Scorpions of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia: Species richness inversely correlated with altitude Author Prendini, Lorenzo Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79 th Street, New York, NY 10024 - 5192, USA lorenzo@amnh.org Author Bird, Tharina L. Department of Arachnology, National Museum of Namibia, Robert Mugabe Avenue 59, Windhoek, Namibia tharina@natmus.cul.na text African Invertebrates 2008 2008-12-31 49 2 77 77 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.049.0205 journal article 55053 10.5733/afin.049.0205 5718e8e9-b222-4871-9afb-dd8a8337fe37 2305-2562 7661550 Opistophthalmus jenseni ( Lamoral, 1972 ) Protophthalmus jenseni : Lamoral 1972: 118–119 , figs 3c–d, 4–6, tab. 1. Material examined: 42 specimens , Brandberg , base of hill 282, opposite Orabeskopf [ 21°15'S : 14°38'E ], 1.ii.1981 , A. Harington ( 34 ♂ AMNH [ AH 1658–1689 , 1849 , 3286 ], 4♀AMNH [ AH 1691–1693 , 3287 ], 1 subad. ♂ AMNH [ AH 1690 ]), on white gritty soft sand dune against hill at night ( 2 ♂ 1♀NMSA 13940 ); 46 specimens , Brandberg , plains S, opposite Orabeskopf , 21°15.48'S : 14°36.54'E , 790 m , 16.i.1998 , L. Prendini & E. Scott , gritty white sand dune against hill, UV detection, syntopic with P. gracilis and O. wahlbergii ( 42 ♂ 1♀SMN 1973 , 1 ♂ 1♀AMNH , 1 ♂ AMCC 100851 [ LP 1087 ]); 1♀( SMN 3064 ), Brandberg , White Lady Campsite , 21°00'57.72''S : 14°41'04.8''E , 461 m , 5.iii.2005 , D. Kunz , at night; 1 ♂ ( NMSA 10845 [ SW 44 ]), Messum Crater area , 21°16'S : 14°13'E , 26.iii.1976 , B.H. Lamoral , on surface of sandy to gritty soil at night; 15 ♂ Messum Crater , SW Brandberg [ 21°25'S : 14°13'E ], 21.i.1981 ( 12 ♂ AMNH [ AH 1950–1960 , 2255 ]), 26.i.1981 ( 3 ♂ AMNH [ AH 3105–3107 ]), A. Harington ; 1 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 1902 ]), 1♀( AMNH [ AH 1903 ]), Nai-Gap riverbed at N tip Uis Mtns [ 21°07'S : 14°52'E ], 6.ii.1981 , A. Harington ; 3 specimens , Omatjette–Khorixas junction, 20 km towards Uis [ 21°02'S : 14°51'E ], 6.ii.1981 ( 1♀AMNH [ AH 1904 ]), 25 km towards Uis [ 21°03'S : 14°53'E ], 6.ii.1981 ( 1♀AMNH [ AH 1798 ], 1 subad .♀AMNH [ AH 1759 ]), A. Harington ; 5 ♂ ( AMNH [ AH 1961–1964 , 2153 ]), 2♀( AMNH [ AH 1965 , 1966 ]), Uis R ., nr Kai-Nuses , nr Uis [ 21°11'S : 14°52'E ], 2.ii.1981 , A. Harington . Figs 17, 18. Adult males, habitus in life: (17) Hadogenes tityrus (Simon, 1888) ; (18) Opistophthalmus carinatus ( Peters, 1861 ) . Remarks: Specimen NMSA 10845 was misidentified as Opistophthalmus holmi (Lawrence, 1969) by Lamoral (1979: 719). Ecology and distribution: This psammophilous species ( Fig. 19 ) excavates shallow burrows in unconsolidated white sand dunes (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2001 b ) situated in dry riverbeds at the base of the Brandberg, and against small hills ( Fig. 2 ) surrounding the Brandberg and adjacent landforms (e.g. the Messum Crater). It is endemic to Namibia ( Lamoral 1972 , 1979; Prendini 2005 a ).