Report of giant vinegaroon (Thelyphonida: Thelyphonidae) predation by scorpion (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Mexican tropical dry forest

Abstract

This study reports the first documented case of predation of an early instar thelyphonid, Mastigoproctus sp., by the scorpion Centruroides elegans in a dry tropical forest in Mexico. The overlap in microhabitats between these two species suggests that their encounters are facilitated by the errant behavior of C. elegans. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the ecological dynamics involving thelyphonids and highlight the vulnerability of juvenile stages to predation, expanding the known predators of these arachnids.