Mating is sometimes risky in many arachnids, also in scorpions. Often, the female may kill and devour the male in stead of mating with him. Scorpions have an advanced mating dance which sometimes includes sexual stings to reduce the risk of cannibalism, but in some cases mating attempts do not result in a happy ending for the male.
Rami Khashab published earlier this summer a case report with the first observation of sexual cannibalism in the medical important buthid Leiurus abdullahbayrami Yağmur, Koç & Kunt, 2009.
Abstract:
This study presents the first report of sexual cannibalism in the medically significant scorpion Leiurus abdullahbayrami Yağmur, Koç & Kunt, 2009, that was recorded during a herpetological field trip to the semi-desert area in northern Lebanon. It broadens the understanding of sexual cannibalism in scorpions and adds a new prey item to the dietary spectrum of the scorpion.
Reference:
Khashab R. First case of sexual cannibalism in Leiurus abdullahbayrami Yağmur, Koç & Kunt, 2009 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Lebanon. Euscorpius. 2025(416):1–4. [Open Access]
No comments:
Post a Comment