Assessing the effects of temperature, diet and threat conditions on defensive behaviour and venom regeneration in scorpion (Buthusatlantis)

• Published in: Journal of thermal biology Vol. 124; p. 103966
• Main Authors: El Joud, Youssef, El Bouazzaoui, Adil, El-Ghali, Sana, Laghzaoui, El-Mustapha, Toulon, Oulaid, Ait Larradia, Mehdi, Elmourid, Abdessamad, Ait Hamdan, Youssef, Rhazi, Mohammed, Kahime, Kholoud, El Mouden, El Hassan, Merzouki, Mohamed, El Hidan, Moulay Abdelmonaim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Buthus atlantis; Defensive behaviour; Diet; Temperature; Threat condition; Venom metering; Venom regeneration; Temperature; Defensive behaviour; Diet; Buthus atlantis; Threat condition; Venom regeneration; Venom metering
• ISSN: 0306-4565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103966

Understanding animal's behaviour and adaptation in the face of threats and predators under different biotic and abiotic conditions is fundamental in ecology. In this study we examined defensive behaviour of Buthus atlantis scorpion in order to assess how various factors such as temperature, prey type, and threatening conditions influence stinging behaviour, venom usage and regeneration. Our study had revealed that stings frequency was significantly lower in cooler temperature compared to the medium and warm temperature. Threatening condition had no significant effect in medium and warmer temperature, the difference between the two conditions was only significant in the cooler temperature. Conversely, we had shown that venom expenditure in B. atlantis is regulated by both temperature and threatening conditions. Our results show that scorpions maintained in higher temperatures yielded the greatest amount of venom compared to those in lower temperatures. Analyses of proteins concentration according to temperature and diet variation had revealed that scorpions placed in intermediate (25 °C) and warmer temperature (40 °C) had a significantly higher venom proteins concentration when compared to the cooler temperature (10 °C). Results also showed that scorpions adjust their venom usage based on their perception of danger, which can be influenced by temperature. •Defensive stings differ significantly according to temperature.•Combination of both variation of diet types and temperature influence venom yield.•Venom protein concentration was solely affected by temperature variation.•Control of venom expenditure by scorpion is influenced by temperature and the degree of perceived threat.