and Species of Scorpions. 317 
Opisthocentrus africanus, Simon. 
Opisthacanthus africanus, Simon, Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. i. p. 221 (1876). 
Opisthacanthus 7-dentatus, Karsch, Zeits. Naturwiss. 1879, p. 872; and 
Berl. ent. Zeits. xxx. p. 79 (1886); but not Scorpio 7-dentatus, Pal. 
de Beauvois, Ins. rec. en Afr. et Amér. &c. p. 191, pl. v. fig. 5 
(1805). 
This species seems to be not uncommon in the neighbour- 
hood of the Congo. The British Museum has two examples 
ticketed Guinea, fcur ticketed Congo, seven from Cette Cama 
(Gaboon), and one from Stanley Falls. 
Dr. Karsch, who has more than once discussed this species, 
can scarcely be congratulated upon the success of his attempt 
to establish its synonymy. This author made two suggestions 
on this head—firstly, that Simon had described as africanus 
‘the species named Lecomtec by Lucas, and secondly, that 
Lecomte? had been previously described as septem-dentatus by 
Palisot de Beauvois. 
The last view, however, is really too extravagant for serious 
discussion, fora glance at Palisot de Beauvois’s figure is sufli- 
cient to show that the scorpion represented is a thick-tailed 
form which can have no near relationship with any of the 
genera of the Opisthacanthus group ; while, brief though the 
description is, it nevertheless asserts quite plainly that the 
specimen examined had six eyes; and seeing that all the 
species of Opisthacanthus have eight eyes, we may without 
further comment dismiss the question and may pass on to 
consider the learned author’s first supposition, namely, that 
africanus is asynonym of Lecomtet. But although this opinion 
is not, like the other, primd facie absurd, it will nevertheless 
not bear the light of close criticism; for the description of 
Lecomtet fails to apply to specimens of O. africanus in one or 
two particulars—notably in the fact that Lucas’s specimens 
had a larger number of pectinal teeth, a smooth carapace, and 
apparently the frontal lobes of the carapace more triangular 
and separated by a deeper excision. Perhaps these considera- 
tions left in Karsch’s mind that element of doubt respecting 
the synonymy which is expressed by a mark of interrogation ; 
but if so it seems a pity that without further light being shed 
upon the matter the questionableness of the accuracy of the 
synonymy should be apparently entirely forgotten before 
seven years were over. for in 1886 we find a species of 
Opisthacanthus described by Karsch and named as new 
duodecim-dentatus. ‘Uhis scorpion came from the same loca- 
lity as Lecomte aud africanus ; and it is, I should say, certainly 
distinct from the latter, with which, as 7-dentatus, Karsch 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xii. 24 
