Buthidae

Buthidae Temporal range: Lutetian to Recent 48.66–0Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Odonturus dentatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Scorpiones
Parvorder:	Buthida
Superfamily:	Buthoidea
Family:	Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837
Subfamilies
Buthinae Centrurinae Isometrinae Tityinae
Synonyms [1]
Akentrobuthinae Lamoral, 1976 Ananterinae Pocock, 1900 Androctonides C.L.Koch, 1837 Babycurini Pocock, 1896 Buthides C.L.Koch, 1837 "Centruroidinae" Roewer, 1943 (nomen nudum) Charminae Birula, 1917 Isometrini Kraepelin, 1891 Orthochirinae Birula, 1917 Rhopalurinae Bücherl, 1971 (non Stunkard 1937: preoccupied) Rhopalurusinae Bücherl, 1969 Tityinae Kraepelin, 1905 Uroplectaria Pavlovsky, 1924

Buthidae is the largest family of scorpions, containing about 80 genera and over 800 species as of mid-2008. Its members are known as, for example, fat-tailed scorpions and bark scorpions. There are a few very large genera (like Ananteris, Centruroides, Compsobuthus or Tityus), but also a high number of species-poor or monotypic ones.^[2] New taxa are being described at a rate of several to several dozen new species per year.^[2] They occur in the warmer parts of every major landmass on Earth, except on New Zealand.^[2] Together with the Microcharmidae, the Buthidae make up the superfamily Buthoidea. The family was established by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837.^[2]

Some Buthidae are of medical importance, and the sting of a few can kill humans. In dead specimens, the spine beneath the stinger, characteristic for this family, can be observed.

Description

Few Buthidae scorpions are among the larger scorpions; on average the members of this family are mid-sized tending towards smallish. Microtityus and Microbuthus barely reach 2 cm (0.8 in). The largest members are found among Androctonus (fattail scorpions), Apistobuthus, and Centruroides; and can reach a dozen cm (approximately 5 inches). Most of them have between two and five pairs of eyes. Some resemble Vaejovidae. Chaerilidae and Chactidae have one pair of eyes at most, and the former show a yellowish spot between and to the rear of these.^[2]

Their vernacular name refers to the thick tails found in many Buthidae, especially in the Old World. The pedipalps on the other hand tend to be weak, slender and tweezer-like. Members of Buthidae are generally rather cryptically colored, quite uniformly ochre to brown, but some are black or (like Centruroides and Uroplectes) more vividly colored. More conspicuous patterns and shapes occur e.g. in Isometrus or Lychas.^[2]

Toxicity and relationship with humans

A handful of sometimes species-rich genera – fattail scorpions (Androctonus), Centruroides, Hottentotta,^{[Note 1]} Leiurus, Parabuthus and Tityus – are notorious for their strong venom. Human fatalities have been recorded from fewer than two dozen species; identification of e.g. a particular Tityus is likely problematic and detailed data on the venom exists only for a small fraction of the Buthidae (see BmKAEP from the venom of Mesobuthus martensii, for an example).^[2]

List of genera and species^[2]

Buthus occitanus

Deathstalker, Leiurus quinquestriatus

Notes

References

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