Credit: S. AharonRecent research study performed by Yoram Zvik, Dr. Sharon Warburg, and Dr. Efrat Gavish-Regev at The Hebrew University of Jerusalems National Natural History Collections, has actually recorded the first-ever observation of phoresy between a myrmecophile scorpion.phoresy and a myrmecophile pseudoscorpion, a reputable phenomenon among pseudoscorpions, includes their attachment to hosts for dispersal into brand-new environments. Types within the genus Nannowithius, exhibit myrmecophilic propensities, forming cooperative associations with ant colonies.Pseudoscorpions and Scorpions in SymbiosisThe research study focuses on the Nannowithius pseudoscorpions observed on the Birulatus scorpion in Israel, marking the first tape-recorded circumstances of pseudoscorpions engaging in phoresy on a scorpion host.Nannowithius wahrmani phoretic on a Birulatus israelensis. The discovery triggers additional exploration of the complex symbiotic interactions within ant nest environments, including how pseudoscorpions elude ants, their alternative hosts, and the cues for both pseudoscorpions and scorpions to disperse.Reference: “Hitching a ride on a scorpion: the very first record of phoresy of a myrmecophile pseudoscorpion on a myrmecophile scorpion” by Sharon Warburg, Yoram Zvik and Efrat Gavish-Regev, 29 December 2023, Arachnologische Mitteilungen Arachnology Letters.DOI: 10.30963/ aramit6605.
