Distribución de los escorpiones (arachnida: scorpiones) según las observaciones de inaturalist en Panamá

Miguel A. Youngs-Mitre; Irene I. Figueroa-Coronado; Marcelo Mack; Alonso Santos-Murga

doi:10.48204/j.mesoamericana.v28n2.a11312

Submitted September 21, 2026

Published 2026-09-21

Artículos

Vol. 28 No. 2 (2026): Mesoamericana

Distribution of scorpions (arachnida: scorpiones) according to inaturalist observations in Panama

Miguel A. Youngs-Mitre⁺⁻
Irene I. Figueroa-Coronado⁺⁻
Marcelo Mack⁺⁻
Alonso Santos-Murga⁺⁻

DOI https://doi.org/10.48204/j.mesoamericana.v28n2.a11312

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DOI: 10.48204/j.mesoamericana.v28n2.a11312

Published: 2026-09-21

How to Cite

Youngs-Mitre, M. A., Figueroa-Coronado, I. I., Mack, M. and Santos-Murga, A. (2026) “Distribution of scorpions (arachnida: scorpiones) according to inaturalist observations in Panama”, Mesoamericana, 28(2), pp. 54–59. doi: 10.48204/j.mesoamericana.v28n2.a11312.

Abstract

Scorpions are an important component of Panama’s biodiversity, yet their distribution remains poorly documented. This study analyzed their spatial distribution using 384 research-grade records obtained from iNaturalist between 2020 and 2025. A total of 15 species belonging to three families and five genera were identified. Centruroides bicolor was the most frequently recorded species, while the provinces of Panamá, Coclé, and Veraguas showed the highest species richness and number of observations. The results highlight the potential of iNaturalist as a complementary tool for studying distribution patterns, identifying knowledge gaps, and guiding future research on Panama’s scorpion fauna.

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References

Boakes, E. H., McGowan, P. J. K., Fuller, R. A., Chang-
qing, D., Clark, N. E., O’Connor, K., & Mace,
G. M. (2010). Distorted views of biodiversity:
Spatial and temporal bias in species occurrence
data. PLOS Biology, 8(6), e1000385.
Callaghan, C. T., Poore, A. G. B., Mesaglio, T., Moles,
A. T., & Nakagawa, S. (2021). Three frontiers
for the future of biodiversity research using
citizen science data. BioScience, 71(1), 55–63.
Chandler, M., See, L., Copas, K., Bonde, A. M., López,
B. C., Danielsen, F., Legind, J. K., Masinde, S.,
Miller-Rushing, A. J., Newman, G.,
Rosemartin, A., & Turak, E. (2017).
Contribution of citizen science towards
international biodiversity monitoring.
Biological Conservation, 213, 280–294.
Isaac, N. J. B., van Strien, A. J., August, T. A., de
Zeeuw, M. P., & Roy, D. B. (2014). Statistics
for citizen science: Extracting signals of change
from noisy ecological data. Methods in Ecology
and Evolution, 5(10), 1052–1060.
Jacobs, C., & Zipf, A. (2017). Completeness of citizen
science biodiversity data from a volunteered
geographic information perspective. Geo-
spatial Information Science, 20(1), 3–13.
Lourenço, W., & Cloudsley-Thompson, J. (2012).
About the enigmatic presence of the genus
Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 in Congo with the
description of a new species from Niger
(Scorpiones, Scorpionidae). Serket, 13, 1–7.
Mason, B. M., Mesaglio, T., Barratt Heitmann, J.,
Chandler, M., Chowdhury, S., Gorta, S. B. Z.,
Grattarola, F., Groom, Q., Hitchcock, C.,
Hoskins, L., Lowe, S. K., Marquis, M., Pernat,
N., Shirey, V., Baasanmunkh, S., & Callaghan,
C. T. (2025). iNaturalist accelerates biodiversity
research. BioScience. Advance online
publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf104
Quintero, D. A., & Esposito, L. (2014). A new species
of Centruroides Marx (Scorpiones: Buthidae)
from Panama and new distribution records for
Centruroides bicolor (Pocock, 1898) and
Centruroides granosus (Thorell, 1876).
Zootaxa, 3795(3), 373–382.
Rein, J. O. (2025). The Scorpion Files. Norwegian
University of Science and Technology.
https://www.ntnu.no/ub/scorpion-files/
Santibáñez-López, C. E., González-Santillán, E.,
Monod, L., & Sharma, P. P. (2019).
Phylogenomics facilitates stable scorpion
systematics: Reassessing the relationships of
Vaejovidae and a new higher-level
classification of Scorpiones (Arachnida).
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 135,
–30.
Seltzer, C. (2019). Making biodiversity data social,
shareable, and scalable: Reflections on
iNaturalist and citizen science. Biodiversity
Information Science and Standards, 3, e46670.
Teruel, R., & Cozijn, M. (2011). A checklist of the
scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) of Panama,
with two new records. Euscorpius, 133, 1–6.
Youngs-Mitre, M. A., Santos-Murgas, A., & Mack, M.
(2025). Escorpiones de importancia médica
asociados a los bosques urbanos de la ciudad de
Panamá. Biotempo, 22(1), 143–148.

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[1] Boakes, E. H., McGowan, P. J. K., Fuller, R. A., Chang-

[2] qing, D., Clark, N. E., O’Connor, K., & Mace,

[3] G. M. (2010). Distorted views of biodiversity:

[4] Spatial and temporal bias in species occurrence

[5] data. PLOS Biology, 8(6), e1000385.

[6] Callaghan, C. T., Poore, A. G. B., Mesaglio, T., Moles,

[7] A. T., & Nakagawa, S. (2021). Three frontiers

[8] for the future of biodiversity research using

[9] citizen science data. BioScience, 71(1), 55–63.

[10] Chandler, M., See, L., Copas, K., Bonde, A. M., López,

[11] B. C., Danielsen, F., Legind, J. K., Masinde, S.,

[12] Miller-Rushing, A. J., Newman, G.,

[13] Rosemartin, A., & Turak, E. (2017).

[14] Contribution of citizen science towards

[15] international biodiversity monitoring.

[16] Biological Conservation, 213, 280–294.

[17] Isaac, N. J. B., van Strien, A. J., August, T. A., de

[18] Zeeuw, M. P., & Roy, D. B. (2014). Statistics

[19] for citizen science: Extracting signals of change

[20] from noisy ecological data. Methods in Ecology

[21] and Evolution, 5(10), 1052–1060.

[22] Jacobs, C., & Zipf, A. (2017). Completeness of citizen

[23] science biodiversity data from a volunteered

[24] geographic information perspective. Geo-

[25] spatial Information Science, 20(1), 3–13.

[26] Lourenço, W., & Cloudsley-Thompson, J. (2012).

[27] About the enigmatic presence of the genus

[28] Scorpio Linnaeus, 1758 in Congo with the

[29] description of a new species from Niger

[30] (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae). Serket, 13, 1–7.

[31] Mason, B. M., Mesaglio, T., Barratt Heitmann, J.,

[32] Chandler, M., Chowdhury, S., Gorta, S. B. Z.,

[33] Grattarola, F., Groom, Q., Hitchcock, C.,

[34] Hoskins, L., Lowe, S. K., Marquis, M., Pernat,

[35] N., Shirey, V., Baasanmunkh, S., & Callaghan,

[36] C. T. (2025). iNaturalist accelerates biodiversity

[37] research. BioScience. Advance online

[38] publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf104

[39] Quintero, D. A., & Esposito, L. (2014). A new species

[40] of Centruroides Marx (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

[41] from Panama and new distribution records for

[42] Centruroides bicolor (Pocock, 1898) and

[43] Centruroides granosus (Thorell, 1876).

[44] Zootaxa, 3795(3), 373–382.

[45] Rein, J. O. (2025). The Scorpion Files. Norwegian

[46] University of Science and Technology.

[47] https://www.ntnu.no/ub/scorpion-files/

[48] Santibáñez-López, C. E., González-Santillán, E.,

[49] Monod, L., & Sharma, P. P. (2019).

[50] Phylogenomics facilitates stable scorpion

[51] systematics: Reassessing the relationships of

[52] Vaejovidae and a new higher-level

[53] classification of Scorpiones (Arachnida).

[54] Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 135,

[55] –30.

[56] Seltzer, C. (2019). Making biodiversity data social,

[57] shareable, and scalable: Reflections on

[58] iNaturalist and citizen science. Biodiversity

[59] Information Science and Standards, 3, e46670.

[60] Teruel, R., & Cozijn, M. (2011). A checklist of the

[61] scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) of Panama,

[62] with two new records. Euscorpius, 133, 1–6.

[63] Youngs-Mitre, M. A., Santos-Murgas, A., & Mack, M.

[64] (2025). Escorpiones de importancia médica

[65] asociados a los bosques urbanos de la ciudad de

[66] Panamá. Biotempo, 22(1), 143–148.

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