Scorpion (Scorpiones) fauna of Muğla (South

BIHAREAN BIOLOGIST 8 (1): 38-41
Article No.: 141108
©Biharean Biologist, Oradea, Romania, 2014
http://biozoojournals.ro/bihbiol/index.html
Scorpion (Scorpiones) fauna of Muğla (South-Western Anatolia, Turkey)
Mustafa İNANÇ1,* and HüseyinARIKAN2
1. Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Health Services Vocational School, Çanakkale, Turkey.
2. Ege University, Faculty of Science, Biology Department, Zoology Section, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
*Corresponding author, M. Inanç, E-mail: [email protected]
Received: 16. December 2013 / Accepted: 20. February 2014 / Available online: 22. February 2014 / Printed: June 2014
Abstract. In this study, scorpion fauna of Muğla province (South-Western Anatolia, Turkey) was examined between 2004 and 2009.
As a result of field trips, 66 specimens were collected and examined belonging to three families from fifteen localities. The
distribution of the species Mesobuthus gibbosus anatolicus (Schenkel, 1947), Euscorpius sp. mingrelicus complex, Protoiurus kraepelini
(Von Ubisch, 1922) were determined.
Key words: scorpion, fauna, Muğla, Southern Anatolia, Turkey.
Introduction
Muğla Province is located in southwestern corner of Turkey
and has mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and arid
but winters are warm and rainy. Generally, red pine (Pinus
brutia), cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), kermes oak (Quercus
coccifera), and other species which belong to maquis vegetation, are common in this region. Red pine (Pinus nigra) is
dominant species in high elevations (Atalay 1994).
Turkey has a rich scorpion fauna with 27 recorded species, Androctonus crassicauda, Buthacus macrocentrus, Compsobuthus matthiesseni, C. schmiedeknechti, Hottentotta saulcyi, Leiurus abdullahbayrami, Mesobuthus eupeus, M. phillipsii, M. nigrocinctus, M. gibbosus, M. caucasicus, Orthochirus zagrosensis
(Buthidae), Calchas birulai, C. kosswigi, C. anlasi, C. nordmanni,
Neocalchas gruberi, Iurus kinzelbachi, Protoiurus asiaticus, P.
kadleci, P. kraepelini (Iuridae), Scorpio maurus (Scorpionidae),
Euscorpius avcii, E. rahsenae, E. lycius, E. mingrelicus, E. italicus
(Euscorpiidae). (Crucitti & Vignoli 2002, Varol et al. 2006, Fet
et al.2000, 2009, Kovarik et al. 2010, 2011, Soleglad et al. 2012,
Tropea et al. 2012, Yağmur 2010, Yağmur & Tropea
2013,Yağmur et al. 2009, 2013a, 2013b). Four scorpion species
(M. g. anatolicus, Euscorpius sp. mingrelicus complex, E. lycius,
P. kraepelini) have been recorded from Muğla Province
(Kinzelbach 1975, Kovarik et al. 2010, Yağmur et al. 2013b).
In this study, we determined the species of M. g. anatolicus,
Euscorpius sp. mingrelicus complex, P. kraepelini species.
Materials and methods
The specimens were collected in spring and summer of 2004-2009. 66
scorpion specimens were collected from fifteen different localities.
Sampling localities are shown in Figure 1.
Scorpions were collected on the ground, under the stones and
rock cracks in day time. Specimens were fixed in 70% ethanol. Body
measurements were performed according to Sissom et al. (1990).
Figure 1. Sampling localities in the province of Muğla (South-Western Anatolia, Turkey) 1.Hanımköy 2.Bencik Mountain Fire
Tower 3.Konak 4.Çiçekbaba Mountain 5.Göğübeli Pass 6.Bencik Mountain Fire Tower 7.Dalyan 8.Eren Hill 9.Çiçekbaba Mountain
10.Göğübeli Pass 11.Göğübeli Pass 12.Bencik Mountain 13.Çiçekbaba Mountain Kartal Lake 14. Butterfly Valley 15. Çiçekbaba
Mountain.
Scorpion (Scorpiones) fauna of Muğla
39
a)
b)
Figure 2. Habitat (a) and general view (b) of M. gibbosus anatolicus.
a)
b)
Figure 3. Habitat (a) and general view (b) of Euscorpius sp. mingrelicus complex.
a)
b)
Figure 4. Habitat (a) and general view (b) of Protoiurus kraepelini.
Results
Family: Buthidae Simon, 1879
Mesobuthus gibbosus anatolicus (Schenkel, 1947) (Fig 2.)
Examined material: (28 specimens: 12 ♂♂,16 ♀♀)
1. Hanımköy 689 m. 37° 31' N/27° 44' E, (2♂♂,1♀), leg. M.
İnanç; 2. Bencik Mountain Fire Tower 1396 m. 37° 14' N/28°
02' E, (1♂,1♀) leg. H. Koç; 3. Göğübeli Pass 1807 m. 36° 50'
N/29° 44' E, (1♂,1♀), leg. E.A. Yağmur; 4.Bencik Mountain
Fire Tower 1395 m., (1♂,2♀♀), leg. M. İnanç; 5. Butterfly Valley 36° 49' N/29° 13' E, (2♀♀), leg. M. İnanç; 6. Çiçekbaba
Mountain 911 m. 37° 01' N/28°45' E, (1♂,1♀), leg. M. İnanç &
H. Koç; 7. Göğübeli Pass 1830 m. 36° 50' N/29° 44' E,
(1♂,2♀♀), leg. E.A. Yağmur & H. Koç; 8. Çiçekbaba Mountain
911 m. 37° 01' N/28°45' E, (2♂♂,4♀♀), leg. E.A. Yağmur & M.
İnanç & H. Koç; 9. Bencik Mountain 875 m. 37° 13' N/28° 01'
E, (3♂♂,2♀♀), leg. E.A. Yağmur & M. İnanç.
Morphology and variation: Total body length is between
44.94 and 64.76 mm. Average length is 56.8 mm in females,
54.63 mm in males. Body is yellowish brown, pectens are
whitish cream, telson is light yellowish brown, and sting is
reddish brown. Sternum is triangular. Movable finger has 12
and fixed finger has 11 oblique granule rows. Pectinal tooth
count 28-33 in males, 21-27 in females.
M. Inanç & H.Arikan
40
Ecological notes: The samples have been obtained in the
stony, open and steppe areas, pine (Pinus nigra and Pinus
brutia) forests and under stones. It has been observed that
this species rejects some other insects such as bees and
wasps in terms of diet, and it is also determined that there is
cannibalism in this species. This species is defined as thermophilic and kserofilic and prefers terrestrial ecosystems.
Family: Euscorpiidae Laurie, 1896
Euscorpius sp. ("mingrelicus complex") (Fig. 3)
Examined material: (7 specimens: 7♀♀)
1.Çiçekbaba Mountain 1742 m. 37° 03' N/ 28° 48' E,
(7♀♀), leg. M. İnanç
Morphology and variation: Total body length is between
21.3-23.7 mm, average length is 22.26 ± 0.37 mm. Carapace
and pedipals are reddish brown, strernits, coxas, pectins and
genital operculum are yellowish brown, other parts are dark
brown. Sternum is pectagonal and oval. Metasomal segments are without carinae, movable and fixed fingers have
six oblique granule rows. This species has a well-developed
chela and two lateral eyes on each side.
Ecological notes: The specimens which belong to this
species were found in a single locality although the search
was done in different areas (Çiçekbaba Mountain 1742 m).
The specimens were collected under the stones at day time.
Family: Iuridae Thorell, 1876
Protoiurus kraepelini (Von Ubisch, 1922) (Fig. 4)
Examined material: (30 specimens: 12 ♂♂, 18♀♀))
1. Konak 612 m. 37° 27' N/27° 41' E, (2♂♂,5♀♀) leg. E.A.
Yağmur & M. İnanç; 2. Eren Hill 2130 m. 37° 01' N/28° 45' E,
(1♂,2♀♀) leg. E.A. Yağmur & H. Koç; 3. Dalyan 36° 50’ N/28°
38’ E, (2♂♂,3♀♀), leg. E.A. Yağmur & M. İnanç; 4. Göğübeli
Pass 1830 m. 36° 50' N/29° 44' E, (2♂♂,), leg. M. İnanç & H.
Koç; 5. Bencik Mountain 875 m. 37° 13' N/28° 01' E, (1♂,3♀♀)
leg. E.A. Yağmur & M. İnanç & H. Koç; 6. Hanımköy 689 m.
37° 31' N/27° 44' E, (1♂,1♀), leg. M. İnanç; 7. Çiçekbaba
Mountain Kartal Lake 1763 m. 37° 03' N/28° 48' E, (3♂♂,4♀♀),
leg. H. Koç & M. İnanç.
Morphology and variation: The total length of examined
samples ranged from 45.76 to 91.48 mm.. Average length is
74.41 mm in females, 71.08 mm in males. General appearence of the specimens is dark reddish-black, pedipalps
are well developed, tergites are without carinae, and sternum is pectagonal. The examined specimens’ pectinal tooth
number 10-12 for females, 10-13 for males.
Ecological notes: This species lives under stones, forest
floor or in natural cavities. Vertical distribution was detected
2130 m above the sea level (Eren Hill).
Discussion
Mesobuthus gibbosus has a wide distribution from Albania to
Turkey (Fet et al. 2000, Teruel et al. 2004) when it comes to
Turkey, it is a common species in the eastern Mediterranean
region (Kinzelbach 1975, Kritscher 1993, Gantenbein et al.
2000), but it can be seen in different parts of Turkey such as
Mediterranean, Aegean and Central Anatolian regions in
Turkey (Birula 1917a, Fet et al. 2000). M. gibbosus population
in Turkey is classified as a new subspecies by Schenkel
(1947) and this subspecies is determined according to pectinal tooth number. Together with nominal subspecies, it has
two subspecies. Kinzelbach (1975) regarded the populations
in the south of Balkans as nominal subspecies (M. g. gibbosus); and the populations in Anatolia, Crete and the Eastern
Aegean Islands populations are regarded as M. g. anatolicus.
Birula (1898, 1917a, 1917b) was the first researcher who
reported E. mingrelicus in Turkey. Birula (1898) also described E. m. ciliensis from Bolkar Mountain as E. ciliciensis.
Furthermore, he (1917a) recorded E. mingrelicus as E. m. mingrelicus. Bonacina (1980) and Fet (1993) accepted Turkey
population at the species level.
The genus Iurus (Iuridae) has been described by Thorell
(1876). This genus is common in the south of Turkey and
Greece. Birula (1903) recorded the genus Iurus first from
Adana Province in Anatolia. Birula (1903) compared the obtained samples from Adana Province with samples from
Crete and described them as a subspecies, Iurus dufoureius
asiaticus. Subsequently, this subspecies was revised and classified as Protoiurus asiaticus (Kovarik et al. 2010, Soleglad et
al. 2012). von Ubisch (1922) described Iurus kraepelini from
Antalya Province, then Kovarik et al. (2010) and Soleglad et
al. (2012) revised and classified this taxon as P. kraepelini. According to Kovarik et al. (2010) P. kraepelini has a widespread
distribution in the Central and Western Mediterranean region of Turkey and P. asiaticus is common in Eastern Taurus.
Acknowledgments. We would like to express our gratitude to Ersen
Aydın YAĞMUR (Celal Bayar University, Turkey) and Halil KOÇ
(Sinop University, Turkey) for their great contribution to this
research.
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