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Paraphrynus carolynae

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Paraphrynus carolynae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Amblypygi
Family: Phrynidae
Genus: Paraphrynus
Species:
P. carolynae
Binomial name
Paraphrynus carolynae
de Armas (2012)[1]

Paraphrynus carolynae is a species of tailless whip scorpion from Mexico. The specific epithet carolynae was chosen to honor the arachnologist Carolyn L. Mullinex.[1]

Description

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P. carolynae is usually between 13 and 20mm (0.51-0.79in) total body length. Coloration is reddish-brown overall, with a darkened carapace. [1]

Distribution and Habitat

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P. carolynae is distributed within Mexico in Sonora, Michoacán, and Morelos.[1] A population ranging into the Southwestern United States was previously identified as P. carolynae but is now considered a distinct species, Paraphrynus tokdod.[2]

Ecology

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Like all tailless whip scorpions, this species is largely nocturnal and feeds on smaller arthropods it feels with its antenniform legs.[3]

Taxonomy

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Populations from the Mexican state of Sonora and the U.S. state of Arizona were previously referred to as Paraphrynus mexicanus, but de Armas (2012) assigned the name Paraphrynus carolynae based on morphological differences.[1] In 2025, the population from Arizona was split into another new species, Paraphrynus tokdod.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e de Armas, Luis F. (2012-12-31). "Nueva Especie de Paraphrynus, Moreno, 1940 (Amblypygi: Phrynidae) de México y El Suroeste de los EE.UU. de América" (PDF). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología. 21: 27–32. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b Cazzaniga, Nicolas; Prendini, Lorenzo (2024). "Integrative Systematics Reveals Cryptic Diversity in Paraphrynus Whip Spiders (Amblypygi: Phrynidae) from Southwestern North America". Diversity. 16 (669): 1–16 – via MDPI.
  3. ^ "Species Paraphrynus carolynae - Tail-less Whip Scorpion - BugGuide.Net". BugGuide. Retrieved 23 August 2019.