Abstract
Scorpions can adopt different reproductive strategies (e.g., sexual or parthenogenesis) depending on the environmental conditions. In this study, we described the courtship repertoire of the parthenogenetic scorpion Tityus stigmurus, a species with inconspicuous sexual populations distributed throughout northeastern Brazil. Specimens of both sexes (10 males, 10 females) were obtained from field expeditions in three locations in northeastern Brazil and were paired under laboratory conditions in an intrapopulation design. All observations were conducted at night using red light positioned above an experimental arena. From the 10 courtship interactions observed in this study, only one pair successfully completed the reproductive repertoire that included the insemination process. The incomplete interactions were abruptly terminated by the females immediately after deposition of the spermatophore. Overall, the reproductive repertoire of T. stigmurus was similar to that of other scorpions, especially its congeners, possibly because this reproductive behavior emerged at a basal point in the evolution of scorpions. The acquisition of new insights into the reproductive biology of different scorpion species may improve the theoretical background for applications ranging from evolutionary biology to public health strategies.
