Akrav israchanani (Levy, 2007)
Akrav israchanani is the only troglobitic scorpion in Israel. It is reported from two caves in Judea: Ayyalon and Levana. Both caves are part of the Ophel biome. They lack a natural entrance and sustain an ecosystem based on chemoatutrophic bacteria.
Currently, many moults and dead specimens of recent origin were found, but no life individuals. This species might be extinct.
Akrav israchanani is eyeless, with slightly troglomorphic, elongated limbs. The tips of the chelae are curved and asymmetrical. Being the largest terrestrial animal in its ecosystem, it was probably an apex predator, and could have fed on the other terrestrial fauna: Collembola and the pseudoscorpion Ayyalonia dimentmani Ćurčić, 2008. As suggested by Fet et al. in 2011, the curved pincer tip could have had a use in catching the aquatic crustaceans found in the pools that are in said caves.
Akrav israchanani is the only known species of its family (Akravidae), and is hypothesised to be a Miocene relict, with closest relatives in North America (Superstitioniidae). Conversely, it may belong in Superstitioniidae itself.
photo by: Shlomi Aharon
Moult at the Ayyalon cave
Moult at the Ayyalon cave, under UV ligh
photo by: Shlomi Aharon
Distribution map
Articles about Akrav israchanani:
Levy, G. (2007). The first troglobite scorpion from Israel and a new chactoid family (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Zoology in the Middle East, 40(1), 91-96.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2007.10638209
Fet, V., Soleglad, M. E., Zonstein, S. L., Naaman, I., Lubaton, S., Langford, B., & Frumkin, A. (2017). The second record of a relict Akrav israchanani Levy, 2007 (Scorpiones: akravidae) from Levana cave, Israel. Euscorpius, 2017(247), 1-12.
https://dx.doi.org/10.18590/euscorpius.2017.vol2017.iss247.1
Ecological Classification
Category: Troglobite
Cave zone: dark zone
Microhabitat: On walls, floor
Taxonomic Classification
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Akravidae
Genus: Akrav
Species: Akrav israchanani
Author: (Levy, 2007)
Fet, V., Soleglad, M. E., & Zonstein, S. L. (2011). The genus Akrav Levy, 2007 (Scorpiones: Akravidae) revisited. Euscorpius, 2011(134), 1-49.
https://dx.doi.org/10.18590/euscorpius.2011.vol2011.iss134.1
Frumkin, A., Dimentman, C., & Naaman, I. (2022). Biogeography of living fossils as a key for geological reconstruction of the East Mediterranean: Ayyalon-Nesher Ramla system, Israel. Quaternary International, 624, 168-180.