Haplotype diversity in medically important red scorpion (Scorpiones: Buthidae: Hottentotta tamulus) from India.

The medically important Indian red scorpion, Hottentotta tamulus, is one of the most poisonous scorpions of Indian subcontinent. We studied the haplotype diversity in eight populations of H. tamulus based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) partial gene sequence. Analyses revealed 22 haplotypes with a haplotype diversity of 0.941 and nucleotide diversity of 0.023. For the first two codon positions both transition and transversion types of substitutions were equally likely and the test for neutrality was not rejected. However, codon substitution pattern indicated that the gene has experienced purifying selection. Model-based clustering method indicated that the eight populations form three groups that correspond to high, moderate and low rainfall areas, indicating that there is biogeographical separation of haplotypes. Populations from three groups formed distinct clades in maximum likelihood analysis and median joining genetic network and were statistically supported by low within group and high among group variation in analyses of molecular variance. We provide the first account of haplotype diversity in Indian red scorpions and their biogeographical separation.

First molecular phylogeny of scorpions of the family Buthidae from India.

Scorpions of the family Buthidae are widespread species in India. While studies are available on diversity and distribution of Indian buthid scorpions, no information is available on the phylogenetic relationships among the members of the family, within India and Asia in general. In the current study, we provide the first molecular phylogeny of buthid scorpions from central western India based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Our analysis confirms the current placement of the species, previously assigned to Mesobuthus in the genus Hottentotta. However, the analysis also suggests that the member of this genus from India form a monophyletic group distinct from the members of Hottentotta from Africa. Species of Lychas formed a monophyletic group. Although Orthochirus was nested within the larger clade of buthidae comprising genera such as Androctonus, Buthacus, Buthus and Odontobuthus, the exact phylogenetic placement will require more taxonomic sampling of the known genera of Buthidae. We also show that there is a substantial genetic variation among the populations of medically important scorpion species Hottentotta tamulus, and the genetic distance is linearly correlated with the geographical distance between the populations.