and Species of Scorpions. 317 



Opisthocentrus africanus, Simon. 



Opisthacanthns africanits, Simon, Bull. Soc. Zool. Fr. i. p. 221 (1876). 

 OjnstJiacanthvs 7-f/e?2tef2<s, Karsch, Zeits. Naturwiss. 1879, p. 372; and 



Berl. ent. Zeits. xxx. p. 79 (188G) ; but not Scorpio 7-dentatus, Pal. 



de Beauvois, Ins. rec. en Afr. et Amer. &c. p. 191, pi. v. tig. 5 



(1805). 



Tills species seems to be not uncommon in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Congo. The British Museum has two examples 

 ticketed Guinea, four 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 Lecomtei by Lucas, and secondly, that 

 Lecomtei had been previously described as septcm-dentatus by 

 Palisot de Beauvois. 



The last view, however, is really too extravagant for serious 

 discussion, for a glance at Palisot de Beauvois's figure is suffi- 

 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 a synonym of Lecomtei. But although this opinion 

 is not, like the other, prima facie absurd, it will nevertheless 

 not bear the light of close criticism ; for the description of 

 Lecomtei fails to apply to specimens of 0. 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 qucstionableness of the accuracy of the 

 synonymy should be apparently entirely forgotten before 

 seven years were over. Por in 188G we find a species of 

 Opistliacanthus described by Karsch and named as new 

 duodeciDi-dentutus. 'Jhis scorpion came from the same loca- 

 lity as Lecomtei and ajricanus ; and it is, I should say, certainly 

 distinct from the latter, with which, as 1-dentatus, Karsch 



Ann. & Mag. A\ Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. xii. 24 



