‘Cryptic' creature found clinging to garden wall on Cyprus for first time. See it
Cyprus, off the southern coast of Turkey, was suspected to be a new home for an 'ancient' species, but no living specimens had been discovered — until now.
'Amblypygi, commonly known as tailless whip scorpions or whip spiders, is an order of Arachnida noted for its cryptic habits and predominantly tropical and subtropical distribution. Although the group was first mentioned on the island of Cyprus in 1990, no specific taxonomic information was provided at the time,' according to a July 10 study published in the peer-reviewed Biodiversity Data Journal.
More than 30 years ago, researcher Boris Sket found the carcasses of tailless whip scorpions on the limestone of a monastery on Cyprus near a natural spring, but didn't collect any live animals and the species was never noted again, according to the study.
Researchers hoped to confirm this record, but after 'seven years of dedicated searches,' they were still empty-handed.
Armed with flashlights, researchers searched 'habitats with high relative humidity' including 'caves, abandoned wells, sewer outlets (and) shaded garden walls' across the island, according to the study.
Then in July 2023, a single living adult tailless whip scorpion was found on a garden wall in the Pissouri village, researchers said.
'The specimen was kept for three days in a ventilated terrarium, with coconut fibre substrate, dry leaf litter and some rocks with cracks and was provided water, moisture and small mealworms and cockroaches as food,' according to the study.
After three days, the animal died naturally, allowing researchers to take a closer look and confirm its specific species based on physical traits.
The animal was Sarax ioanniticus, a species first identified in 1959, according to the study.
The species is 'characterized by their very thin and elongated first pair of legs and flattened bodies,' researchers said. 'They are nocturnal predators, primarily feeding on insects and small invertebrates.'
This particular order of tailless whip scorpions has sensory organs in their front legs, so the legs are used for prey detection instead of locomotion, according to the study.
Researchers also used reports of the animals to map where they were distributed across the island, finding that there is likely a well-established population, according to the study.
'Citizen science has played a crucial role in documenting species such as S. ioanniticus in Cyprus and the broader Mediterranean Region,' researchers said. 'Local contributions, especially through platforms like iNaturalist and social media groups focused on biodiversity, have been instrumental in recording occurrences of numerous important alien and native species. Such records, contributed by non-professionals, help fill gaps in species' distributions, offer valuable support for ecological research and assist conservation efforts.'
Cyprus is in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon.
The research team includes Michael Hadjiconstantis, Matthew Stephen Smith and Christos Zoumides.
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