Ultrastructure Study on The Exo-Morphology of Four Species of Scorpion Inhabiting New Valley, Egypt

Abstract

Scorpionsare terrestrial arthropods inhabiting deserts. Exomorghological studies play an important role in the identification of different scorpions' species. The current study deals with the ecomorphology of four species of scorpions belong to the family buthidae (Leiurus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi, Orthochirus innesi and Buthacus leptochelys) inhabiting New Valley governorate, Egypt. Random samples were implemented during the period from April to July, 2017 and July to September, 2019. Scorpions were obtained from the area under rocks, gap of soil, leaf litter, under bark, and within vegetation. Morphological characteristics of these species were done using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In conclusion, the differences among four species of studied scorpions were noticed in the dorsal carapace, respiratory pores of the third segment of mesosoma, pectinal teeth count between females and males, last segment of metasoma and telson. In all scorpions' species studied, one venom pore was detected except in Androctonus amoreuxi two venom pores in telson were observed.

DNA Barcoding for Scorpion Species from New Valley Governorate in Egypt Reveals Different Degrees of Cryptic Speciation and Species Misnaming

“…The current work provided the molecular pillar for morphogenetic authentication of four scorpion species, i.e., L. quinquestriatus, A. amoreuxi, O. innesi, and B. leptochelys. This work came next to previous, detailed and descriptive analyses that were provided by our research group for elucidating the main morphological aspects for these species [22,23]. Herein, it was possible to provide new DNA barcodes for these four species from the New Valley governorate.…”

“…The efficiency of DNA barcoding is almost complete upon coupling it to a thorough morphological description of the species [20]. The present authors previously provided full morphological descriptions of four major scorpion species in the New Valley, Egypt: Leiurus quinquestriatus, Androctonus amoreuxi, Orthochirus innesi, Buthacus leptochelys [21,22]. The aim of the current study was to complete the morphogenetic authentication of these species using DNA barcoding, a task that seems crucial since some of these species are the most notorious in terms of scorpionism, especially in the New Valley governorate, and in Egypt in general [12,23].…”