Burrow patterns of the scorpion Heterometrus indus

Systematic Revision of the Asian Forest Scorpions (Heterometrinae Simon, 1879), Revised Suprageneric Classification of Scorpionidae Latreille, 1802, and Revalidation of Rugodentidae Bastawade et al., 2005

“…D. Sahyadrimetrus rugosus vipes, is usually found in rocky habitats, often on wooded hill slopes, gulleys, or ravines where the humidity is slightly higher (P. Jain, personal commun.). The burrowing biology of this fossorial, pelophilous species was described by Tare et al (1993), Bastawade ( , 2005, and Pande et al (2012), the latter misidentified as H.…”

“…133, 134) 30-50 cm deep and descend gradually, often with a gentle turn, but sometimes straight or tortuous, leading to a terminal chamber (Bastawade, 2006Mirza and Sanap, 2009). Burrows are usually occupied by a single individual and have a single entrance, even when occupied by a mother and her brood (Tare et al, 1993). The habitat and habitus are consistent with the fossorial, pelophilous ecomorphotype (Prendini, 2001b).…”

“…Reports of Heterometrus from the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Halmahera (Meise, 1932: 662;Takashima, 1945: 90), to the east of Wallace's Line, have never been confirmed (Couziijn, 1981: 175, 178). Eco.ocy: The ability to construct burrows has been confirmed in all genera of Heterometrinae Hull-Williams, 1989;Khatavkar and More, 1990;Shivashankar and Veeresh, 1991;Shivashankar, 1992Shivashankar, , 1994Tare et al, 1993; 2010a; Pande et al, 2012;Tahir and Prendini, 2014). Burrows are constructed in loamy riverbanks and other sloping ground, at the base of stones and among the roots of trees Shivashankar, 1994;fig.…”

Burrowing into the forest: Phylogeny of the Asian forest scorpions (Scorpionidae: Heterometrinae) and the evolution of ecomorphotypes

“…Like other Scorpionidae, Asian forest scorpions are fossorial, constructing burrows in loamy riverbanks and other sloping terrain, in open ground, at the base of stones or among the roots of trees (Khatavkar and More, 1990; Tare et al, 1993; Prendini et al, 2003; Bastawade, 2004, 2005, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Sureshan et al, 2007; Bastawade and Borkar, 2008; Javed et al, 2010; Mirza et al, 2012; Pande et al, 2012; Tahir and Prendini, 2014). Composite, multi‐entranced burrows containing up to 15 related individuals of overlapping generations have been recorded in some species (Shivashankar and Veeresh, 1991; Shivashankar, 1992, 1994) whereas others live subsocially within large termitaria (Hull‐Williams, 1989).…”

Similar burrow architecture of three arid-zone scorpion species implies similar ecological function

“…Burrow structure and depth differ among species and depend on habitat and soil type, hardness, texture, and composition (Koch 1978;Lamoral 1978Lamoral , 1979Koch 1981;Prendini 2001Prendini , 2005Hembree et al 2012). The burrows of scorpions that inhabit mesic environments are often shallow and constructed beneath rocks, logs, or other surface debris (Smith 1966;Crawford and Riddle 1975;Eastwood 1978;Shivashankar 1992;Tare et al 1993;Shivashankar 1994;Talal et al 2015), whereas, in xeric environments, scorpion burrows are often deeper, more complex, and constructed in open ground (Koch 1978;Lamoral 1979;Polis et al 1986;Talal et al 2015). Some species are known to move along temperature gradients within their burrows to regulate body temperature (Hadley 1970b), and the tortuous architecture of some burrows may facilitate vertical movement within them (Polis 1990).…”