Epidemiological Characterizations, New Localities, and a Checklist of the Known Scorpions in the Kurdistan Region, Northern Iraq
-
Fenik Sherzad Hussen
,
Hamid Saeid Kachel
,
Gzng Hama
,
Edi Kachal
,
Masoud Slo
,
Ihsan Hiwil
,
Ayoub Ibrahim Ahmed
Abstract
Background: Annually, thousands of scorpion stings and rare mortalities are recorded in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. In the present study, we prepared a checklist for the geographical distribution of scorpion fauna composition, new localities data, and scorpion sting profile for the years 2019–2020 in the region.
Methods: Random field surveys for scorpion collection were carried out in 22 localities in the Kurdistan Region from June 2020 to October 2021. Clinical data related to scorpion stings in 2019 and 2020 were obtained from the medical records of public health offices in the region.
Results: In this survey, 166 specimens were collected. They were composed of seven scorpion species belonging to three families including: Buthidae, Hemiscorpiidae, and Scorpionidae. The collected species were Androctonus crassicauda, Compsobuthus matthiesseni, Hottentotta saulcyi, Mesobuthus mesopotamicus, Orthochirus fomichevi, Hemiscorpius lepturus, and Scorpio kruglovi. Moreover, three scorpion species comprising Buthacus tadmorensis, Hottentotta mesopotamicus, and Calchas anlasi were recorded in the previous study conducted in the Kurdistan region. In 2019–2020, 3726 scorpion stings were reported, with a peak in the summer season. Most of the patients were 15–49 years old. In the current study, medically significant scorpion species have been identified.
Conclusion: The outcome of the present work will increase the awareness of the Kurdish community regarding the distribution of dangerous scorpion species and consequently reduce their stings.
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2. Bavani M, Jesri N, Sarvi M, Saeedi S, Saghafipour A, Shirani-Bidabadi L (2022) New data on medically important scorpion species of Iran based on seven physiographic areas. Heliyon. 8 : e09877.
3. Dupré G (2016) Les scorpions de Turquie. Arachnides. 79: 1–14.
4. Alqahtani A, Badry A (2021) A contribution to the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia, with an identification key (Arachnida: Scorpiones). J King Saud Univ Sci. 33: 101396.
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7. Lourenço W, Kourim M, Sadine S (2018) Scorpions from the region of Tamanrasset, Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae). II. A new African species of the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828. Arachnida Riv Aracnol Italiana. 16: 3–14.
8. Chippaux J, Goyffon M (2008) Epidemiology of scorpionism: A global appraisal. Acta Trop. 107(2): 71–79.
9. Hussen F, Ahmed T (2021) Epidemiologi-cal and clinical aspects of scorpion stings in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Pol J Environ Stud. 30(1): 629–634.
10. Dehghani R, Kamiabi F, Mohammadi M (2018) Scorpionism by Hemiscorpius spp. in Iran: a review. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 24: 1–10.
11. Kachel H (2020) Scorpion fauna and scorpionism in Zakho Province of Northern Iraq. Comm J Biol. 4(1): 22–27.
12. Hussen F, Ahmed T (2020) New data of scorpion fauna, include two new records with identification key of scorpion species (arachnida: scorpiones) in Iraq. Plant Arch. 20(2): 6711–6725.
13. Levy G, Amitai P (1980) Fauna Palaestina. Arachnida I: Scorpiones. Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
14. Kovařík F (2007) A revision of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, with descriptions of four new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae). Euscorpius. 58: 1–107.
15. Lourenço WR, Qi JX (2007) Description of a new species of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Iraq. Zool Middle East. 41: 99–104.
16. Yağmur E, Soleglad M, Fet V, Kovařík V (2013) Etudes on iurids, VI. Further revision of Calchas Birula, 1899 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), with a description of a new genus and two new species. Euscorpius. 159: 1–37.
17. Sedaghat M, Salehi-Moghadam A, Dehghani R (2012) Mapping the distribution of some important scorpions collected in the past five decades in Iran. J Mil Med Sci Iran. 9: 285–296 (In Persian).
18. Shahi M, Habibi-Masour R, Salehi M, Ghasemi-Nang M, Rafizad E, Abbasi M, Hanafi-Bojd A (2019) Scorpions and Scorpionism in Roudan County, Southern Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis. 13(4): 353–361.
19. Fekri S, Badzohreh A, Safari R, Azizi K (2012) Species identification and geographic distribution of scorpions in Jask County, Hormozgan Province. J Hormozgan Univ Med Sci. 16(2): 135–142.
20. Dehghani R, Khamehchian T, Miranzadeh M (2007) Surveying on the biologic behaviors of Hemiscorpius lepturus Peters 1861, scorpion in laboratory (Khuzestan Iran) (Scorpions: Hemiscorpiidae). Pak J Biol Sci. 10(18): 3097–3102.
21. Tahir H, Navidpour S, Prendini L (2014) First reports of Razianus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Iraq and Pakistan, de-scriptions of two new species, and redescription of Razianus zarudnyi. Am Mus Novit. 3806: 1–26.
22. Radmanesh M (1990) Clinical study of Hemiscorpius lepturus in Iran. J Trop Med Hyg. 93(5): 327–332.
23. Nejati J, Mozafari E, Saghafipour A, Kiyani M (2014) Scorpion fauna and epidemiological aspects of scorpionism in southeastern Iran. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 4(1): 217–221.
24. Shahi M, Rafinejad J, Az-Khosravi L, Moosavy SH (2015) First report of deathdue to Hemiscorpius acanthocercus envenomation in Iran: Case report. Electron Physician. 7(5): 1234–1238.
25. Fet V (2000) Family Scorpionidae Latreil-le, 1802. In: Fet V, Sissom WD, Lowe G, Braunwalder ME (eds) Catalog of the scorpions of the world (1758–1998). New York Entomological Society, New York, pp. 427–486.
26. Al-Yacoub G, Al-Abbad M (2021) Redescription of Scorpio kruglovi (Birula 1910) (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae) from THI QAR Province, south of Iraq. Bull Iraq Nat Hist Mus. 16(3): 389–398.
27. Rajashekhar, Mudgal S (2017) Epidemiological and Clinical Study of Scorpion Envenomation in Patients Admitted at Rims Teaching Hospital, Raichur. Int J Sci Study. 5(3): 73–76.
28. Fernandez M, Lloveras S, Falcone C, Gonzalez G, Garro S, Echazarreta S, Martino O, Orduna T (2018) Scorpion stings in Buenos Aires, Argentina: Epidemiological and clinical aspects. Acta Toxicol Argent. 26(1): 12–18.
29. Rahmani A, Forouzandeh H, Kalantar M,
Asad-Masjedi N, Alavian Z, Kavarizadeh K (2015) Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Scorpion Stings in Ahwaz, Southwest Iran (2006–2010). Int J Med Toxicol Forensic Med. 5(4): 201–206.
30. Molaee S, Ahmadi K, Vazirianzadeh B, Moravvej S (2014) A climatological study of scorpion sting incidence from 2007 to 2011 in the Dezful area of Southwestern Iran, using a time series model. J Insect Sci. 14(151): 1–6.
31. Ghorbani E, Mohammadi Bavani M, Jafarzadeh Sh, Saghafipour A, Jesri N, Moradi Asl E, Omidi Oskouei A (2018) Spa¬tial Distribution of Scorpionism in Ardabil Province, North West of Iran. I Int J Pediatr. 6(9): 8241–8251.
32. Khatony A, Abdi A, Fatahpour T, Towhidi F (2015) The epidemiology of scor-pion stings in tropical areas of Kerman-shah Province, Iran, during 2008 and 2009. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 21 (45): 1–8.
33. Kassiri H, Kassiri A, Sharififard M, Shojaee S, Lotfi M, Kasiri E (2014) Scorpi-on envenomation study in Behbahan County, Southwest Iran. J Coast Life Med. 2(5): 416–420.
34. Barros R, Pasquino J, Peixoto L, Targino I, de Sousa J, Leite R (2014) Clinical and epidemiological aspects of scorpion stings in the northeast region of Brazil. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 19(4): 1275–1282.
2. Bavani M, Jesri N, Sarvi M, Saeedi S, Saghafipour A, Shirani-Bidabadi L (2022) New data on medically important scorpion species of Iran based on seven physiographic areas. Heliyon. 8 : e09877.
3. Dupré G (2016) Les scorpions de Turquie. Arachnides. 79: 1–14.
4. Alqahtani A, Badry A (2021) A contribution to the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia, with an identification key (Arachnida: Scorpiones). J King Saud Univ Sci. 33: 101396.
5. Khalil N, Yağmur E (2010) Leiurus abdullahbayrami (Scorpiones: Buthidae), a new species for the scorpion fauna of Syria. Serket. 12(1): 1–6.
6. Rein J (2022) The Scorpion Files. Trondheim: Norwegian University of Science and Technology [Accessed Augest 2022]. Available at: https://www.ntnu.no/ub/scorpion-files/.
7. Lourenço W, Kourim M, Sadine S (2018) Scorpions from the region of Tamanrasset, Algeria (Scorpiones: Buthidae). II. A new African species of the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828. Arachnida Riv Aracnol Italiana. 16: 3–14.
8. Chippaux J, Goyffon M (2008) Epidemiology of scorpionism: A global appraisal. Acta Trop. 107(2): 71–79.
9. Hussen F, Ahmed T (2021) Epidemiologi-cal and clinical aspects of scorpion stings in Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Pol J Environ Stud. 30(1): 629–634.
10. Dehghani R, Kamiabi F, Mohammadi M (2018) Scorpionism by Hemiscorpius spp. in Iran: a review. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 24: 1–10.
11. Kachel H (2020) Scorpion fauna and scorpionism in Zakho Province of Northern Iraq. Comm J Biol. 4(1): 22–27.
12. Hussen F, Ahmed T (2020) New data of scorpion fauna, include two new records with identification key of scorpion species (arachnida: scorpiones) in Iraq. Plant Arch. 20(2): 6711–6725.
13. Levy G, Amitai P (1980) Fauna Palaestina. Arachnida I: Scorpiones. Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
14. Kovařík F (2007) A revision of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908, with descriptions of four new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae). Euscorpius. 58: 1–107.
15. Lourenço WR, Qi JX (2007) Description of a new species of the genus Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Iraq. Zool Middle East. 41: 99–104.
16. Yağmur E, Soleglad M, Fet V, Kovařík V (2013) Etudes on iurids, VI. Further revision of Calchas Birula, 1899 (Scorpiones: Iuridae), with a description of a new genus and two new species. Euscorpius. 159: 1–37.
17. Sedaghat M, Salehi-Moghadam A, Dehghani R (2012) Mapping the distribution of some important scorpions collected in the past five decades in Iran. J Mil Med Sci Iran. 9: 285–296 (In Persian).
18. Shahi M, Habibi-Masour R, Salehi M, Ghasemi-Nang M, Rafizad E, Abbasi M, Hanafi-Bojd A (2019) Scorpions and Scorpionism in Roudan County, Southern Iran. J Arthropod Borne Dis. 13(4): 353–361.
19. Fekri S, Badzohreh A, Safari R, Azizi K (2012) Species identification and geographic distribution of scorpions in Jask County, Hormozgan Province. J Hormozgan Univ Med Sci. 16(2): 135–142.
20. Dehghani R, Khamehchian T, Miranzadeh M (2007) Surveying on the biologic behaviors of Hemiscorpius lepturus Peters 1861, scorpion in laboratory (Khuzestan Iran) (Scorpions: Hemiscorpiidae). Pak J Biol Sci. 10(18): 3097–3102.
21. Tahir H, Navidpour S, Prendini L (2014) First reports of Razianus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Iraq and Pakistan, de-scriptions of two new species, and redescription of Razianus zarudnyi. Am Mus Novit. 3806: 1–26.
22. Radmanesh M (1990) Clinical study of Hemiscorpius lepturus in Iran. J Trop Med Hyg. 93(5): 327–332.
23. Nejati J, Mozafari E, Saghafipour A, Kiyani M (2014) Scorpion fauna and epidemiological aspects of scorpionism in southeastern Iran. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 4(1): 217–221.
24. Shahi M, Rafinejad J, Az-Khosravi L, Moosavy SH (2015) First report of deathdue to Hemiscorpius acanthocercus envenomation in Iran: Case report. Electron Physician. 7(5): 1234–1238.
25. Fet V (2000) Family Scorpionidae Latreil-le, 1802. In: Fet V, Sissom WD, Lowe G, Braunwalder ME (eds) Catalog of the scorpions of the world (1758–1998). New York Entomological Society, New York, pp. 427–486.
26. Al-Yacoub G, Al-Abbad M (2021) Redescription of Scorpio kruglovi (Birula 1910) (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae) from THI QAR Province, south of Iraq. Bull Iraq Nat Hist Mus. 16(3): 389–398.
27. Rajashekhar, Mudgal S (2017) Epidemiological and Clinical Study of Scorpion Envenomation in Patients Admitted at Rims Teaching Hospital, Raichur. Int J Sci Study. 5(3): 73–76.
28. Fernandez M, Lloveras S, Falcone C, Gonzalez G, Garro S, Echazarreta S, Martino O, Orduna T (2018) Scorpion stings in Buenos Aires, Argentina: Epidemiological and clinical aspects. Acta Toxicol Argent. 26(1): 12–18.
29. Rahmani A, Forouzandeh H, Kalantar M,
Asad-Masjedi N, Alavian Z, Kavarizadeh K (2015) Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Scorpion Stings in Ahwaz, Southwest Iran (2006–2010). Int J Med Toxicol Forensic Med. 5(4): 201–206.
30. Molaee S, Ahmadi K, Vazirianzadeh B, Moravvej S (2014) A climatological study of scorpion sting incidence from 2007 to 2011 in the Dezful area of Southwestern Iran, using a time series model. J Insect Sci. 14(151): 1–6.
31. Ghorbani E, Mohammadi Bavani M, Jafarzadeh Sh, Saghafipour A, Jesri N, Moradi Asl E, Omidi Oskouei A (2018) Spa¬tial Distribution of Scorpionism in Ardabil Province, North West of Iran. I Int J Pediatr. 6(9): 8241–8251.
32. Khatony A, Abdi A, Fatahpour T, Towhidi F (2015) The epidemiology of scor-pion stings in tropical areas of Kerman-shah Province, Iran, during 2008 and 2009. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 21 (45): 1–8.
33. Kassiri H, Kassiri A, Sharififard M, Shojaee S, Lotfi M, Kasiri E (2014) Scorpi-on envenomation study in Behbahan County, Southwest Iran. J Coast Life Med. 2(5): 416–420.
34. Barros R, Pasquino J, Peixoto L, Targino I, de Sousa J, Leite R (2014) Clinical and epidemiological aspects of scorpion stings in the northeast region of Brazil. Cienc Saude Coletiva. 19(4): 1275–1282.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 16 No 3 (2022) | |
| Section | Original Article | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/jad.v16i3.12042 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Scorpion; Scorpion sting; Distribution; Scorpionism; Iraq | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
How to Cite
1.
Hussen F, Kachel H, Hama G, Kachal E, Slo M, Hiwil I, Ahmed A. Epidemiological Characterizations, New Localities, and a Checklist of the Known Scorpions in the Kurdistan Region, Northern Iraq. J Arthropod Borne Dis. 2023;16(3):251–261.
