Diversity of scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) in Polonnaruwa Archaeological Reserve, Sri Lanka

A survey of scorpion diversity in the Polonnaruwa Archaeological Reserve, Sri Lanka, revealed 15 species, with Heterometrus swammerdami being the most abundant and Isometrus thwaitesi the rarest. The study, conducted from July to November 2018 using direct visual encounter methods and UV lights, found that open habitats exhibited higher Shannon and Margalef Diversity Index values but lower species evenness compared to forest habitats. Charmus laneus was recorded for the first time in Polonnaruwa, contributing new data on scorpion distribution. The study also highlighted a 58% species similarity between open and forest habitats, providing insights into the impact of habitat modification on scorpion populations.

Wijesooriya, K. B., Weerasekara, L. S., & Ranawana, K. B. (2020). Diversity of scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) in Polonnaruwa Archaeological Reserve, Sri Lanka. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12(15), 17121–17128. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.6238.12.15.17121-17128