Euscorpius sicanus (C.L. Koch, 1837)

Colombo, Marco, 2006, New data on distribution and ecology of seven species of Euscorpius Thorell, 1876 (Scorpiones: Euscorpiidae), Euscorpius 36 (36), pp. 1-40 : 7-13

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.18590/euscorpius.2006.vol2006.iss36.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F887C2-6C02-FF88-65D0-FD65E75CFB08
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Euscorpius sicanus (C.L. Koch, 1837)
status

Treatment

Euscorpius sicanus (C.L. Koch, 1837) View in CoL

( Figs. 4–8 View Figure 4 View Figure 5 View Figure 6 View Figure 7 View Figure 8 , Table 4)

In the revision by Fet & Soleglad (2002), the old E. carpathicus was split into several species. Later, Fet et al. (2003) also elevated E. sicanus to the species status. This species has a southern Mediterranean distribution: northern Africa ( Egypt, Libya, Tunisia) and Madeira, central and southern Italy (including Sicily, Sardinia, and some minor islands), Malta, and Greece (center and south, with some islands). In Sicily it was already studied (as E. carpathicus ) by Valle (1975), who recorded presence of two different forms not recognized at the moment. However, E. sicanus was also recorded from a few northern localities, possibly due to introductions (e.g. Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy, collected by F. Werner in 1891, and C. Attems in 1901, both cited in Fet et al., 2003). In Italy, this species is found from Tuscany in the center (author’s most northern record: Castel San Gimignano) south to Calabria, Sicily, and Sardinia; on the Adriatic coast it is distributed from southern Marche down to Apulia ( Fet et al., 2003). The author studied this species in Tuscany ( Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ) and Sardinia ( Fig. 8 View Figure 8 ).

No detailed data about preferred altitudinal range was found in literature, mainly because the species was not distinguished by the earlier authors; in older works, such as Crucitti & Bubbico (2001) for Peloponnese, it is treated as E. carpathicus , reaching 2000 m a.s.l. In this study, most specimens were found between 200 and 600 m a.s.l., with the highest record in Sardinia (1017 m a.s.l., Genna Silana Pass).

Ecological demands of E. sicanus are similar to those of E. tergestinus . A high percentage of specimens (79.7%) was found in old inhabited houses, while others were found in forests (20.3%). Both of these habitat types were quite humid and cool. In central Italy (Tuscany), E. sicanus was found only in anthropogenic habitats, while sympatric E. concinnus (see below) inhabited predominantly forests. In southern Italy (south of Mount Argentario, Tuscany) E. sicanus tends to occupy all habitats, and can be also found in forests (under stones in the litter; personal observations; see also Rein, 2006). In Sardinia (northern areas), E. sicanus tends to occupy natural habitats, probably due to ecological competition with the sympatric species E. flavicaudis (which could be introduced there; Crucitti, 1993).

E. sicanus was found several times inside inhabited houses in Tuscany; there, it seems to prefer cooler places, such as cellars ( Fig. 6 View Figure 6 ). These scorpions usually occupy cracks in the walls, catching passing invertebrates with their pedipalps. In March, night temperatures are still low (about 6°C), and scorpions are inactive; they can be seen at night stretching their pedipalps out of the cracks and waiting for prey. Despite low temperatures, some specimens were seen at night outside of their shelters, maybe hunting (these were mostly males, but also some females). One specimen was also found dead, maybe due to lower temperatures that occurred the night before.

E. sicanus feeds mainly on small invertebrates. In Tuscany (Castel San Gimignano), a subadult was observed under a brick on the top of a wall near some remains of an earwig ( Euborellia moesta (Genè, 1837)) ( Dermaptera : Carcinophoriidae), probably eaten by this scorpion. In a small cellar, where eight specimens were observed, there was a variety of arthropods representing potential prey (perhaps except the last, which usually secrete toxic substances): crickets ( Gryllomorpha dalmatina (Ocskay, 1832) ( Gryllidae : Gryllinae ), isopods ( Porcellio sp. ) ( Isopoda : Porcellionidae ), earwigs ( Euborellia moesta ), wolf spiders ( Araneae : Lycosidae ), and beetles ( Coleoptera : Carabidae ). Two specimens, an adult female and an adult male, were observed in the same place, with UV light, each eating an unidentified (due to advanced digestion by scorpions) invertebrate; this prey could be a cricket, an isopod, or a spider, all of which were commonly found on the stone wall near the cellar. On the floor of the same cellar, remains of scorpions were also found: chelae, legs, carapaces, and metasomas. These remains could easily be a results of predations by mice or, possibly, conspecifics (cannibalism is not unusual among scorpions; Polis, 1990).

Adult males and females were found together in March and April; a subadult male was found in August, so it seems that this species has its mating period earlier than the other Euscorpius species, in the end of winter and in early spring. A female collected in Castel San

Euscorpius — 2006, No. 36

No. Date Number of specimens, age Geographic locality Altitude Comments and sex a.s.l.

42 24 April 2003 E. sicanus Giglio Castello (Giglio 405 m No data

( collected on 3 (1 adult male and 1 adult Island), Tuscany, Italy

March 2003) female) V. Vignoli leg.

30 7 March 2003 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m In cracks under plaster on the walls of a small abandoned cellar, near (or

(4 adult males, 4 adult (Siena), Tuscany, Italy under) inhabited houses; due to low temperatures scorpions were not females) very active; a male was found freshly dead (observed with UV light)

103 25 March 2005 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m Under a small stone, perhaps fallen from a stone wall, near inhabited

(1 adult male) (Siena), Tuscany, Italy houses; medium humid environment

106 25 March 2005 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m In the cracks of a quite humid stone wall, near an abandoned cellar,

(4 adult females and 2 adult (Siena), Tuscany, Italy under inhabited houses; two specimens, a male and a female, were found males) eating an invertebrate each, but unfortunately the prey species was not recognised due to partial digestion; however, on the wall, small crickets, spiders, and isopods were commonly found (observed with UV light)

107 27 March 2005 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m In the cracks of a quite humid stone wall, near an abandoned cellar,

( 1 adult female, 1 adult male, ( Siena ), Tuscany, Italy under inhabited houses; a weak rain falls at the moment of observation

2 juv.) (observed with UV light)

81 9 April 2004 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m Under a tile on the top of a wall, kept humid by a field of grass, near

(1 subadult) (Siena), Tuscany, Italy some inhabited houses; the remains of an earwig ( Euborellia moesta ) were found near the specimen. The same specimen was observed again on the night of 9 April 2004 (with UV light) and on 10 April 2004, under a tile near the first one

82 9 April 2004 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m One female was found squashed on a door near the wall where the

(5 adult males and adult (Siena), Tuscany, Italy previous specimen was found; the others inside (or just outside) a humid females, and 3 subadults) abandoned cellar, in wall cracks and under the plaster; due to low temperatures (6°C), specimens do not leave their shelters but only protrude their pedipalps outside to catch prey (observed with UV light)

83 10 April 2004 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m In cracks of the walls inside a humid abandoned cellar; although

( 7 adult males and adult ( Siena ), Tuscany, Italy temperatures were still low, a female was found outside her shelter.

females, and 2 subadults) Scorpions could feed on crickets ( Gryllomorpha dalmatina ), isopods ( Porcellio sp. ), earwigs ( Euborellia moesta ), spiders ( Lycosidae ), and ground beetles ( Carabidae ), observed inside the cellar. Remains of E.

sicanus were found on the ground, probably a result of predation by mice or cannibalism (observed with UV light)

84 11 April 2004 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m In cracks of the walls inside a humid abandoned cellar; a male was

( 10 adult males and adult ( Siena ), Tuscany, Italy found wandering, maybe due to higher temperature (12°C) (observed females, and 1 juvenile) with UV light)

40 20 April 2003 E. sicanus near Porto San Stefano, 270 m Under stones (also two specimens together) in shady and humid Quercus

(10 adult females and 1 adult Monte Argentario forests; a molted female was found with the typical whitish coloration male) (Grosseto), Tuscany, Italy near its old exuvium

2 21 April 2000 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m On a wall in inhabited house in the countryside

(1 subadult female) (Siena), Tuscany, Italy

3 23 April 2000 E. sicanus Castel San Gimignano 350 m On humid stone walls near old inhabited houses; scorpions occupied

(2 adult males) (Siena), Tuscany, Italy cracks in the wall but came out at night

97 13 August E. sicanus Fonte Isilai, Genna Silana 1017 m Under a stone on the top of a stone wall, in a partly humid Quercus

2004 (1 subadult) Pass , Dorgali-Baunei Street forest; humid places were easily recognizable due to the presence of (Nuoro), Sardinia, Italy ferns

98 13 August E. sicanus near Baunei (Nuoro), 480 m Under a stone near a dry river; environment very shady, humid, and

2004 (1 subadult male) Sardinia, Italy quite cool due to tree cover ( Quercus , Pinus and Ficus ). The specimen (still with the typical whitish coloration) was found near its exuvium

Gimignano (Tuscany, Italy) gave birth in captivity on 9 July 2003 ; another one collected in March by Valerio Vignoli on Giglio Island (Tuscany, Italy) gave birth on 30 June 2003 .