Checklist and review of the scorpion fauna of Iraq (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Hamid Saeid Kachel,Ersen Aydın Yağmur,Fenik Sherzad Hussen,Azhar Mohammed Al-Khazali

doi:10.30963/aramit6101

Abstract

The knowledge of the scorpion fauna of Iraq and its geographical distribution is limited. Our review reveals the presence in this country of 19 species belonging to 13 genera and five families: Buthidae, Euscorpiidae, Hemiscorpiidae, Iuridae and Scorpionidae. Buthidae is, with nine genera and 15 species, the richest and the most diverse family in Iraq. Synonymies of several scorpion species were reviewed. Due to erroneous identifications and locality data, we exclude 18 species of scorpion from the list of the Iraqi fauna. The geographical distribution of Iraqi scorpions is discussed. Compsobuthus iraqensisAl-Azawii, 2018, syn. nov. is synonymized with C. matthiesseni (Birula, 1905).

Highlights

BioOne Complete is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses
Based on our revision, the Iraqi scorpion fauna consists of 19 species from 13 genera and five families: Buthidae, Euscorpi idae, Hemiscorpiidae, Iuridae and Scorpionidae
The majority of the species (15) belong to Buthidae, and the other families are represented by one species each

Summary

Introduction

BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Complete website, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/terms-of-use. The records of some of the identified scorpion species and their distribution are dubious and unclear, which requires further verifications Their taxonomy may need to be adjusted based on current systematic revisions. The aim of this work is to review the literature on the research history of the Iraqi scorpions and provide an updated checklist for the scorpion fauna of Iraq and their geographical distribution

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