Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador

Espinoza-Regalado, Amalia; Quirola, Diego R.; Salazar-Valenzuela, David; Lüddecke, Tim

doi:10.3390/d17100684

Open AccessInteresting Images

Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador

by

Amalia Espinoza-Regalado

^1,*,

Diego R. Quirola

²

,

David Salazar-Valenzuela

³ and

Tim Lüddecke

^1,4,*

¹

Animal Venomics Lab, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Ohlebersgweg 12, 35392 Gießen, Germany

²

Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, 190 Collings St., Clemson, SC 29634, USA

³

Ecuadorian-German Integrative Biodiversity Research Center, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Naturales y Ambientales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito 170525, Ecuador

⁴

Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University of Gießen, Heinrich-Buff Ring 26-32, 35392 Gießen, Germany

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Diversity 2025, 17(10), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17100684

Submission received: 24 August 2025 / Revised: 11 September 2025 / Accepted: 27 September 2025 / Published: 30 September 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)

Download

Browse Figures

Versions Notes

Abstract

Scorpions of the genus Tityus are a diverse and medically important group, but many aspects of their natural history, particularly feeding ecology, are poorly documented. A coherent understanding of their natural prey is crucial for interpreting the evolution of their potent venoms. During fieldwork in Quito, Ecuador, we recorded a predation event involving a specimen of Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, subduing a scolopendromorph centipede, Otostigmus sp. The centipede was still moving when found, indicating a recent envenomation. This observation adds to the limited knowledge of the genus’s feeding habits both locally and regionally, demonstrating that Tityus can prey on large and dangerous arthropods. This trophic relationship is worth noting as scorpions of this genus have evolved highly potent venoms. Further in-field observations are needed to fully explore this connection between diet and venom evolution in Tityus scorpions.

Keywords: predator-prey interaction; trophic niche; venom; arthropod; Andes

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Espinoza-Regalado, A.; Quirola, D.R.; Salazar-Valenzuela, D.; Lüddecke, T. Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador. Diversity 2025, 17, 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17100684

AMA Style

Espinoza-Regalado A, Quirola DR, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Lüddecke T. Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador. Diversity. 2025; 17(10):684. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17100684

Chicago/Turabian Style

Espinoza-Regalado, Amalia, Diego R. Quirola, David Salazar-Valenzuela, and Tim Lüddecke. 2025. "Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador" Diversity 17, no. 10: 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17100684

APA Style

Espinoza-Regalado, A., Quirola, D. R., Salazar-Valenzuela, D., & Lüddecke, T. (2025). Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador. Diversity, 17(10), 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/d17100684

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Menu

Predation of a Scolopendrid Prey by the Scorpion Tityus pugilator Pocock, 1898, in a Horticultural Landscape of Quito, Ecuador

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Article Access Statistics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI