Reproductive Traits in the Northern Scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus)

Abstract

Despite its large geographic range, little is known about reproductive traits in the northern scorpion (Paruroctonus boreus). We analyzed reproductive traits for 36 females from a population near Billings, Montana. All data were collected within a single year. Litter size, offspring mass, total litter mass (TLM), and relative litter mass (RLM) were within the ranges of values reported for other species in the Vaejovidae. Female size (length or mass) was not correlated with any reproductive trait. Litter size and offspring mass were each positively correlated with RLM, suggesting that females investing relatively larger amounts of energy in reproduction increase both size and number of offspring. Finally, the within-litter coefficient of variation in offspring mass was negatively correlated with RLM, TLM, and mean offspring mass, suggesting that females investing more energy in reproduction produce more-uniformly sized offspring, an observation that appears common in scorpions.