Cave and subterranean dwelling scorpions in Brazil

 

As many other invertebrates, som scorpions have adapted to a life in caves and/or in subterrean habitats. A few are true troglobites, adapted to cave life only (often with several troglomorphic adaptions). Others are troglophiles or trogloxenes, living both inside and outside the subterranean realm. 

Jonas Gallao and co-workers have recently published a review summing up the knowledge of cave and subterranean scorpions in Brazil. They found that three families and at least 33 species have been reported from these kinds of habitats. 

Abstract:
Arachnids have successfully colonized subterranean environments. Compared to spiders, harvestmen, and pseudoscorpions, scorpions have a moderate number of subterranean species, including troglophiles and troglobites. Among the four families and 184 species and three subspecies of scorpions found in Brazil, three families and at least 33 species and one subspecies have been documented in subterranean habitats. This study presents a faunistic list of scorpion occurrences in caves and other types of subterranean habitats in Brazil, along with distribution maps and an attempt to classify species based on their use of and dependence on subterranean environments.

Reference:
Gallao JE, Lenhare BD, Oliveira-Neto M, Bichuette ME. Scorpions in Brazilian caves and other subterranean habitats. Euscorpius. 2026(430):1–12. [Open Access]