Uroplectes gracilior Hewitt, 1913

Prendini, Lorenzo & Bird, Tharina L., 2008, Scorpions of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia: Species richness inversely correlated with altitude, African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 77-77 : 92-93

Uroplectes gracilior Hewitt, 1913

Uroplectes carinatus gracilior: Hewitt 1913: 147–148 (part).

Material examined: 1♀( AMNH [AH 3293]), Brandberg, hill 282, opposite Orabes Wall [21°15'S: 14°38'E], 1.ii.1981, A. Harington, sympatric with H.conspersus , P. kraepelini , O. jenseni , O.lamorali and O. wahlbergii ; 3 ♂ Messum Crater area [21°25'S: 14°13'E], 21.i.1981, syntopic with P.brevimanus and P. gracilis (2 ♂ AMNH [AH 2165]), 23.xii.1988 (1 ♂ AMNH [AH 4117]), A. Harington.

Ecology and distribution: This lapidicolous species ( Fig. 15 ) shelters under stones and in grass tussocks (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2001 b) on rocky outcrops and gravel plains in areas surrounding the Brandberg ( Fig. 1 ) and adjacent landforms (e.g. the Messum Crater). Although it may also occur in Angola, this species has been recorded only from Namibia and South Africa (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2005 a).

Figures

Figs 15, 16. Uroplectes adults, habitus in life: (15) U. gracilior Hewitt, 1913, male; (16) U. planimanus (Karsch, 1879), female with brood.

Fig. 1. Brandberg Massif (Namibia), gravel plains southwest, facing northeast to Massif in distance, dry year. Gravel plains, habitat of Parabuthus brevimanus (Thorell, 1876), Parabuthus namibensis Lamoral, 1979 and Uroplectes gracilior Hewitt, 1913.