A New Species of the Medically Important Scorpion Genus <i>Hemiscorpius</i> Peters, 1861 (Hemiscorpiidae Pocock, 1893) from Kurdistan, Iraq

The scorpion genus <i>Hemiscorpius</i> Peters, 1861 is renowned for its medically important species, particularly <i>Hemiscorpius lepturus</i> Peters, 1861, the type species of the genus and only species previously recorded in Iraq. However, the scorpion diversity of the rugged, arid landscapes of the Kurdistan Region, especially Erbil Governorate, in northern Iraq, remains largely unknown. Extensive fieldwork in Erbil Province in 2024 resulted in the discovery of a previously unknown species, described herein as <i>Hemiscorpius kurdistanus</i> sp. n. The Halgurd-Sakran Mountains in the Bradost Region, to which it appears to be endemic, probably played a role in its speciation, providing a barrier that contributed to geographical isolation. The new discovery supports the hypothesis that Kurdistan represents an area of endemism for arthropods due to its isolation and unique environmental conditions. The addition of a new, potentially medically important scorpion species to the Iraqi fauna emphasizes the need for continued studies on the systematics of <i>Hemiscorpius</i> and other scorpion taxa as well as updated public health awareness and envenomation management strategies across the Middle East.