Article: The external anatomy of some Carboniferous 'scorpions', Part 1

The dorsal anatomy of Carboniferous ' scorpions' has long been known to resemble closely that of Recent scorpions, but ventral organs, especially those of respiration, and details of the appendages have rarely been seen. A new technique for separating the chitinous skin from the ironstone in which the fossils commonly occur, has allowed various parts of the exoskeleton to be completely isolated from the matrix, including some of great value in appraising the mode of life of the animals, and some that are used in the systematic classification of Recent scorpions. Often the minutest details have been revealed. Part 1 describes the technique and discusses our previous knowledge and the classifications that have been propounded. The validity of Pocock's two groups-Lobosterni and Orthosterni-is accepted. The rest of Part 1 relates to two Lobostern 'scorpions'. Revised diagnoses of Eobuthus sp., Wills 1925 (here renamed Pareobuthus salopiensis gen. et sp. nov.) and of Lichnophthalmus pulcher Petr. are followed by a detailed description of the latter. Certain of the organs found in both genera appear to be adaptations to an aquatic existence. Part 2 will deal with the Orthostern 'scorpions'.