Androctonus aeneas (C. L. Koch, 1839)

Androctonus aeneas [C. L. Koch, 1839*]

In a late 2015 article, Lourenco and co-workers discuss the taxonomical status of the until now synonymized species Androctonus aeneas C. L. Koch, 1839. The result of this investigation is that Androctonus aeneas is restored to species status. Another decision from this investigation is that Androctonus turieli Teruel & Kovarik, 2014 is considered a junior synonym of A. aeneas.

The article also described a new species from the Tigray Province in Ethiopia.

Androctonus tigrai Lourenco, Rossi & Sadine, 2015

Abstract:
New considerations are proposed on some North African species of Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828. The status of Androctonus aeneas C. L. Koch, 1839 is revaluated and its type locality is confirmed as the area of Oran, in Algeria. Since the two original specimens used both for the description and illustration of A. aeneas are considered lost, one neotype is designated, in order to stabilize the nomenclature within the genus, according to ICZN. New data on the geographical distribution and ecology of A. aeneas are also provided and Androctonus turieli Teruel et Kovařík 2014 is considered as a junior synonym of A. aeneas. Androctonus tigrai sp. n. is also described on the basis of two males and one female collected in the Province of Tigray, in Ethiopia.

Reference:
Lourenco WR, Rossi A, Sadine SE. New data on the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones, Buthidae), with the description of a new species from Ethiopia. Aracnida - Rivista Arachnologica Italiana. 2015;1(5):11-9.

ARACHNIDA-5-Lourenco-Rossi-Sadine.pdf