有老第三纪原始类群的后裔种类,又有南亚暖水性类群鱼类,而且全北区冷水性类群鱼类也分布于此。与邻近水系比较,此     

东亚钳蝎的形态和习性

蝎是属于节肢动物门蛛形纲蝎目(Scorpio-nes)的一类动物。全世界约有6科600种。我国已有记载的仅15种。东亚钳蝎 Buthus mar-tensii Karsch,1879是我国最常见的一种,分布于内蒙古、辽宁、河北、河南、山东、安徽、江苏,直到福建一带。它是我国一种重要的药用动物,     

中国血蜱属的原血蜱亚属和一新种(蜱螨目:硬蜱科)

原血蜱亚属(subgenus Alloceraea)是血蜱属(genus Haemaphysalis)中形态上最原始的一个类群,文献上已记录4种:缺角血蜱(H.inermis Birula)(分布于我国及伊朗、苏联、土耳其和欧洲东部、南部),长须血蜱(H.aponommoides Warburton)(分布于我国及     

我国5种土壤伪蝎记述

记述采自我国亚热带土壤的蛛形纲伪蝎目5种:土伪蝎科Chthoniidae的强壮暴伪蝎Tyrannochthonius robustus和北部湾拉伪蝎Lagynochthonius tonkinensis,木伪蝎科Neobisiidae的中国华肉伪蝎Chinocreagris chinensis、巨小肉伪蝎Microcreagirs gigas和东方小肉伪蝎M.orientalis.     

贵州蒙江鱼类区系组成及特征分析

基于2014~2015年对贵州蒙江流域的野外调查,合并过去的零星采集,共计收集蒙江鱼类标本5 206号,经鉴定为65种(或亚种)。结合历史文献,蒙江共分布有鱼类75种(或亚种),隶属7目18科56属。其中,鳗鲡(Anguilla japonica)为洄游鱼类,食蚊鳉(Gambusia affinis)、陈氏新银鱼(Neosalanx tangkahkeii)、尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)为外来种。与历史调查记录相比,本调查新增蒙江鱼类记录41种(或亚种)。蒙江鱼类组成,以鲤形目鱼类占显著优势,共计有51种(或亚种),占总种(或亚种)数的68.0%。在科的水平,以鲤科为主要类群,占总种(或亚种)数的60.0%。其次,鲇科和鲿科物种较多,分别有3和4种鱼类。UPGMA聚类分析表明,蒙江鱼类组成,与西江上游支流北盘江具有高度相似性。蒙江鱼类区系中,以华南区指示性种类最多,其次为华东区代表性种类较多,缺乏北方区指示性成分。蒙江鲤科鱼类由老第三纪原始类群、东亚类群、南方类群和青藏高原类群等4个类群组成,并以老第三纪原始类群占优势,缺乏北方冷水性类群种类。蒙江鱼类区系具有物种多样性高、区系成分复杂、特有种和受威胁种类多、富于适应急流环境鱼类和具有云贵高原东部地区鱼类区系特殊组成等特点。蒙江鱼类区系属于东洋区南亚亚区。     

中国蝎目名录(蛛形纲:蝎目)

本文根据我国蝎目种类已有的记述,归纳列出5科9属19种和亚种的学名、引证及其地理分布,以供今后研究参考.     

中国伪蝎名录（蛛形纲：伪蝎目）

本文根据我国伪蝎目已有种类记述,归纳并列出10科34属73种（包括亚种）伪蝎的中文名、拉丁学名、引证及其地理分布,以供今后研究参考。     

桔梗科的地理分布:关于分布中心问题

对桔梗科44个属的分布作了分析,发现属的3个频度分布中心：东亚区(13个属),开普区(10个),地中海区(14个)。东亚区有12个属集中分布于中国西南部(云南东部和北部、四川西南部和贵州西南部);在地中海区属的分布相对均匀,但巴尔干半岛比较集中,有9个属。因此中国西南部是桔梗科属的最集中分布的中心。对桔梗科作了尝试性的划分,将该科分为6个类群,7个亚类群。东亚是类群和亚类群最集中分布的地区,因此可以称为类型的多样性中心。本文选择Polemoniaceae为外类群,把Cyphiaceae和Lobeliaceae作为参考类群,并考虑一般承认的进化原则,据此分析了26个性状的演化趋势,进而计算出每一个属的性状原始指数,并据此确定各属的原始性和进化性。最原始的属和大部分比较原始的属分布在东亚,因而可以认为东亚,特别是中国西南部,是桔梗科的原始类型中心。这个地区也就是康滇古陆的所在地,地史上一直稳定,为桔梗科原始类群的分化提供了历史地理背景,这里就是原始类群分化、发展的地区,推测桔梗科起源于白垩纪,但具体的起源地难于判断。     

蜱螨与人类健康

蜱螨属节肢动物门,蛛形纲,蜱螨亚纲。它们的生活习性多种多样,有的危害动物和人类,有些取食植物,也有自由生活的种类。现在已经记载的蜱螨有30000种左右。蜱螨与昆虫不同,没有触角和翅;没有复眼,仅有单眼或眼退化;成虫有4对足。是蛛形纲中非常特化的一个类群,与蜘蛛和蝎类不同,     

Homology of the Lateral Eyes of Scorpiones: A Six-Ocellus Model

Scorpions possess two types of visual organs, the median and lateral eyes. Both eyes consist of simple ocelli with biconvex lenses that differ in structure and function. There is little variation in the number of median ocelli across the order. Except for a few troglomorphic species in which the median ocelli are absent, all scorpions possess a single pair. In contrast, the number of pairs of lateral ocelli varies from zero to five across Scorpiones and may vary within species. No attempt has been made to homologize lateral ocelli across the order, and their utility in scorpion systematics has been questioned, due to the variation in number. A recent study examined the number of lateral ocelli among various Asian Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837 and proposed a “five-eye model” for the family. This model has not been examined more broadly within Buthidae, however, nor compared with the patterns of variation observed among other scorpion families. An eyespot, referred to as an accessory lateral eye, situated ventral or posteroventral to the lateral ocelli, has also been reported in some scorpions. Analysis of its structure suggests it serves a nonvisual function. We present the first comparative study of variation in the lateral ocelli across the order Scorpiones, based on examination of a broad range of exemplar species, representing all families, 160 genera (78%), 196 species (9%), and up to 12 individuals per species. We propose a six-ocellus model for Recent scorpions with four accessory ocelli observed in various taxa, homologize the individual ocelli, and correct erroneous counts in the recent literature. We also investigate the presence of the eyespot across scorpions and discover that it is more widespread than previously recognized. Future work should investigate the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying the formation of the lateral ocelli to test the hypotheses proposed here.     

Notes on the postembryonic development and ecology of Grosphus hirtus Kraepelin, 1901 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) from the Parc National d’Ankarafantsika, northwest Madagascar

Among several specimens of Grosphus hirtus Kraepelin (Scorpiones, Buthidae), obtained in Madagascar, Mahajanga Province, Parc National d’Ankarafantsika, Station Forestière d’Ampijoroa, and then held in captivity, the courtship and mating behaviour of two females was observed. These two animals gave birth in captivity to 26 and 37 offspring of which two and three reached maturity, respectively. The duration of the five instars needed to reach the adult stage in both males and females averaged 14, 112, 117, 274, and 334 days. These developmental periods are much longer than those of Grosphus flavopiceus Kraepelin, the only other species in this genus studied, and longer than those of most examined species of Buthidae. Morphometric values for the different instars are presented from the individual offspring and from specimens collected in the wild. On the basis of these values, the average growth factor (Dyar's constant) per moult for three different measured structures was calculated from the pooled data. Dyar's constant is expressed for the first time in scorpions of the genus Grosphus. Instars growth factors are also comparable to other species of Buthidae.     

Complete mitochondrial genome of a Chinese scorpion Mesobuthus martensii (Chelicerata, Scorpiones, Buthidae).

The complete mitochondrial genome (15,034 bp) of a Chinese scorpion Mesobuthus martensii (Buthidae) was sequenced and characterized in detail. The genome contains 13 protein-coding genes, 21 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and a large non-coding region ( = CR). Its gene arrangement pattern is identical to that of Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerata, Xiphosura), with the exceptions of the tRNA(Glu)-tRNA(Ile)-tRNA(Met) (Q-I-M) arrangement and tRNA(Asp)-loss. Additional interesting features are found and discussed: high frequency of Leu(UUG) codon use, low A+T content of the genome (66.75%), and six repeat units (five 60-nt-long and one 58-nt-long repeats) in the 998-nt CR. Bayesian analysis based on amino acid sequences of the 12 proteincoding genes (excluding ATP8) reveals that the family Buthidae (Order Scorpiones) and the class Arachnida form strong monophyletic groups within Chelicerata, respectively. It indicated that the scorpions are the most ancestral arachnids.     

Sperm package morphology in scorpions and its relation to phylogeny

Sperm packages are widespread in the order Scorpiones, but absent in the family Buthidae. The morphology of sperm packages is diverse and apparently has phylogenetic information. The objectives of this work were to show diversity of sperm packages and to provide a quantitative basis for using sperm packages’ morphology as a taxonomic character. For this, we conducted a morphological analysis and comparison of the different sperm packages of species of the family Bothriuridae. The seminal content from males of species of Bothriuridae was studied. Specimens from Iuridae, Buthidae, Euscorpiidae, Liochelidae, Scorpionidae, Vaejovidae, Chaerilidae, and Chactidae were used for comparison. Digital images of sperm packages were measured and statistically analysed based on the following variables: total length, head width, head–body angle, total area, and head length. Pairs of variables were also contrasted, and all the variables were correlated with the current phylogenetic hypothesis for Bothriuridae. High morphological diversity and variability in measures was observed. In general, measurements were similar within each genus, but differed amongst genera. Cane‐like sperm packages are very common in species of the family Bothriuridae. Species from Bothriurus show a wide range of sperm package shapes, some of them shared with Timogenes and Vachonia species, supporting the idea of nonmonophyly of the genus. Many species showed sperm package dimorphism inside a single male. Some of the analysed features fit well with the phylogenetic hypothesis in Bothriuridae, and the general package shape shows high correlation with scorpion phylogeny in other families. Bent and round packages are the most common amongst the different families. Sperm packages are not developed in Chaerilidae, as in Buthidae. This is the first morphological and comparative analysis of sperm packages in scorpions, and reveals much greater diversity in this trait than previously known. Our results reinforce the idea that the study of morphology of sperm packages would contribute characters for scorpion phylogeny at different levels. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 161 , 463–483.     

Characters in the book lungs of Scorpiones (Chelicerata,Arachnida) revealed by scanning electron microscopy

The fine structure of the book lungs in 29 species representing ten monophyletic taxa of the Scorpiones (Arachnida) was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Scorpion lungs are not homogeneous across the group. Here we describe and score three sets of phylogenetically informative characters: (1) the surface ornament of the lung lamellae, (2) the distal margins of the lamellae and (3) the fine structure of the spiracle margin. Provisional results suggest that reticulation on the surface of the lung lamellae is characteristic of the Buthidae. By contrast, non-buthid scorpions maintain the air space between adjacent lamellae using projecting trabeculae. Typically they are simple struts, but the trabeculae are distally branched in all investigated Scorpionidae, plus at least one species belonging to the Liochelidae. Simple thorns on the lamellar margins probably represent the plesiomorphic condition, while more complex, branched, arcuate morphologies appear to be homoplastic, occurring sporadically in numerous scorpion sub-groups. The tightly packed, hexagonal pillars around the posterior margin of the spiracle support a close relationship between Scorpionidae and Liochelidae, to the exclusion of the Urodacidae.     

Ecological modeling and distribution analysis of digger scorpions: Odontobuthus doriae,Odonthubutus bidentatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) and Scorpio maurus (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae) in Iran using the maximum entropy method

Prediction models are essential for the potential geographic distribution of scorpions, prevention of scorpion stings and diverse applications in conservation biology. There is limited information about habitat suitability and the factors affecting the distribution of Iranian digger scorpions. This study was undertaken to model the distribution of three types of digger scorpion in Iran, Odontobuthus doriae Thorell, Odonthubutus bidentatus Lourenco (Scorpiones: Buthidae) and Scorpio maurus Pocockin (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae), and investigate the factors affecting its distribution using the maximum entropy method. A total of 20 environmental and climate variables were used for modeling and evaluation of the ecological niche. The similarities and differences between the ecological overlap of the digger scorpions were evaluated using comparative environmental niche model (ENM Tools software). The results showed that the main factors for habitat suitability of O. doriae were soil type, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and slope. The variables for S. maurus were soil type, precipitation of the coldest quarter and slope. Annual temperature range, mean temperature of the driest quarter and land use had the greatest influence on the distribution of O. bidentatus. The ecological niches for O. doriae and O. bidentatus overlapped. The niche of these species differed from the niche of S. maurus. This approach could be helpful for the prediction of the potential distribution of three digger scorpion species and this model can be an effective for the promotion of health.

     

Species richness and biogeography of non-acarine arachnids in Namibia

A total of 821 species, 296 genera, and 69 families of non-acarine arachnids (Araneae, Solifugae, Scorpiones, Pseudoscorpiones, Opiliones and Amblypygi) are presently known from Namibia. Patterns of spider, solifuge and scorpion species richness and endemism are summarized relative to the 14 major Namibian types of vegetation. Spiders are most speciose in the higher rainfall areas, solifuges in the dry areas, and scorpions in rocky areas. Namibia probably has the world's greatest diversity of solifuges. Many arachnids endemic to Namibia are associated with the Namib Desert sand dunes.     

Maternal care in the soft tick Antricola marginatus

Among spiders, scorpions, and whip spiders, a common type of maternal care consists of females carrying newly hatched offspring on their body for a few days until they are able to live independently. While this maternal care has been suggested to occur in different argasid tick species, it has been recorded only once, for Antricola marginatus in Cuba; however, this earlier record only superficially mentioned the occurrence of this behavior, with no further details. Here we report the occurrence of maternal care in the argasid tick A. marginatus under natural conditions in a cave at Yucatan, Mexico, where 8 A. marginatus females, while walking on bat guano, had their body entirely covered by a mean number of 305 ± 112 conspecific unfed larvae (range: 105-466). Larvae covered the entire idiosoma of the female tick, where they were motionless or displayed just slight movement. This result substantially expands the number of unique characters that have been found only in Antricola spp. ticks, when compared to the other tick genera. Our findings also indicate that maternal care evolved independently in different taxa of Arachnida, since it has been reported for species of Araneae, Scorpiones, and Amblypygi, and here for an Acari species.     

Relationship between environmental variables and surface activity of scorpions in the Arid Chaco ecoregion of Argentina

Many environmental factors may influence the activity of scorpions in arid ecosystems. In this study, we examined the effects of such factors on scorpion activity at a mature and a secondary forest site in the Chancaní Reserve (Arid Chaco ecoregion in Córdoba, Argentina). Scorpions were collected using pitfall traps, and their nocturnal activity was observed by means of UV light during 14 nights. Temperature, air humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind velocity were measured, and the percentage of visible moon was estimated. A total of 440 scorpions, representing seven species belonging to two families (Bothriuridae and Buthidae), were observed in the study area. Brachistosternus ferrugineus was the species most commonly observed using both methods. Mature and secondary forest shared slightly more than 50% of species. Surface activity of scorpions observed with the two methods differed significantly between the two areas. Surface activity of all scorpions and of B. ferrugineus were negatively related to the phase of the moon and positively related to air temperature. Physical factors thus have important effects on scorpion activity.