Scorpions of Iran (Arachnida, Scorpiones). Part I. Khoozestan Province

Collections made by a team of Shahrokh Navidpour (Razi Reference Laboratory of Scorpion Research, Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Ahvaz, Khoozestan, Iran) include 17 of the 19 species known to inhabit Khoozestan Province, and form the basis of this paper. Among them are two new species (Hottentotta khoozestanus sp. n. and Vachoniolus iranus sp. n.), Compsobuthus jakesi Kovařík, 2003 previously known only from Iraq, and five species representing first records for the province: Buthacus macrocentrus (Ehrenberg, 1828); Odontobuthus bidentatus Lourenço & Pézier, 2002; Orthochirus farzanpayi (Vachon et Farzanpay, 1987); Orthochirus stockwelli (Lourenço et Vachon, 1995) comb. n.; and Scorpio maurus townsendi (Pocock, 1900). In contrast, Orthochirus zagrosensis Kovařík, 2004, as described from Khoozestan, stands corrected to Kohkiloye & Boyer Ahmad, Esfahan, Fars, Kerman, and Yazd Provinces. Occurrences of Hottentotta schach (Birula, 1905) and Compsobuthus garyi Lourenço et Vachon, 2001 could not be verified for Khoozestan, but are nevertheless included, and the uncertain taxonomic position of the latter is discussed. A large collection of Orthochirus iranus Kovařík, 2004 allowed the study of intraspecific variation and resulted in the observation that trichobothrium d2 on the dorsal surface of pedipalp femur may be fully developed, reduced, or absent. Since the presence or absence of trichobothrium d2 is the only character separating Orthochirus Karsch, 1892 from Paraorthochirus Lourenço et Vachon, 1995, it follows that Paraorthochirus is a synonym of Orthochirus, syn. n. Also presented is a key to all species of scorpions found in the province