Speaker
Description
Understanding animal behavior and how they respond to threats is imperative to preserve biodiversity and anticipate risks to human health. In this study, we examined the defensive behavior of Buthus atlantis scorpions to assess how various factors, such as temperature, prey type, and threatening conditions, influence stinging behavior, venom usage, and regeneration. Our study revealed that sting frequency was significantly lower in cooler temperatures compared to the medium and warm temperatures. Threatening conditions had no significant effect in medium and warmer temperatures; the difference between the two conditions was only significant in the cooler temperature. Conversely, we had shown that both temperature and threatening conditions regulate venom expenditure in B. Atlantis. Our results show that scorpions maintained in higher temperatures yielded the greatest amount of venom compared to those in lower temperatures. Analyses of protein concentration according to temperature and diet variation revealed that scorpions placed in intermediate (25°C) and warmer temperatures (40°C) had a significantly higher venom protein concentration compared to those at cooler temperatures (10°C). Results also showed that scorpions adjust their venom usage based on their perception of danger, which can be influenced by temperature.
Keywords: Buthus atlantis, Temperature, venom regeneration, stinging behavior, public health, Biodiversity
