Uroplectes planimanus ( Karsch, 1879 )

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 : 93-96

Uroplectes planimanus ( Karsch, 1879)

Lepreus planimanus: Karsch 1879: 125–126 .

Lepreus lunulifer Simon, 1888: 375–377 (synonymised by Kraepelin 1895: 88).

Material examined: 1 ♂ 2 juv.♀( SMN 1002), 1♀( SMN 2036), 1♀5 juv. ( SMN 2231 [TB 03/34(b)]), 1 juv. ♂ 2 juv.♀( SMN 2286), 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2312), 1 ♂ ( SMN 2680 [TB 03/34c]), 1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2684 [TB 03/ 40]), 1 juv.♀( SMN 2940), 2♀( SMN 3373 [TB 03/36(g)]), Brandberg [21°14'S: 14°30'E], 1–14.v.2003, EduVentures 1, syntopic with O. carinatus ; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 2040]), 1♀( AMNH [ AH 2162]), Brandberg, Amis Gorge [21°11'S: 14°28'E], 30.i.1981, A. Harington, UV detection, found near sheer cliffs and sloping hills at the base of the mountain and gorge sides,syntopic with H.conspersus , P.brevimanus , and U. planimanus ; 3 ♂ ( SMN 3078 [TB 07/04(b)]), Brandberg, Amis Gorge (lower foothills), 21°19'43.08"S: 14°47'41.04"E, 740 m, 5.ii.2007, T.L. Bird, P. Michalik, A. Klann & G. Talarico, UV detection; 1♀( SMN 3105) Brandberg,Amis Gorge (base), 21°19'43.08"S: 14°47'41.04"E, 740 m, 5.ii.2007, T.L. Bird, P. Michalik,A. Klann & G. Talarico, UV detection in river bed; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 1440]), 1♀( AMNH [ AH 1441]), Brandberg, Basswald Rinne [21°10'S: 14°38'E], 18.iv.1980, A. Harington, on foothills, more common under black rocks, syntopic with H. conspersus ; 1 subad.♀( AMNH) Brandberg, campsite at end of road to Ga-Aseb Gorge, 21°14.234'S: 14°34.847'E, 750 m, 24.xii.2003, E. Scott & C. Bird; 1♀( AMNH), 1 juv. ♂ ( AMCC 172335 [ LP 2592]), Brandberg, base of Ga-Aseb Gorge, 21°13'41.6"S: 14°34'44.1"E, 781 m, 21.xii.2003, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & N.C. Krone, dry riverbed surrounded by steep rocky slopes comprising igneous rocks with Sterculia , Acacia montis-usti and Commiphora, UV detection on warm, dark, still night, specimen collected in open midslope; 4♀1 juv. Brandberg, Ga-Asab (Goaseb) Gorge, 21°12'35.3''S: 14°34'32.2''E, 1300 m, 1–2.iv.2006, UV detection on cool, dark, still night becoming windy later,on mid-slopes of Brandberg in arid savannah with Cyphostemma currorii and Aloe dichotoma on larger granite outcrops and sandy-loam soils, specimen taken on rock surface ( 2♀AMNH, 1 juv. AMCC 172346 [ LP 5710]), 21°12'03''S: 14°33'57.9''E, 1868 m, 2–3.iv.2006, UV detection on cool, dark, still night, on 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 taken on rock surface ( 2♀AMNH), L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 3865]), Brandberg, Goaseb Gorge [21°14'S: 14°35'E], 31.i.1981,A.Harington,syntopic with P.brevimanus ; 1 subad. ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 837]), Goaseb nr Brandberg [21°14'S: 14°35'E], 6.iv.1978, H. Pager, syntopic with B.haringtoni ; 1♀( SMN 2221), Brandberg, Mason Shelter, 21°04'39''S: 14°05'43''E, 15.iii.2002, A.H. Kirk-Spriggs & D.J. Mann, black light; 1 subad. ♂ 1♀Brandberg, Numas Valley [21°06'S: 14°23'E], 3.viii.1969, P.J. Buys ( 1♀SMN 92), 14.viii.1995, M. & E. Griffin, rocky hillside, under stones in crevices (1 subad. ♂ SMN 2226); 2♀( SMN 98), Brandberg, Numas Gorge [21°07'S: 14°25'E], 457 m, 11.viii.1969, P.G. Olivier; 2♀( SMN 98), Brandberg, Numasplato, 2286 m, 11.viii.1969, P.G. Olivier; 1 subad.♀( AMNH [ AH 1857]), Brandberg, Orabes Gorge [21°13'S: 14°37'E], 16.iv.1980, A. Harington, syntopic with H. conspersus and O. ugabensis ; 1♀( AMNH), 1 subad.♀1 juv. ♂ ( SMN 2930), Brandberg, summit, Longipoele, 21°11'35.8''S: 14°33'29.5''E, 1832 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 collected on exfoliating rock outcrop; 1 ♂ 2♀( AMNH), 2 juv. ♂ 1 juv.♀( AMCC 172336 [ LP 2598]), 2♀( SMN 3384), Brandberg, summit, below Longipoele, 21°11'34.9"S: 14°33'23.9"E, 1794 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 collected with UV detection on warm, dark, still night, sitting on rock faces; 14 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 collected with UV detection on warm, dark, still night, sitting on rock faces (5 ♂ 1♀AMNH, 1 subad.♀1 juv. ♂ 1 juv.♀AMCC 172338 [ LP 2612], 1 ♂ 1♀SMN 3383), 21°11'33.4''S: 14°33'39.8''E, 1841 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 rock surface (1 juv. AMCC 172344 [ LP 5707], 2 juv.♀SMN 2929); 2 ♂ 2♀( AMNH), 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 collected on rock faces and stones; 2 juv. ♂ Brandberg, Wasserfallfläche, 21°10.76'S: 14°33.16'E, 7.iv.1999, S. van Noort, under rock, bushy Karoo-Namib shrubland ( SMN 2117), 2000 m, 14.iv.1999, S.G. Compton, bushy Karoo-Namib shrubland ( SMN 2113); 11 ♂ 3♀( AMNH), 2 juv. ♂ 4 juv.♀( AMCC 172339 [ LP 2613]), 1 ♂ 3 subad. ♂ 4 subad.♀( SMN 3382), 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; 1♀( SMN 1862), top of Brandberg [21°14'S: 14°30'E], vii.1993, Raleigh International; 1♀( AMNH [ AH 2042]),Brandberg,at hill 282,opposite Orabeskopf [21°15'S: 14°38'E], 1.ii.1981,A.Harington, night collecting (cloudy sky, warm, windless), near rock border of hill, syntopic with P.brevimanus , P.gracilis , P. granulatus , P. kraepelini and O. jenseni ; 1 subad. ♂ ( SMN 1577), W of Brandberg, 21°07'S: 14°23'E, 10.viii.1985, E. Griffin, at night; 1 juv. ♂ ( NMSA 10879) Messum Crater area, 21°16'S: 14°13'E, 26.iii.1976, B. Lamoral & L. Ferguson, on rocky ground at night; 1 subad. ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 1915]), N end of Uis Mtns, nr Uis [21°07'S: 14°52'E], 6.ii.1981,A.Harington;1 ♂ 1♀( AMNH [ AH 2149]), Uis R., nr Kai-Nuses, nr Uis [21°11'S: 14°52'E], 2.ii.1981, A. Harington, syntopic with P. brevimanus , P. kraepelini , P. namibensis , and U. otjimbinguensis ; 1 ♂ ( TMSA 17292), Uis [21°15'S: 14°50'E], 8.ii.1969, J.J. Nel; 1♀( TMSA 17929), Uis tin mine, Uis [21°13'S: 14°51'E], 1967, J.J. Nel; 3 ♂ 3♀( AMNH), Uis, 2 km from town on Henties Bay road, 21°13.48'S: 14°51.84'E, 780 m, 15.i.1998, L. Prendini & E. Scott, rocky flats and hillside on outskirts of town, night collecting with UV detection, syntopic with P. villosus and O. lamorali ; 3 ♂ ( AMNH), 2 subad.♀( SMN 2933), Uis, 3 km W on road to Hentiesbaai, 21°13'57.5''S: 14°51'08.7''E, 814 m, 31.iii.2006, L. Prendini, T.L. Bird & S.K. Uunona, UV detection on warm, still, dark night, becoming windy later, followed by rain, low rocky hills with Euphorbia damarana , small Acacias and sparse grass, specimens collected on rock faces; 1 subad.♀( AMNH [ AH 1417]), Uis, 5 km W [21°15'S: 14°50'E], 15.iv.1980, A. Harington, in rock cracks, syntopic with H. hahni .

Ecology and distribution: This lithophilous species ( Fig. 16 ) shelters in the cracks and crevices, and under the exfoliating flakes, of weathered rock outcrops and under stones resting on bedrock (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2001 b). It occurs in Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe (Lamoral 1979; Newlands & Martindale 1980; FitzPatrick 1996; Prendini 2005 a; L. Prendini, unpubl. data) and has been collected from the base ( Fig. 4 ) to the summit ( Fig. 8 ) of the Brandberg and also in the areas surrounding the Massif.

Figures

Figs 15, 16. Uroplectes adults, habitus in life: (15) U. gracilior Hewitt, 1913, male; (16) U. planimanus (Karsch, 1879), female with brood.

Fig. 4. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), base of Massif at entrance to Goaseb (Ga-Asab) Gorge, facing north to Orabeskopf at summit, wet year. Dominant vegetation, Boscia foetida Schinz and Commiphora sp. Rocky flats, habitat of Hottentotta conspersus (Thorell, 1876), Parabuthus brevimanus (Thorell, 1876), Parabuthus villosus (Peters, 1862), and Opistophthalmus lamorali Prendini, 2000.

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).