Broad-Scale Climatic Gradients Drive Multiple Facets of Scorpion Beta Diversity in Northeastern Brazil

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  Broad-Scale Climatic Gradients Drive Multiple Facets of Scorpion Beta Diversity in Northeastern Brazil ABSTRACT Aim Beta diversity analyses clarify mechanisms structuring ecological communities, but their multidimensional facets remain poorly explored in arthropods. Here, we quantified taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional beta diversity in scorpions, partitioned these facets into species replacement and richness differences, and evaluated the relative importance of spatial structure and environmental conditions in driving community assembly. Location Northeastern Brazil, South America. Taxon Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Methods Taxonomic beta diversity was estimated using species presence across 70 sites in northeastern Brazil. Phylogenetic turnover was calculated from a multi-locus molecular tree, and functional beta diversity was derived from morphometric and ecological traits. All beta diversity facets were decomposed into replacement and richness-difference component...

Light, camera, action: behavioral responses of the yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus to different lights

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Light, camera, action: behavioral responses of the yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus to different lights

Abstract

Scorpions cause 150k+ accidents per year in Brazil. Control of their populations involves manual collection and pesticides. Here we tested if light could be used to attract or repel the yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus, the main responsible for accidents in the country. Based on previous studies on scorpion´s physiological and behavioral reactions to light, we tested wavelengths that correspond to red, green and violet, controlling temperature, absolute irradiance and electromagnetic stimuli. We built a ring arena divided into 5 parts and had the individuals freely walking in the presence of a light/control. We released the scorpions either away from the led to test attraction or close to the led to test repellency. Results showed avoidance to green light, and violet light on a smaller portion, that could be due to wavelengths, since those correspond to primary and secondary response peaks of the animal photoreceptors, due to the absolute irradiance of lights or both. These two wavelengths, therefore, have potential for scorpion control and deserve further investigations.
Rodrigues, M. C., Murayama, G. P., Moriyama, L. T., Ximenes, N., De Souza, L., & Willemart, R. H. (2025). Light, camera, action: Behavioral responses of the yellow scorpion Tityus serrulatus to different lights. Behavioural Processes, 105207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2025.105207