Euscorpius Occasional Publications in Scorpiology First Report on Hottentotta tamulus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Sri Lanka, and its Medical Importance Kithsiri B. Ranawana, Nandana P. Dinamithra, Sivapalan Sivansuthan, Ironie I. Nagasena , František Kovařík & Senanayake A. M. Kularatne March 2013 – No. 155 Euscorpius Occasional Publications in Scorpiology EDITOR: Victor Fet, Marshall University, ‘[email protected]’ ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Michael E. Soleglad, ‘[email protected]’ Euscorpius is the first research publication completely devoted to scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Euscorpius takes advantage of the rapidly evolving medium of quick online publication, at the same time maintaining high research standards for the burgeoning field of scorpion science (scorpiology). Euscorpius is an expedient and viable medium for the publication of serious papers in scorpiology, including (but not limited to): systematics, evolution, ecology, biogeography, and general biology of scorpions. Review papers, descriptions of new taxa, faunistic surveys, lists of museum collections, and book reviews are welcome. Derivatio Nominis The name Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 refers to the most common genus of scorpions in the Mediterranean region and southern Europe (family Euscorpiidae). Euscorpius is located on Website ‘http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/euscorpius/’ at Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755-2510, USA. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN, 4th Edition, 1999) does not accept online texts as published work (Article 9.8); however, it accepts CD-ROM publications (Article 8). Euscorpius is produced in two identical versions: online (ISSN 1536-9307) and CD-ROM (ISSN 1536-9293). Only copies distributed on a CD-ROM from Euscorpius are considered published work in compliance with the ICZN, i.e. for the purposes of new names and new nomenclatural acts. All Euscorpius publications are distributed on a CD-ROM medium to the following museums/libraries: • ZR, Zoological Record, York, UK • LC, Library of Congress, Washington, DC, USA • USNM, United States National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution), Washington, DC, USA • AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA • CAS, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, USA • FMNH, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, USA • MCZ, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA • MNHN, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France • NMW, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria • BMNH, British Museum of Natural History, London, England, UK • MZUC, Museo Zoologico “La Specola” dell’Universita de Firenze, Florence, Italy • ZISP, Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia • WAM, Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia • NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway • OUMNH, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, UK • NEV, Library Netherlands Entomological Society, Amsterdam, Netherlands Publication date: 4 March 2013 Euscorpius — Occasional Publications in Scorpiology. 2013, No. 155 First report on Hottentotta tamulus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Sri Lanka, and its medical importance Kithsiri B. Ranawana 1, Nandana P. Dinamithra 2, Sivapalan Sivansuthan 2 , Ironie I. Nagasena 1 , František Kovařík 3 and Senanayake A. M. Kularatne 4 1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, [email protected] 2 Teaching Hospital, Jaffna, Sri Lanka 3 P.O. Box 27, CZ-145 01 Praha 45, Czech Republic, www.kovarex.com/scorpio 4 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Summary A scorpion species proved to be lethal to humans was recently recorded from Jaffna Peninsula (9°40'0''N 80°0'0''E, mean annual temperature 26.2°C), in the northern dry zone of Sri Lanka. This species is morphologically different from all other known scorpions in Sri Lanka. The species was identified as Hottentotta tamulus (Scorpiones: Buthidae), which is commonly found in Maharashtra, India, the closest mainland to Sri Lanka. Small children and housewives were most of the victims. Soon after sting, the patient develops intense pain at the site of sting followed by numbed sensation. Dominant clinical effects include excessive sweating, agitation and palpitation. Blood pressure of the victim goes up, and if not promptly treated leads to acute heart failure. There is a high risk of spreading of this species to the rest of the country due to transport of goods and sand from the area. Introduction 2002; Lourenço & Huber, 2002; Lourenço, 1997; Lou- renco & Huber, 1999; Vachon, 1982; see list below). Research on the invertebrate fauna of Sri Lanka is Further, Kovařík (2003, 2004 and 2009) has reviewed scarce and very few published works are available. the genera Isometrus and Heterometrus and compiled a Butterflies seem to be the only arthropod group that has complete list of species belonging to these two genera, attracted the attention of scientists and laymen during including the species found in Sri Lanka. Ecology and the last century (Woodhouse, 1949; d'Abrera, 1998; distribution of the scorpion fauna of Sri Lanka are Gamage, 2007). Recent work on some other invertebrate poorly known. groups such as dragonflies (Fonseka, 1998), theraphosid For almost three decades, due to the war, the spiders (Samarawickrama et al., 2005), land snails (Mor- northern territory of Sri Lanka remained inaccessible to den et al., 2003) and freshwater crabs (Ng & Tay, 2001) medical researchers until 2009. By that time, a could be considered as major attempts to further des- consultant physician, Dr. Sivapalan Sivansuthan, work- cribe the country’s little known invertebrate fauna. ing in the Teaching Hospital, Jaffna, has treated many Unlike most other invertebrates, some members of patients stung by scorpions. He also had seen a few the group Arachnida (especially spiders and scorpions) deaths due to scorpion envenomations in the hospital. are medically important arthropods, because of their One death was recorded in each year of 2006, 2007 and stings or bites are potentially harmful to humans (Rana- 2009, and in 2003 deaths of 12 children was recorded. wana et al., 2011). In the recent past, scorpions are one Eighty cases were reported from January, 2012 to date of the arachnid groups that have attracted attention from (February 2013), of which 52% were females and 48% the medical professionals in Sri Lanka as patients who were males. Of the 80 treated cases, 30% were children are subjected to scorpion stings in the northern part of between 3 to 12 years. Sri Lanka (especially in Jaffna District) develop serious Because of the gravity of this problem, he started clinical conditions that need to be treated immediately. collecting clinical and epidemiological data of scorpion Scorpion fauna in Sri Lanka remains poorly studied, bite admissions in collaboration with Faculty of Med- although already Pocock (1900) listed 11 scorpion icine, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. species described from the country under three families, During past few years, several patients have been namely Buthidae, Chaerilidae, and Scorpionidae. In re- admitted to the Teaching Hospital, Jaffna to receive cent past several genera has been added to this list, treatments for scorpion stings. At present the scorpion bringing the total count up to 16 species (Lourenço stings are very frequent and about four patients are ad- 2 Euscorpius — 2013, No. 155 Figure 1: Hottentotta tamulus, male in its original habitat living in crevices. Sri Lanka, Palali, 9°44'16.83"N 80°05'2.88"E. mitted to Jaffna Hospital every week due to scorpion Indian red scorpion bite has saved many lives with the stings. The common victims are children and house- treatment and monitoring patients as they recover after wives; in many occasions stinging occurs inside houses 24–48 hours. As documented, all 80 victims reported where scorpions are found even among clothes. Also, from January 2012 up to date (February 2013) did these scorpions are found close to human dwelling recover. among leaf litter, logs, and piles of firewood. Often, stinging scorpions are not caught, but some victims Methods and Material come to the hospital bringing a killed or captured scorpion. Dr. S. Sivansuthan in Jaffna Hospital has kept some dead specimens of scorpions brought by the Five live and three dead specimens of scorpions patients and relatives. People in the area called this collected in Palali (9° 44' 16.83'' N, 80° 05' 2.88'' E), offending scorpion ‘White Scorpion’ because of its pale Achchuveli (9° 44' 33.66'' N 80° 04' 6.15''E) and Karai- coloration when compared to commonly found ‘Black nagar (9° 44' 53.07"N 79° 52' 58.38"E) in Jaffna District Scorpions’ (mainly Heterometrus spp., also commonly (Fig. 2) were brought to the wildlife laboratory of the called a giant forest scorpion) found in the country. The Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya, for physician reports that, upon bite, the patient develops the identification purpose beginning in August 2012. intense pain at the site of sting followed by benumbed From these, two males still survive. In the laboratory, feeling. In severe envenomation cases, the patient the dead specimens were preserved in 70% alcohol, and develops excessive sweating, agitation and palpitation. the live specimens were kept in glass tanks having a The blood pressure shoots up and if not promptly sand substrate. The live specimens were fed with insects treated, it leads to acute