Polymorphism and hybridization in species of Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (Scorpiones: Buthidae)

A new and well documented case of hybridization among scorpions is presented. It was obtained under laboratory conditions between Hottentotta jayakari (Pocock) and Hottentotta salei (Vachon) specimens of which had been collected in the northern and southern regions of Oman. Hybrids were successfully produced not only from F0 males and females, but also from F1 males and females, thereby attesting to the fact that the first generation obtained (F1), was completely fertile. Both F1 and F2 broods were composed of dark and pale morphs, indicating that the juveniles could inherit either one or the other parental phenotype. This report brings new evidence about the true genetic relationship between these two “species”, suggesting that they may correspond only to “morphs” (=phenotypes) of a single polymorphic species