New scorpion species discovered in US desert

United States,Environment/Wildlife, Wed, 20 Feb 2013 IANS

Washington, Feb 20 (IANS) A new species of scorpion, Vaejovis brysoni, has been discovered in the Santa Catalina Mountains of southern Arizona in the US.

Rob Bryson Junior, biologist from the University of Washington, unearthed this new species accidentally while looking for a completely different animal.

Another scorpion of the same group also inhabits this mountain range, making this the first documented case of two vorhiesi group species distributed on the same mountain, the journal Zookeys reports.

For over 50 years, only four species of mountain scorpions were known from the state of Arizona. That number has more than doubled over the past six years, with a total of 10 species now known, all belonging to the same group, according to a Washington statement.

Arizona is known for isolated mountain habitats in the desert called Sky Islands. These Sky Islands are where the new species are being discovered.