Opistophthalmus carinatus ( Peters, 1861 )

Prendini, Lorenzo & Bird, Tharina L., 2008, Scorpions of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia: Species richness inversely correlated with altitude, African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 77-77 : 97-98

Opistophthalmus carinatus ( Peters, 1861)

Heterometrus carinatus: Peters 1861: 515 .

Opisthophthalmus anderssonii Thorell, 1876 a: 239–242 (synonymised by Kraepelin 1894: 85).

Opisthophthalmus histrio Thorell, 1876 a: 242–243 (synonymised by Kraepelin 1894: 85).

Petrovicus furcatus Simon, 1888: 380–381 (synonymised by Kraepelin 1894: 85).

Material examined: 1 ♂ 1♀1 subad.♀2 juv.♀Brandberg [21°14'S: 14°30'E], 1240 m, H. Pager (1 ♂ TMSA 18179), v.1979 ( 1♀TMSA 17774), 1–14.v.2003, Edu-Ventures 1, syntopic with U. planimanus (1 subad.♀1 juv.♀SMN 2400, 1 juv.♀SMN 2682); 2 ♂ Brandberg,Amis Gorge [21°11'S: 14°28'E], 1700 m, 20.x.1979 (1 ♂ AMNH [ AH 1489]), 23.x.1979 (1 ♂ AMNH [ AH 1881]), H.Pager; 1♀( AMNH [ AH 1354]), 1 subad.♀( AMNH [ AH 1355]), Brandberg, Basswald Rinne [21°10'S: 14°38'E], 17–18.iv.1980, A. Harington; 1♀( AMNH), Brandberg,top of Ga-Aseb Gorge, ca 500 m W of Orabeskopf, 21°12'09.3"S: 14°34'05.6"E, 1631 m, 22.xii.2003, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & N.C. Krone, flat, sandy valley below summit, surrounded by granite boulder-strewn slopes, Aloe dichotoma , Cyphostemma , Euphorbia and Boscia , with sparse grass on granitic sandy loam, specimens collected with UV detection on warm, dark, still night, captured in the open or doorkeeping at burrow entrances at base of stones; 5♀2 subad.♀2 juv. ♂ Brandberg, Ga-Asab (Goaseb) Gorge, 21°12'35.3''S: 14°34'32.2''E, 1300 m, 1–2.iv.2006, mid-slopes of Brandberg in arid savannah with Cyphostemma currorii and Aloe dichotoma on larger granite outcrops and sandy-loam soils, one specimen collected on surface by UV detection on cool, dark,still night,rest excavated from burrows under stones ( 1♀AMNH, 2 subad.♀SMN 2956), 21°12'02.6''S: 14°34'08.6''E, 1825 m, 2.iv.2006, excavated from burrow under stone in granitic sandyloam soil on upper slopes of Brandberg, arid savannah vegetation ( 1♀AMNH), 21°12'03''S: 14°33'57.9''E, 1868 m, 3.iv.2006, upper slopes of Brandberg in small sandy valley, arid savannah with Cyphostemma currorii and Aloe dichotoma on larger granite outcrops and sandy-loam soils, specimens observed at night,‘doorkeeping’ at burrow entrances, mostly at base of stones but sometimes in open ground, and excavated during the day, 3♀( AMNH), 2 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2957), L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona; 10 specimens, Brandberg, Goaseb Gorge [21°14'S: 14°35'E], 1670 m, 7.ii.1978 (1 juv.♀TMSA 18145), 8.ii.1978 (1 juv. ♂ TMSA 18143), 25.ii.1978 ( 1♀TMSA 18144), 17–18.iv.1982 (2 juv.♀AMNH [AH 3141, 3142]), v.1978 (1 ♂ TMSA 17773), H. Pager, 4–5.ii.1981 ( 2♀AMNH [AH 1737, 2070], 2 subad. ♂ AMNH [AH 3435, 3436]), A. Harington; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 2245]), Brandberg, Hungarob-Mulde [21°10'S: 14°32'E], 23.v.1980, H. Pager; 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2229), Brandberg, Mason Shelter, 21°04'39''S: 14°05'43''E, 15.iii.2002, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs & D.J. Mann, black light; 1♀2 subad.♀1 juv. ♂ 2 juv.♀( SMN 2747 [TB 04/128]), Brandberg, Mason Shelter, 1.25 km ENE, 21°04'41.0''S: 14°36'08.8''E, 9.v.2004, EduVentures 4, dug from burrow 25–30 cm deep; 1♀( AMNH),Brandberg summit, Longipoele, 21°11'40.9''S: 14°33'31.8''E, 1840 m, 3.iv.2006, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona, excavated from burrow under stone in granitic sandy-loam soil on summit of Brandberg, arid savannah vegetation; 34 specimens, Brandberg summit,between Longipoele and Helmpoele, 21°11'33.2"S: 14°33'31.4"E, 1830 m, 23.xii.2003, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & N.C. Krone, sheltered, flat sandy valley with granite domes and boulders intersected by dry watercourses, granitic loam soil with Stipagrostis –Aristida grassland, Boscia , Cyphostemma , Euphorbia and Ozoroa in rocky areas, specimens excavated from burrows in open ground or at the base of stones or collected with UV detection on warm, dark, still night, sitting on ground surface (7 ♂ 2♀AMNH, 2 juv. ♂ 12 juv.♀AMCC 144125 [ LP 2582], 1 subad. ♂ 4 subad.♀3 juv.♀SMN 2808), 21°11'33.4''S: 14°33'39.8''E, 1841 m, 3.iv.2006, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona, excavated from burrows in open granitic sandy-loam soil, on summit of Brandberg in sandy valley surrounded by granitic outcrops, arid savannah with Cyphostemma currorii and Aloe dichotoma on larger granite outcrops, other specimens observed ‘doorkeeping’ at burrow entrances at night ( 1♀AMNH, 1 subad.♀1 juv. ♂ SMN 2954); 4 ♂ 3♀( AMNH), 1 subad.♀1 juv.♀( SMN 2955), Brandberg summit, valley E Helmpoele, 21°11'31.9''S: 14°34'00.5''E, 1930 m, 3.iv.2006, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona, UV detection on cool, still night (moonset 10 pm), on summit of Brandberg in sandy valley surrounded by granitic outcrops, arid savannah with Cyphostemma currorii and Aloe dichotoma on larger granite outcrops and sandy-loam soils, specimens taken on ground surface; 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2678 [ LP 04/135c]), Brandberg, Umuab Vlakte, 21°04'55.3''S: 14°34'03.4''E, 1803 m, 9–12.v.2004, EduVentures 4, dug from burrow 30 cm deep; 1 subad.♀( SMN 2033), Brandberg, Wasserfallfläche, 21°10.76'S: 14°33.16'E, 2000 m, 7.iv.1999, S. van Noort & R. Powell, under rock on rocky hillside, bushy Karroo-Namib shrubland; 47 specimens, Brandberg,Wasserfallfläche, on summit, 21°10'47.0"S: 14°33'16.6"E, 1977 m, 24.xii.2003, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & N.C. Krone, flat, sandy valley with granite domes and boulders, fairly dry and exposed, Aloe dichotoma , Cyphostemma , Euphorbia and Boscia , with sparse grass on granitic sandy loam, specimens collected with UV detection in open sand flats, on cool, dark,still night (30 ♂ 3♀AMNH, 3 juv.♀AMCC 144127 [ LP 2584], 2 ♂ 2 subad. ♂ 2 subad.♀1 juv. ♂ 3 juv.♀SMN 2806, 1 ♂ SMN 2807); 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2100), 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2121), Gravel Plain, 21°10'28''S: 14°34'07''E, 28.xi.1999, pitfall trap; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 1794]), Omatjette–Khorixas junction, 25 km towards Uis [21°03'S: 14°53'E], 6.ii.1981, A. Harington; 1 ♂ 1♀( AMNH [AH 1338 & AH 1337]) Uis [21°15'S: 14°50'E], late 1979–early 1980, H. Henke.

Ecology and distribution: This pelophilous species ( Fig. 18 ) excavates shallow to moderate, gently curving burrows under stones or in open ground in consolidated loamy substrata (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2001 b). This species occurs in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2005 a). Although widespread further east in Namibia, the species is restricted to the summit, upper and middle slopes of the Brandberg ( Figs 6–8 ). The lowest altitude at which it has been collected on the Massif is 1240 m. It is replaced by Opistophthalmus ugabensis at lower altitudes on the Massif ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

Figs 17, 18. Adult males, habitus in life: (17) Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888); (18) Opistophthalmus carinatus (Peters, 1861).

Fig. 6. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), upper slopes of Massif in Goaseb (Ga-Asab) Gorge, facing northeast, wet year. Dominant vegetation, Cyphostemma currorii (Hook.f.) Desc. and Ozoroa crassinervia (Engl.) R. Fern & A. Fern. Rocky slopes, habitat of Brandbergia haringtoni Prendini, 2003, Lisposoma elegans Lawrence, 1928, Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888), and Uroplectes planimanus (Karsch, 1879). Woody vegetation, habitat of Uroplectes otjimbinguensis (Karsch, 1879).

Fig. 7. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), just below summit of Massif in Goaseb (Ga-Asab) Gorge, facing south to gravel plains, dry year. Rocky slopes, habitat of Brandbergia haringtoni Prendini, 2003, Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888) and Uroplectes planimanus (Karsch, 1879).

Fig. 8. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), Wasserfallfläche, plateau on summit of Massif, facing southwest, wet year. Dominant vegetation, Boscia albitrunca (Burch.) Gilg & Gilg-Ben., Cyphostemma currorii (Hook.f.) Desc.and Euphorbia sp. Rocky flats and slopes, habitat of Lisposoma elegans Lawrence, 1928, Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888) and Uroplectes planimanus (Karsch, 1879). Sandy flats, habitat of Parabuthus brevimanus (Thorell, 1876) and Opistophthalmus carinatus (Peters, 1861). Woody vegetation, habitat of Uroplectes otjimbinguensis (Karsch, 1879).

Fig. 5. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), lower slopes of Massif in Goaseb (Ga-Asab) Gorge, facing southwest, wet year. Dominant vegetation, Acacia montis-usti Merxm. & A. Schreib., Commiphora sp., Euphorbia sp. and Moringa ovalifolia Dinter & A. Berger. Rocky flats and slopes, habitat of Hottentotta conspersus (Thorell, 1876), Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888) and Opistophthalmus ugabensis Hewitt, 1934.