A first report on Lychas srilankensis (Lourenco, 1997) (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Jaffna Peninsula, Northern part of Sri Lanka

Abstract

A first report on the endemic scorpion Lychas srilankensis (Lourenco, 1997) in Jaffna Peninsula, Northern part of Sri Lanka Lychas srilankensis is one of the endemic scorpion belongs to the family Buthidae out of ten endemic scorpions. The present study was conducted to record the available scorpion species from Jaffna Peninsula. Diurnal random sampling was implemented during weekends from the first week of April 2014 to last week February 2015 in Jaffna peninsula. Altogether 3 scorpions were collected and reared in the Animal House of Department of Zoology with the occasional feeding of cockroach nymphs and thrips with adlibitum water. The tanks that housed the samples resembled their natural habitat with dark covers around it. This scorpion is characterized with 23 pectinal combs; darken colouration at fourth and fifth segments of metasoma and light brown to reddish coloration with the average total length of 50.00± 2.00mm. The scorpions were identified as Lychas srilankensis using standard keys. It will be valuable to determine the toxic nature by venom characterization in future.