Investigação da função mecanorreceptora dos pectines de Tityus serrulatus lutz & Mello, 1922 (scorpiones: buthidae): captação de vibrações do solo e captura de presas

Abstract

Environment perception by scorpions is an issue of great attention, and there are controversy about the use of pectines in this function. This paper investigates the mechanoreceptive function of pectines of the yellow scorpion, Tityus serrulatus. The study was conducted in laboratory conditions from July 2003 to July 2004. Ninety females were maintained in 6 terraria (N=15), 3 of them were called “control group-CG” (intact pectines) and the others “treatment group-TG” (pectines covered with paraffin). Three tests, an ethogram, a test of prey detection and a test of caption of ground vibrations, were performed to compare skills of animais with (TG) and without dirty pectines (CG). The ethogram showed that TG had its exploratory activities significantly reduced, remaining more time resting and in aggregations than CG. Predation test showed that TG was less efficient in the detection and in the capture of prey. Vibrations test showed that TG didn’t answer to the vibrations produced in substrate, and the opposite occurred with CG. Results suggest a mechanoreceptive function of pectines of T. serrulatus and showed that the caption of ground vibrations through these structures is the main mode of prey perception and localization in this scorpion.