Disentangling diversity patterns in Cuban scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones)

Abstract

The assembly of communities is often viewed as a process involving the dispersal of species from a regional pool. An oceanic island provides a unique opportunity to test such a hypothesis and many others related to the patterns and processes behind biodiversity. Our aim was to investigate the patterns of scorpion diversity in the Cuban archipelago, using biotic and abiotic variables and their interactions as explanatory features. We use biotic and abiotic variables related to vegetation, climate and topography characterize the landscape of the Cuban archipelago. In this way, we analyze the patterns of beta diversity of the scorpions, verifying the effects of the variables alone and together. Scorpion fauna of the Cuban archipelago comprises 61 species, grouped into nine genera and two families: Buthidae and Diplocentridae. The interplay between biotic and abiotic variables explained scorpion species composition, especially when spatial predictors were considered. Climatic and spatial predictors affected scorpion beta diversity in terms of richness difference. These patterns are discussed emphasizing the role of biotic and abiotic environmental features and their interactions on the mechanisms of scorpion biodiversity generation and maintenance in Cuban archipelago.