Microhabitat charateristics and distribution
of ground dwelling scorpions in central india

By Pragya Pandey, Sanjay K. Das, Pratyush P. Mohapatra & Sudheer Jena

The evolutionary history of scorpions is represented by a continuous fossil record those dates back to the Telychian Stage (Silurian, Llandovery) (Dunlop, 2010; Dunlop and
Selden, 2013). Evidence suggests that scorpions have existed on earth for over 430 million years and first appeared as an aquatic organism during the Silurian period (Dunlop and Selden, 2013). Climate and environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, altitude, elevation, soil composition, vegetation type and land cover all regulate scorpion istribution (Polis, 1990; Prendini, 2005). Substratum specialization is a form of habitat stenotopy. It can be defined as the dependence of different species on substrata of specific hardness, texture or composition for survival. Substrata varies from sand to rock and from leaf litter to bark (Prendini, 2005). The purposes of this study were to examine diversity and distributions of the scorpions captured during a large regional survey of the Central India region and to determine the relationship between distribution patterns and a range of environmental parameters.