Scorpions of the Brandberg Massif, Namibia: Species richness inversely correlated with altitude Author Prendini, Lorenzo Author Bird, Tharina L. text African Invertebrates 2008 2008-12-31 49 2 77 77 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.049.0205 journal article 10.5733/afin.049.0205 2305-2562 7661550 Parabuthus gracilis Lamoral, 1979 Parabuthus gracilis : Lamoral 1979: 566–571 , figs 96, 103, 104, 107–116. Material examined: 5 _ ( AMNH [AH 2055–2057, 2067, 2068]), 4^( AMNH [AH 2058–2060, 2069]), 1 subad. _ ( AMNH [AH 2061]), 1 subad .^( AMNH [AH 2062]), 1 juv .^( AMNH [AH 2063]), Brandberg, base of hill 282, opposite Orabeskopf [ 21°15'S : 14°38'E ], 1.ii.1981 , A. Harington, night collecting (cloudy sky, warm, windless) on sand dune (soft, white but sometimes gritty soil) near hill, most specimens where sand was soft, a few with burrows in dune, syntopic with P. gracilis , P.granulatus , P.kraepelini , U. planimanus and O. jenseni ; 3 _ ( AMCC 119231), Brandberg, plains S, opposite Orabeskopf, 21°15.48'S : 14°36.54'E , 790 m , 16.i.1998 , L. Prendini & E. Scott, gritty white dune sand dune against hill and adjacent gravel flats, UV detection, syntopic with O. jenseni and O. wahlbergii ; 1^holotype ( NMSA 10925), 8 _ 2^4 juv. paratypes ( NMSA 10848), 1 _ paratype ( NMSA 10906), 1 _ paratype ( SMN 766), Messum Crater area, 21°16'S : 14°13'E , 26.iii.1976 , B. Lamoral & L. Ferguson, on surface of sandy to gritty soil at night; 1 _ ( AMNH [AH 2164]), Messum Crater area [ 21°25'S : 14°13'E ], 21.i.1981 , A. Harington, syntopic with P. brevimanus and U. gracilior ; 1 subad. _ ( AMNH [AH 3386]), 2 subad .^( AMNH [AH 3387, 3388]), Daweb (N Uis), 4 km S [ 21°03'S : 14°54'E ], 6.ii.1981 , A. Harington, on sandy and rocky areas, sympatric with L. elegans , P. granulatus , P. kraepelini , O. jenseni and O. wahlbergii ; 2 subad. _ ( AMNH [AH 1917, 1918]), Nai-Gap riverbed at N tip Uis Mtns [ 21°07'S : 14°52'E ], 6.ii.1981 , A. Harington, syntopic with P. brevimanus ; 1 subad. _ ( AMNH [AH 2167]), Uis townlands [ 21°15'S : 14°50'E ], 2.ii.1981 , A. Harington; 1 _ ( AMNH [AH 2089]), 2 subad. _ 3 subad .^( AMNH [AH 2090]), Uis, 20 km from turnoff to Khorixas [ 21°02'S : 14°54'E ], 6.ii.1981 , A. Harington, drizzling, specimens abundant on sand and near rocky surfaces, syntopic with P. granulatus , P. kraepelini , O. jenseni and O. wahlbergii . Ecology and distribution: This psammophilous species ( Fig. 11 ) excavates burrows in unconsolidated white sand dunes (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2001 b , 2004) situated in dry riverbeds and against small hills ( Fig. 2 ) surrounding the Brandberg and adjacent landforms (e.g. the Messum Crater). It is endemic to Namibia (Lamoral 1979; Prendini 2004, 2005 a ).