India has a new scorpion with few cousins in Pakistan
The Hindu
Compsobuthus satpuraensis was recorded from the foothills of Satpura range in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district
The Satpura hill range in Maharashtra has yielded a new species of scorpion that has a few cousins in Pakistan.
The Compsobuthus satpuraensis, recorded for the first time from the foothills of the Satpuras in Jalgaon district, belongs to the same group — werneri — as the Compsobuthus pakistanus described from Pakistan more than a decade ago.
But it is morphologically closest to the Compsobuthus rugosulus, described from both India and Pakistan.
The new species from the Satpuras was described by Vivek Waghe, Satpal Gangalmale and Akshay Khandekar of the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation in Mumbai. The study was published in the latest issue of the Euscorpious journal.
It is the fourth species of the genus Compsobuthus for India and the first to be reported from Maharashtra. The finding has extended the known distribution range of this unique species by more than 600 km southwest to peninsular India.
“We had collected two scorpions of the genus Compsobuthus from two closely-spaced localities in Jalgaon district during a recent scorpion survey of non-protected areas in northern Maharashtra,” Mr. Waghe said.
“A detailed morphological examination revealed that the samples collected in 2020 differ from the congeners in several non-overlapping morphological characters. We went on to describe the scorpions as a new species based solely on their distinctive morphology,” he told The Hindu.
Amol Palekar advocates against pre-censorship in films and theatre, urging the government to protect artists' freedom of expression.
BJP legislators demand release of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das in Bangladesh, threatening protests and border blockade if demands not met.
Odisha loses 790 elephants in a decade, with electrocution as the leading cause of unnatural deaths.
ASI issues notice to halt construction at Arya Akshobhya Teertha Mutt near Rameshwara temple in Shivamogga.
Madurai High Court orders removal of encroachments along Madurai-Dindigul highway, Corporation and Highways Department officials conduct joint operation.
Maharashtra Congress chief initiates signature campaign for return of ballot papers, sparking nationwide debate on EVMs.
Udupi Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari on Wednesday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake periodical maintenance of NH66 without giving room for complaints.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw updates Lok Sabha on Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd. shareholding, Goa willing to relinquish.
One dies, eight hospitalised after inhaling HCL fumes at pharma company in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district. About 400 litres of HCL leaked from the reactor-cum-receiver tank at Unit-III of the company, which affected nine workers, says Collector. While the condition of six of them is stable, two are on ventilator support. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directs authorities to provide advanced treatment to the victims. Home Minister Anitha expresses anger over repeated such incidents.
Parents and social workers in Thoothukudi request new Anganwadi buildings due to unsafe conditions in current rental buildings.
Delta districts face heavy rainfall, prompting coordinated efforts to mitigate damages, with NDRF teams deployed for rescue operations.