A contribution to the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia, with an identification key (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Abstract

A checklist of the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia was reviewed and scrutinized published scorpion records considering new taxonomic findings and geographical distribution data. A new checklist to the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia is presented. The listed species consisting of 26 species belong to 15 genera and the four families Buthidae (12 genera, 21 species), Diplocentridae (one genus, one species), Hemiscorpiidae (one genus, one species), and Scorpionidae (one genus, three species). The list is dominated by members of the family Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837 (85.3% of total species) and the genus Compsobuthus is the most species-rich taxon. In addition, a total of 10 dubious records were removed from the list and listed separately pending validations by specimens collected in the country. A dichotomic identification key to the Saudi Arabia scorpion species has been provided.

Keywords

• Buthidae
• Diplocentridae
• Hemiscorpiidae
• Scorpionidae
• Checklist
• Saudi Arabia