DIFFERENCES IN THE SCORPION FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE-SYSTEM OF LEIURUS-QUINQUESTRIATUS H AND E (BUTHIDAE), IN 2 POPULATIONS INHABITING DIFFERENTZOOGEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS IN ISRAEL

The female reproductive system was studied in two populations of Leiur us quinquestriatus H & E. (Buthidae). One population was from the Gali l Mountains, in the Mediterranean region of northern Israel. This was compared with scorpions from the semi-arid region of the northern part of the Jordan Valley and from the arid central Negev Desert. Signific ant differences were found between scorpions from the Negev and from t he Galil in female weight, and in both number and diameter of small an d large oocytes. Nevertheless, these differences seem insufficient yet to allow these populations to be distinguished at the subspecies leve l. (C) 1998 Academic Press.