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The systematic position of the scorpion genera Heteroscorpion Birula, 1903 and Urodacus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpionoidea)
Euscorpius
  • Michael E. Soleglad
  • Victor Fet, Marshall University
  • František Kovařík
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.18590/euscorpius.2005.vol2005.iss20.1
Disciplines
Abstract

Stockwell (1989), in an unpublished revision, suggested the elevation of subfamily Urodacinae to the family rank, and considered Heteroscorpioninae a subfamily of Ischnuridae. Heteroscorpioninae was formally elevated to the family rank by Lourenço (1996a), and Urodacinae, by Prendini (2000). As a result of a detailed cladistic analysis, Prendini (2000, 2003b) considered families Heteroscorpionidae and Urodacidae to be sister groups, although an al-ternative topology was available. Soleglad & Fet (2003b) questioned the results of Prendini (2000) but nevertheless retained the monophyly of Heteroscorpion and Urodacus pending more detailed analysis; they recognized two valid monotypic subfamilies, Heteroscorpioninae and Urodacinae, under Urodacidae. Our present detailed cladistic re-analysis of Heteroscorpion and Urodacus confirms the phylogeny proposed by Stockwell (1989), which also is the “suboptimal” topology of Prendini (2000, 2003b). The family Urodacidae is abolished; the subfamily Urodacinae is transferred to Scorpionidae. Hemiscorpiidae Pocock, 1893 is accepted as a senior synonym of Liochelidae, and Hormurinae Laurie, 1896, as a senior synonym of Liochelinae. The subfamily Heteroscorpioninae is transferred to Hemiscorpiidae. As a result, the superfamily Scorpionoidea currently includes three families: Bothriuridae (with two subfamilies, Bothriurinae and Lisposominae), Hemiscorpiidae (with three subfamilies, Hemiscorpiinae, Heteroscor-pioninae, and Hormurinae), and Scorpionidae (with three subfamilies, Diplocentrinae, Scorpioninae, and Urodacinae).

Citation Information
Michael E. Soleglad, Victor Fet and František Kovařík. "The systematic position of the scorpion genera Heteroscorpion Birula, 1903 and Urodacus Peters, 1861 (Scorpiones: Scorpionoidea)" p. 1 - 37
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/victor_fet/64/