New scorpion species with 8 eyes and 8 legs found in Thai National Park

Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) krachan with pre-juveniles. (Image: zookeys.pensoft.net)

In the dense wilderness of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand, a team of researchers made an astonishing discovery: a previously unknown species of scorpion, scientifically classified as Euscorpiops Krachan.

The newly discovered scorpion, Euscorpiops Krachan, takes its name from the very park that unveiled its existence. Researchers, while camping near the Tenasserim Mountain Range, chanced upon this creature hidden beneath a rock, sparking an in-depth study of three adult males and one adult female.

This species, belonging to the subgenus Euscorpiops, stands out for its diminutive size compared to its counterparts in the same subgenus. Brownish in color, with females exhibiting a darker hue than males, these scorpions boast eight eyes and legs.

The study reveals that Euscorpiops Krachan shares many characteristics with other scorpions in the subgenus Euscorpiops. Their hunting strategy is akin to the "ambush or sit-and-wait type of foraging" observed in other Scorpiops genus members.

The researchers suggest that the limited distribution ranges and high degree of endemism within the genus contribute to the unique characteristics of Euscorpiops Krachan.

"Until now, all Scorpios species reported in Thailand were believed to be endemic to their habitats. They can be found mainly in mountain areas, particularly in places with numerous rock crevices. Despite several studies on Scorpiops in Thailand, additional areas of the country are still unexplored and need investigation," the study published in ZooKeys details.

Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have recently found another intriguing species – a marine slug mollusc discovered along the wet and sandy beaches of Odisha and Bengal. It has been named Melanochlamys Droupadi after President Droupadi Murmu.