Researchers have identified a new species of scorpion in Kaeng Krachan National Park in Phetchaburi.
The find was made by a team which included Mr. Wasin Nawanetiwong, a student from the Department of Biology at the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, under the guidance of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nattapoj Vajarasathira.
The newly discovered species, named Scorpiops (Euscorpiops) krachan in honor of its type locality, was uncovered during a wildlife survey conducted in November 2022.
The research findings were published on March 6 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys, detailing the characteristics and habitat of the Kaeng Krachan scorpion.
This very small species, measuring just over 1 inch in length, features a brownish body adorned with hairs, eight yellow legs, and eight eyes. Notably, photographs captured during the study show the Kaeng Krachan scorpion carrying golden-colored offspring on its back and under its legs, a maternal behavior observed in many scorpion species.
The Kaeng Krachan scorpions were discovered beneath rocks at the Ban Krang campsite within the mountainous rainforest of the national park, situated in Phetchaburi province along the Thailand-Myanmar border, approximately 1.5 hours from Hua Hin.
Researchers note that the Scorpiops genus typically employs ambush or sit-and-wait tactics for foraging, a behavior presumed to be shared by the newly identified species.
The identification process was based on physical characteristics such as body shape, size, and pincers, without the aid of DNA analysis. This examination underscored the uniqueness of the Kaeng Krachan scorpion, distinguishing it from any previously known species.
The research team, comprising Mr. Wasin Nawanetiwong, Ondřej Košulič, Natapot Warrit, Wilson Lourenço, and Eric Ythier, extended their thanks to their colleagues for the work on the project.
Image: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University
Kaeng Krachan National Park is the largest national park in Thailand, covering an area of about 2,915 square kilometers. It’s located in the provinces of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan, in the western part of the country, near the border with Myanmar.
The park was established in 1981 as Thailand’s 28th national park. It is part of a much larger forest complex, which also includes several other protected areas in Thailand and Myanmar, making it an important ecological and conservation area in Southeast Asia.
Kaeng Krachan National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2021.
The designation was granted during the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, recognizing the park for its rich biodiversity and importance as a natural habitat for numerous species, including many that are rare and endangered.
All images: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University