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  1. Publications
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  3. 2015

A remarkably small species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) endemic to the Succulent Karoo of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa

Authors: Prendini, L.

DOIPDF
Journal
African Invertebrates
Volume and pages
56(2): 499‑513
Year
2015
Published
August 1, 2015
Citation
Prendini, L. 2015. A remarkably small species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) endemic to the Succulent Karoo of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. African Invertebrates 56(2): 499‑513. https://doi.org/10.5733/afin.056.0201

Abstract

The scorpion fauna of southern Africa is very diverse, especially in the arid western half of the subcontinent. New species continue to be discovered as the region is surveyed with ultraviolet light detection methods. The present contribution describes Uroplectes ansiedippenaarae sp. n., which is endemic to the Succulent Karoo Biome in the Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The new species appears to be most closely related to U. variegatus (C.L. Koch, 1844), which is endemic to the Fynbos Biome in the Western Cape Province. Uroplectes ansiedippenaarae sp. n. is the smallest species of Uroplectes Peters, 1861, and among the smallest scorpion species in southern Africa, with adults ranging from 16–20 mm in total length. The addition of this new species raises the number of Uroplectes species and subspecies in South Africa to 19, and the number of endemics to 10.

Keywords and Taxa

  • Uroplectes
  • Scorpiones
  • Arachnida
  • Buthidae
  • new species
  • taxonomy
  • systematics
  • endemism
  • Northern Cape Province
  • Western Cape Province
  • South Africa
  • Scorpion
  • Subspecies
  • Cape
  • Biome
  • Ecology
  • Indian subcontinent
  • Arid