Scorpions inhabit many habitats and it is known that they also are found on vegetation and tree trunks. However, there are few studies on the ecology of this type of habitat in scorpions. Witold Lapinski recently published an article on the use of tree trunks and vertical distribution by scorpions in a tropical rainforest in Costa Rica.
Three buthid species were found in the study site and they used almost the entire available height range of the trees in the area. The scorpions were found in stems, branches, and tree trunks.
Abstract:
Many scorpion species can be found on tree trunks but data are scarce regarding their ecology. Therefore, I conducted a two-year survey at a rainforest in Costa Rica. I searched for scorpions at night with a UV light while climbing every month 22 rainforest trees using the rope-climbing technique. The highest trees were ~47 m high. Additional surveys on the forest ground were carried out. Questions: 1) which species occur at the study site? 2) how high above ground do they live? 3) what types of microhabitats do they use, and 4) is their vertical distribution affected by fluctuations of local climate and microclimate? Three buthid scorpion species were found at the study site: Centruroides limbatus, Tityus ocelote, and T. pachyurus. The scorpion species used almost the entire available height range, with T. ocelote occurring significantly higher than the other two species. Most individuals were found on stems, branches, and tree trunks. Effects of local climate and of microclimate fluctuations on vertical distribution were detected only in T. ocelote. Structural variables of trees affected the vertical distribution of all three scorpion species but did not affect their densities.
Reference:
Lapinski W. Vertical distribution and habitat use in arboreal scorpions from a tropical rainforest in Costa Rica. Arachnology. 2025;20(2):303–12. [Subscription required for full text]
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