Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia

Abstract

-We sampled scorpions in a systematic survey of 294 sites representing the major landform types across the arid Pilbara region of north-western Australia, an area of ca. 179,000 km 2 . We trapped two species of Isometroides, 10 of Lychas and 10 of Urodacus. All species were undescribed except one (U. megamastigus). Patterns of occurrence were similar to those found previously in arid Western Australia, in that temperature and soil characteristics seem to infl uence scorpion distributions; however, there were only weak correlations between species richness and sandiness of the soil, water availability, and annual temperature. In a classifi cation of the sample sites based on occurrence of scorpion species, the major division in the dendrogram was associated with topographic and soil variables, while annual temperature, soil depth, ruggedness, total K and the presence of Acacia species were the fi ve variables (of the 25 available) providing the best fi t with the site matrix. Much more information about the biology and ecology of individual species will be needed in order to interpret these patterns confi dently.

Compositional patterns in terrestrial fauna and wetland flora and fauna across the Pilbara biogeographic region of Western Australia and the representativeness of its conservation reserve system

“…This result is generally consistent with taxon-specifi c analyses of individual species relationships and multivariate analyses of the Pilbara Biodiversity Survey data (Gibson and McKenzie 2009;Burbidge et al 2010;Guthrie et al 2010;Heterick et al 2010;Pinder et al 2010;Volschenk et al 2010;Doughty et al 2011). Among the taxonomic groups examined in these analyses, beetle, scorpion, bird, reptile and ground-mammal patterns all showed strong relationships with soil attributes.…”

“…The sites were positioned across the geographical extent of the region in a stratified array to sample the main climatic gradients, geological formations, landforms, river catchments, soils and vegetation types. The survey fi ndings, published as a series of papers in a dedicated Supplement of the Records of the Western Australian Museum, describe the relationship between the region's physical environment and components of its biota (Gibson andMcKenzie 2009, McKenzie et al 2009;Burbidge et al 2010;Guthrie et al 2010;Heterick et al 2010;Pinder et al 2010;Volschenk et al 2010;Doughty et al 2011). Each of these taxonspecifi c papers related biodiversity survey data to environmental attributes at the site level.…”

Geodiversity and endemism in the iconic Australian Pilbara region: a review of landscape evolution and biotic response in an ancient refugium

“…() reports that 68% of beetles collected could not be assigned to recognized species, and Volschenk et al . () could not classify 83% of scorpion morphotypes to described species.…”

“…High diversity has also been found in snails (Johnson et al, 2006), and preliminary results from the Pilbara Biodiversity Survey indicate a substantial undescribed flora and terrestrial invertebrate fauna. For example, Guthrie et al (2010) reports that 68% of beetles collected could not be assigned to recognized species, and Volschenk et al (2010) could not classify 83% of scorpion morphotypes to described species.…”

A new species of Mouse Spider (Actinopodidae, Missulena) from the Goldfields region of Western Australia

“…The species is yet another example of the extremely diverse invertebrate fauna of the semi-arid Goldfields region of Western Australia that is currently poorly studied in relationship to its invertebrate fauna when compared to other bioregions in Western Australia, e.g. the Pilbara (Durrant et al 2010;McKenzie et al 2009;Volschenk et al 2010). Whilst comprehensive biological studies have been conducted in the Goldfields more than two decades ago, these rarely considered invertebrates (Biological Surveys Committee 1984;Keighery et al 1995).…”