Dr Lorenzo Prendini visits Gondwana for scorpion sampling
Dr Lorenzo Prendini (Ph.D) from the American Museum of Natural History joined the conservation team on the 30th of June and 1st of July 2022 to collect specimens of various scorpions.
Wildlife & Ecological investments joined on the 1st of July to learn more about collection methods and scorpions in our area.
The Opistothalmus genus of scorpion that were the main reason for Dr Prendini to visit Gondwana Game Reserve are burrowing scorpions. These scorpions burrows can be found by looking under rocks and logs for oblong holes. The burrows are dug using various tunnels ending in a chamber where the scorpion is usually found.
Three species of scorpions were collected for genetic analysis. The three species were Parabuthus planicauda, Opisthacanthus diremptus and Opistophthalmus macer. Parabuthus planicauda is the only thick tailed scorpion on the reserve and will have the most painful sting of the four species, the sting however is not deadly.
