New scorpion species discovered in Similipal Tiger Reserve
The discovery of Liocheles similipalensis marks the first time the Liocheles genus has been recorded in Odisha.
Researchers have identified a new scorpion species in the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) in Odisha, according to The New Indian Express. The species, named Liocheles similipalensis, is the first of its genus to be documented in the state.
The scorpion has a glossy, bluish-black appearance and measures between 44 mm and 53 mm in length. It was found in rocky areas within tropical moist deciduous forests at an altitude of about 1,000 metres above sea level.
A team from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation (TWF), including Saurabh Kininge, Tejas Thackeray, and Akshay Khandekar, worked with STR field director Prakash Chand Gogineni to identify the species. Forest personnel initially collected the specimens before sending them to Khandekar for taxonomic study.
The researchers confirmed the genus by identifying small hair-like structures under the second segment of the legs' tarsus. Comparative studies showed the species differs from the six other known members of the genus in its eye proportions and the texture of its body ridges.
Gogineni said the name honours the Similipal landscape where it was found. Currently, the reserve is the only confirmed habitat for the species.
The research team has called for more field surveys and morphological or DNA-based studies to determine the wider distribution and evolutionary links of the genus across India.