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...

Record of a Tarantula Bonnetina cyaneifemur Preyed Upon by Centruroides elegans

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Record of a Tarantula Bonnetina cyaneifemur Preyed Upon by Centruroides elegans

Abstract

Tarantulas and scorpions have an important intraguild predation relationship, with spiders acting as predators in most cases. However, scorpions can prey on tarantulas, especially juveniles. We present a case of scorpion predation on the tarantula Bonnetina cyaneifemur in a Mexican dry forest. A juvenile B. cyaneifemur was found in the vegetation with its prosoma partially eaten by a female scorpion Centruroides elegans. Our record increases the number of known predators for the Mexican tarantula B. cyaneifemur and provides information on a trophic niche of the species.

Lizbeth Parra Mendoza, André Felipe de Araujo Lira, Edmundo González-Santillán "Record of a Tarantula Bonnetina cyaneifemur Preyed Upon by Centruroides elegans," Southwestern Entomologist, 50(2), 1-6, (26 May 2025) https://doi.org/10.3958/059.050.0208