Electronic Supplement 2
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Organisms
Diversity & Evolution 4 (2004) Electronic Supplement 2 |
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Alain Jacob, Benjamin Gantenbein, Matt E. Braunwalder, Wolfgang
Nentwig, Christian Kropf:
Complex male genitalia (hemispermatophores) are
not diagnostic for cryptic species in the genus Euscorpius (Scorpiones:
Euscorpiidae).
print version: Org. Divers. Evol. 4(1-2): 59-72. 2004 (full article)
electr. suppl.: .
Appendix: Table (genitalia data of specimens).pdf-format,
48 KB
Abstract:
Genital morphology is often used as a key character
for distinguishing species in many arthropod groups. Regarding scorpions, male
genitalia (hemispermatophores) have been increasingly used in species
descriptions. In the present study we analyse hemispermatophores of four
Central European species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876, and those of E.
flavicaudis (De Geer, 1778) from southern France. The main focus are the
three morphologically cryptic species, E. alpha Caporiacco, 1950, E.
germanus (C. L. Koch, 1837), and E. gamma Caporiacco, 1950. The
clear, deep split between E. alpha and E. germanus previously
shown from nuclear allozyme data and mitochondrial genetic markers is not found
in hemispermatophore and other morphological characters. Even the
hemispermatophore of E. gamma - a species branching off at the same
genetic distance level as E. alpha and E. germanus, and clearly
diagnosable on external morphological characters - is indistinguishable from
those of E. alpha and E. germanus. Although hemispermatophores
are complex, they are not more informative than other morphological characters.
Euscorpius hemispermatophores may be useful for species discrimination,
but in closely related species they are of limited taxonomic value.
Key words: Scorpiones; Euscorpius; Hemispermatophores; Genital organ; Cryptic species
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