A revision of the genus Mesobuthus Vachon, 1950, with a description of 14 new species (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

The Asian genus Mesobuthus Vachon, 1950, s. str. (Buthidae) (also known as an informal M. eupeus complex), which includes the most common scorpion species found from Turkey to China, is revised based on new collections, mainly from Central Asia, Turkey, and Iran, using both morphological and mitochondrial DNA data. Available type specimens of all species were studied; neotypes and lectotypes were designated when necessary. The type species Mesobuthus eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839), s. str., is restricted to the Caucasus Mts. Currently, the genus includes 29 valid species. Fifteen previously described taxa are recognized as species: Mesobuthus afghanus (Pocock, 1889) (Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan) (= ?Buthus agnetis Werner, 1936, syn. n.), M. barszczevskii (Birula, 1904), stat. n. (Uzbekistan), M. bogdoensis (Birula, 1896) (=Buthus eupeus volgensis Birula, 1925, syn. n.) (Kazakhstan, Russia), M. eupeus (C. L. Koch, 1839) (Armenia, Azerbajjan, Georgia, Iran, Russia North Caucasus, Turkey), M. haarlovi Vachon, 1958 (Afghanistan, Pakistan), M. iranus (Birula, 1917) (Iran), M. kirmanensis (Birula, 1900), stat. n. (Iran) (= Buthus pachysoma Birula, 1900, syn. n.), M. macmahoni (Pocock, 1900) (Pakistan), M. mesopotamicus (Penther, 1912), stat. n. (Iraq, Syria, Turkey), M. persicus (Pocock, 1899) (Azerbaijan, Iran), M. philippovitschi (Birula, 1905), stat. n. (Iran), M. phillipsii (Pocock, 1889) (Iran), M. thersites (C.L. Koch, 1839) (=Buthus eupeus mongolicus Birula, 1911, syn. n.) (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia), M. vesiculatus (Pocock, 1900) (Iran), and M. zarudnyi Novruzov et al., 2022 (Azerbaijan). Fourteen new species are described: Mesobuthus birulai sp. n. (Iran), M. crucittii sp. n. (Iran), M. farleyi sp. n. (Iran), M. fomichevi sp. n. (Tajikistan, Uzbekistan), M. galinae sp. n. (Turkmenistan), M. kaftani sp. n. (Iran), M. marusiki sp. n. (Uzbekistan), M. mirshamsii sp. n. (Iran), M. navidpouri sp. n. (Iran), M. rahsenae sp. n. (Turkey), M. turcicus sp. n. (Turkey), M. vignolii sp. n. (Iran), M. yagmuri sp. n. (Turkey), and M. zonsteini sp. n. (Uzbekistan). No subspecies are currently recognized. A key to all studied species is given. A DNA phylogeny based on COI marker is presented including 25 species.