Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western AustraliaWA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 8 years agoABSTRACT – 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 km2. 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 classification 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 fit 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. Author(s) Erich S. Volschenk, Allan H. Burbidge, Bradley J. Durrant and Mark S. Harvey Volume Supplement 78 : (Part 1) A biodiversity survey of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia 2002–2007 Article Published 2010 Page Number 271 DOI 10.18195/issn.0313-122x.78(1).2010.271-284 Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia Download 4.09 MB To request an accessible version of this pdf please email onlineservices@museum.wa.gov.au ELECTRONIC APPENDICES Appendix One ORDER A COPY OF THE COMPLETE VOLUME Supplement 78 (Part 1): A biodiversity survey of the Pilbara Region of Western Australia 2002–2007