Scorpions of Gaziantep (Ordo:Scorpiones) and their zoogeographic distributions

This study was done in order to determine species of scorpions in Gaziantep Faunaand to cotribute to Tukish Fauna. Scorpion specimens of 273 collected from 104localities from this region were investigated between 04.05.2002 and 14.05.2005. Sixspecies of Buthidae family (Androctonus crassicauda, Mesobuthus eupeus,Mesobuthus gibbosus, Mesobuthus nigrocinctus, Leiurus quinquestriatus,Compsobuthus matthiesseni), 1 species of Iuridae family (Calchas nordmanni) and 1species of Scorpionidae family (Scorpio maurus) were determined. The specimensbelonged to 8 species consisting of six genera.Previous data on the location, climate, vegetation and spider fauna of the researcharea were evaluated, and the collection methods were explained. The description ofeach taxa recorded from the study area was made, the identification keys wereprepared, and the related figures were shown. In addition, the original andtaxonomical reference, synonyms, habitat, ecology, distribution in Turkey and in theWorld, and collected data on examined material for each species were given.In this examined area, Mesobuthus nigrocinctus, Leiurus quinquestriatus,Compsobuthus matthiesseni, Calchas nordmanni have been for the first timerecorded.Key Words: Scorpiones, Gaziantep, Fauna, Zoogeography, Systematics.