Hormurus waigiensis

Hormurus waigiensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Scorpiones
Family:	Hormuridae
Genus:	Hormurus
Species:	H. waigiensis
Binomial name
Hormurus waigiensis (Gervais, 1844) [1]
Synonyms
Scorpio (Ischnurus) waigiensisGervais, 1844 Liocheles waigiensis(Gervais, 1844) Ischnurus caudiculaL.Koch, 1867 Ischnurus neocaledonicusSimon, 1877 Ischnurus dechangeiBecker, 1880 Hormurus insculptusThorell, 1888 Hormurus weberiPocock, 1893 Hormurus sarasiniKraepelin, 1914 Hormurus caudicula novaeguineaeGiltay, 1931

Hormurus waigiensis, also known as the Australian rainforest scorpion, is a species of scorpion in the Hormuridae family. It is native to Australia and New Guinea. It was first described in 1844 by French paleontologist and zoologist Paul Gervais. ^[1]

Description

The scorpions can grow to about 65 mm (2.6 in) in length. They have elongated and flattened bodies and powerful pincers. ^[2]

Distribution and habitat

Much of the species’ recorded range in Australia is in eastern Queensland, with some additional records from New South Wales, the Northern Territory, northern Western Australia, and New Guinea. ^[3] As their common name suggests, the scorpions prefer warm, humid environments. Their body shape is adapted to sheltering in rock crevices and beneath decaying bark and plant litter. ^[2]

References

1. Gervais, P (1844). "Remarques sur la famille des scorpions et description de plusieurs espèces nouvelles de la collection du Muséum". Archives du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. 4: 226–240.
2. Peter Wright (2001). "Liocheles waigiensis". The Scorpion Files. Jan Ove Rein. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
3. "Hormurus waigiensis (Gervais, 1844)". Atlas of Living Australia. ALA. Retrieved 5 February 2023.