Lizbeth Sarai Rodríguez‑Medina and co-workers have recently published a study on female cannibalism in the litter-dwelling scorpion Mesotityus pusillus (Pocock, 1893) (Buthidae) from Brazil. [The genus name for the species is based on Prendini (2026), and the current use name of this taxa in The Scorpion Files is Tityus pusillus Pocock, 1893.]
The study tested if there were differences in offspring discrimination in females (own offspring vs. non-related offspring). Interestingly, there were no differences in predation occurrence and the proportion
of juveniles consumed in the two groups.
One interesting difference was observed. When females were together with their own offspring, it took longer time for any cannibalism occurred. Even though this difference was quite small, the authors suggest that kin recognition could be one of the explanations for the observed delay.
Abstract:
The small size and limited defensive capacity are factors responsible for the high mortality of juveniles. Thus, offspring recognition is an important trait for juvenile survival, especially in generalist predators. In this study, we investigated aspects
related to offspring discrimination in females of the scorpion Mesotityus pusillus. A total of 172 juveniles from 32 females were divided into two groups: females with their own offspring and females with unrelated juveniles. Predation events were recorded
daily for 20 days. Predation occurrence and the proportion of juveniles consumed did not differ significantly between groups. Females with their own offspring tended to take longer to initiate predation than females exposed to unrelated juveniles, although this difference was not statistically significant. Our results reveal differences in the timing of cannibalistic behavior without providing clear evidence for consistent
Reference:
Rodríguez-Medina LS, de Araujo Lira AF, Pordeus LM. Delayed Cannibalism in the Litter-Dwelling Scorpion Mesotityus pusillus (Pocock, 1893)(Scorpiones, Buthidae): Evaluating Kin Recognition as a Possible Explanation. Journal of Insect Behavior. 2026;39(2):20. [Open Access]
