Scorpions of Europe

摘要

This brief review summarizes the studies in systematics and zoogeography of European scorpions. Thecurrent "splitting" trend in scorpion taxonomy is only a reasonable response to the former "lumping." Ourbetter understanding of scorpion systematics became possible due to the availability of new morphologi-cal characters and molecular techniques, as well as of new material. Many taxa and local faunas are stillunder revision. The total number of native scorpion species in Europe could easily be over 35 (Buthidae,8; Euscorpiidae, 22-24; Chactidae, 1; Iuridae, 3) belonging to four families and six genera. The northernlimit of natural (non-anthropochoric) scorpion distribution in Europe is in Saratov Province, Russia, at50°40'54"N, for Mesobuthus eupeus (Buthidae).