Urodacus lunatus

Urodacus lunatus
	Holotype ♂ Scale bar = 1 cm (0.4 in)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Scorpiones
Family:	Urodacidae
Genus:	Urodacus
Species:	U. lunatus
Binomial name
	Urodacus lunatus; Buzatto et al., 2023
	Urodacus lunatus is only shown by green circles.

Urodacus lunatus is a rare species of scorpion in the family Urodacidae. It is endemic to the northern part of western Australia and was described in 2023.^[1]

Description

Urodacus lunatus cannot be distinguished from Urodacus uncinus with external morphology and examination of genitalia is required.^[1]

Distribution and ecology

The species is known from 9 specimens from 3 locations in Pilbara shown by the green circles on the range map. These locations only make up around 50 km² (20 mi²), which means it is a short-range endemic species, as it is likely distributed in under 10,000 km² (3860 mi²).^[1]

It is likely fossorial but this is based on the similar species U. uncinus. It is hypothesized that the males travel longer distances to mate, as this is common in the genus.^[1]

Etymology

The specific epithet "lunatus" refers to the crescent or lunate shape of the laminar hook in the hemispermatophore, a part of the genitalia.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Buzatto, Bruno A.; Clark, Huon L.; Harvey, Mark S.; Volschenk, Erich S. (2023-11-03). Cooper, Steven (ed.). "Two new species of burrowing scorpions (Urodacidae: Urodacus) from the Pilbara region of Western Australia with identical external morphology†". Australian Journal of Zoology. 71 (1). doi:10.1071/ZO23018. ISSN 0004-959X.

[:0-1] Buzatto, Bruno A.; Clark, Huon L.; Harvey, Mark S.; Volschenk, Erich S. (2023-11-03). Cooper, Steven (ed.). "Two new species of burrowing scorpions (Urodacidae: Urodacus) from the Pilbara region of Western Australia with identical external morphology†". Australian Journal of Zoology. 71 (1). doi:10.1071/ZO23018. ISSN 0004-959X.

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