DNA barcoding of scorpions from Kosovo, with the first record of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae)

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  DNA barcoding of scorpions from Kosovo, with the first record of Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae) ABSTRACT This study presents DNA barcoding data for Alpiscorpius dinaricus (Di Caporiacco) and Euscorpius hadzii Caporiacco. Barcode sequences were compared with publicly available reference data to support species identification, together with the evaluation of diagnostic morphological characters. Alpiscorpius dinaricus is recorded from Kosovo for the first time, representing a new national record and contributing to the knowledge of euscorpiid diversity in the region. Diagnostic illustrations of A. dinaricus are provided to facilitate reliable identification and to support future faunistic, taxonomic, and biogeographic studies. Euscorpius hadzii , previously known only from Prizren district, is now reported also from Bjeshkët e Nemuna Mountains (Western Kosovo). Geci, D., Ibrahimi, H., Bilalli, A., Musliu, M., Strohmeier, T., Koblmüller, S., … S...

Comparison of desiccation resistance in the litter-dwelling scorpion Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from dry and wet tropical forests

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Comparison of desiccation resistance in the litter-dwelling scorpion Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from dry and wet tropical forests


Abstract


Water conservation is one of the major challenges encountered by terrestrial arthropods; species inhabiting dry forests are hypothesized to have adapted to dry conditions. Tityus pusillus Pocock,1893 is one of the most abundant scorpion species in northeastern Brazil, occurring in dry and tropical rainforests. Considering the wide distribution of T. pusillus, we aimed to investigate differences in desiccation resistance between populations originating from the Atlantic rainforest and the Caatinga dry forest. In this study, 40 individuals of T. pusillus from each of the two ecosystems were used. The two groups were separated into control and treatment groups (individuals without a water supply). Scorpions from the Atlantic rainforest had a shorter lifespan than those from the Caatinga dry forest, both in the control and treatment groups. However, the weight loss rate was higher in scorpions from the Caatinga dry forest than those from the Atlantic rainforest. In addition, Atlantic rainforest scorpions presented a lower resistance to desiccation, exhibiting a higher mortality rate than the Caatinga dry forest individuals. These results suggest that T. pusillus can exhibit, via phenotypic plasticity or local adaptation, a broad range of tolerances that allow it to persist in different habitats. Furthermore, our findings suggest that T. pusillus individuals from the Caatinga dry forest have physiological attributes that allow them to resist prolonged desiccation, which may be related to adaptations that are intrinsic to the population from the dry forest.


Thayna R. Brito-Almeida, Renato P. Salomão, Wendel J. Teles-Pontes, and André F. A. Lira "Comparison of desiccation resistance in the litter-dwelling scorpion Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from dry and wet tropical forests," The Journal of Arachnology 51(2), 118-122, (26 July 2023). https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-22-018