Comportamiento de apareamiento en tres especies de Bothriurus del grupo prospicuus: estudio comparado y su relación con Bothriurus flavidus (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae).

PERETTI, A.V.; ACOSTA, L.E.; MARTINEZ, M.A.

REVUE ARACHNOLOGIQUE

J.-C. Ledoux

Lugar: Aramon; Año: 2000 vol. 13 p. 73 - 91

0398-4346

The mating behaviour of the three closely related species, Bothriurus noa Maury, B. cordubensis Acosta and B. prospicuus Mello-Leitao, belonging to the prospicuus species-group, was studied. Ethological aspects of mating were analised to gather information, intended to improve the taxonomic and zoogeographic knowledge of the group. Patterns of sexual behaviour for each species were described (N mating sequences = 11); drawings of pre and post-insemination spermatophores are added. Interbreeding tests were registered for B. cordubensis both with B. noa and B. prospicuus. Interbreeding tests were also performed between species of the prospicuus-group and the related species, Bothriurus flavidus Kraepelin. It is concluded that structural patterns of mating behaviour in the three species of the prospicuus-group are basically the same, though there are few differencies in the initial or "introductory" phase and module 1 of the central phase ("promenade"). Only allopatrid species performed interbreedings during the tests, suggesting the absence of behavioural barriers. Plausible explanations for the results of interbreeding, and for the low divergence observed in the sexual recognition systems within the prospicuus-group, are discussed.