Social behavior and shelter selection in Mesobuthus gibbosus

Dimitris Kaltsas, Iasmi Stathi & Moysis Mylonas have published a study of intraspecific differentiation of social behavior and shelter selection in the buthid Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brulle, 1832) in two locations in Greece.

Their results indicate that seasonal shelter selection and social behavior of M. gibbosus are regulated by climatic factors and differ in relation to intraspecific (within the species) competition. Sociality in the form of sharing shelters will cease in the warm period because of higher activity in prey capture and hence an increased intraspecific competition (but no connection to an increased danger of cannibalism as M. gibbosus seems to be a non-cannibalistic species).

Abstract:
We compared seasonal shelter selection and social behavior of Mesobuthus gibbosus from autumn to mid-summer in two similar phryganic ecosystems, in continental Greece (near Volos city) and in insular Greece (eastern Crete), and in the laboratory under simulated abiotic conditions. Our results showed that shelter selection is a critical indicator of the seasonal social behavior of the species. The abrupt climatic changes in spring caused a differentiation in shelter selection between the cold period (November–February) and the warm period (March–June) at both sites. Sociality was exhibited only during winter in the field and was more extensive under cold conditions in the laboratory. Co-occurrence of scorpions proved to be age-specific, facilitated by population density and by harsh abiotic conditions during winter, and negatively influenced by intraspecific competition, which was higher in continental Greece. The response of scorpions to changes of abiotic factors reveals synchronization of seasonal shelter selection with climatic changes.

Reference:
Kaltsas D, Stathi I, Mylonas M. Intraspecific differentiation of social behavior and shelter selection in Mesobuthus gibbosus (Brull,, 1832) (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Journal of Ethology. 2009 Sep;27 (3):467-73. [Subscritpion required for fulltext]

Photo: Mesobuthus gibbosus from northwestern Crete, Greece (Photo: Jan ove Rein).

Family Buthidae