Scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) from the Serra de Piquiatuba, Santarém, Pará, northern Brazil

ABSTRACT

The Serra de Piquiatuba is situated in the area of the 8th Battalion of Engineering and Construction—8° BEC, located at km 8 of the Santarém–Cuiabá highway, in the municipality of Santarém, Pará, Brazil. This region is characterized by a hot and humid climate with rainfall exceeding 1900 mm p.a. In this study, we present a species list of scorpions from the Serra de Piquiatuba, based on data collected from September to November 2010. Five species were recorded, all common in the Amazon, belonging to the families Buthidae and Chactidae. The observed diversity patterns are discussed considering other scorpion inventories carried out in Brazil and possible sampling biases. The present study raises methodological questions to be further addressed in scorpion community ecology studies.