Articles

Scorpions. What is truth and what is wrong.
By Luis F. de Armas, Ph.D.
Scorpions are among the most feared animals. Nevertheless, they are poorly known by people. In this article are presented the most generalized erroneous concepts on them, as well as some of the peculiarities that make them amazing organisms.

Scorpions. The Antillean or West Indian fauna.
By Luis F. de Armas, Ph.D.
The Antillean or West Indian archipelago holds a diverse and well known scorpiofauna that includes some of the smallest species in the world. Although these arachnids are usually feared because their painful sting and dangerous toxin, most of the Antillean species are risk-free for humans.

Amblypygi. The Antillean (West Indian) fauna.
By Luis F. de Armas, Ph.D.
Although their impressive aspect may bring us to think that we are in front of terrible animals, the amblypygids or whip spiders (also known as tailless whip scorpions) are inoffensive to humans. This small arachnid order is represented in the Antillean or West Indian archipelago by two families, four genera and almost 30 species, mostly found in the Greater Antilles.

Taxa of arachnids, insects and wood lice described by Luis F. de Armas.
By Luis F. de Armas, Ph.D.
This is the complete list of the taxa of arachnids (scorpions, whip spiders, schizomids, vinegarroons, opilions, ricinuleids, camel spiders), insects (crickets, tenebrionids) and wood lice described by L. F. de Armas since 1973.

Natural history of the Cuban endemic skipper Chioides marmorosa (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)
By Luis F. de Armas, Ph.D.
The False Locust tree, Hebestigma cubense (Kunth) Urb. (Fabaceae), is the only known host-plant of Chioides marmorosa (Herrich-Schäffer, 1865). Life-history of this skipper includes egg, larvae (five instars), pupa and adult or imago. Duration in days is as follows: eggs = 3‒5; larval phase = 31‒43, pupa = 13‒35. The principal natural enemies are two parasitoid wasps (Chalcidoidea) and the ant Monomorium floricola. Last instar larvae may undergo diapause because availability of food.