Leiurus

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Leiurus
Leiurusquinquestriatus.jpg
Leiurus quinquestriatus (Ehrenberg, 1828)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Buthidae
Genus: Leiurus
Ehrenberg, 1828
Type species
Androctonus (Leiurus) quinquestriatus
Ehrenberg, 1828
Diversity
About 20 species
Leiurus jordanensis adult female in captivity Leiurus jordanensis.jpg
Leiurus jordanensis adult female in captivity

Leiurus is a genus of scorpion of the family Buthidae. The most common species, L. quinquestriatus, is also known under the common name Deathstalker . It is distributed widely across North Africa and the Middle East, including the western and southern Arabian Peninsula and southeastern Turkey. At least one species occurs in West Africa (northern Cameroon).

Contents

Taxonomy

The genus was introduced in 1828 by C.G. Ehrenberg (in Hemprich & Ehrenberg 1828), [1] originally as a subgenus of the genus Androctonus . It was finally elevated to genus rank by M. Vachon in 1949. [2] The genus was long considered to be monotypic, containing a single species, L. quinquestriatus, but research since 2002 has shown that there are indeed several species. [3]

Diversity

Currently twenty species are recognized within this genus. [4]

General characteristics

Members of Leiurus are generally moderately sized scorpions that show a typical buthid habitus with gracile pedipalp chelae and a slender metasoma. The vesicle is bulbous and proportionally large in some species. The cephalothorax and mesosoma shows distinct granulation. Characteristically the tergites of the mesosoma bear five distinct, longitudinal carinae (ridges). The base color is generally yellow with brown to blackish areas extending over various parts of the animal, depending on species. [21]

Toxicity

The venom of L. quinquestriatus is among the most potent scorpion toxins. It severely affects the cardiac and pulmonary systems. Human fatalities, often children, have been confirmed by clinical reports. [22] The median lethal dose of venom (LD50) for this species was measured at 0.16 - 0.50 mg/kgmice. [23]
The toxicity of the other species is also potentially high to life-threatening, but reliable data are currently not available.

Habitat

Most species live in semi-arid to arid regions, including the Sahara and Arabian deserts. At least one species occurs in savannah environment. Sparsely vegetated and sandy or rocky substrates are preferred. The scorpions live in shallow burrows in sand or beneath rocks.

In captivity

Members of the genus Leiurus are often bred in captivity and traded. Due to their extreme toxicity, keeping these species is strictly recommended to only very experienced and/or professionally trained people.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deathstalker</span> Species of arachnid

The deathstalker is a species of scorpion, a member of the family Buthidae. It is also known as the Palestine yellow scorpion, Omdurman scorpion, and Naqab desert scorpion, as well as by many other colloquial names, which generally originate from the commercial captive trade of the animal. To eliminate confusion, especially important with potentially dangerous species, the scientific name is normally used to refer to them. The name Leiurus quinquestriatus roughly translates into English as "five-striped smooth-tail". In 2014, the subspecies L. q. hebraeus was separated from it and elevated to its own species Leiurus hebraeus. Other species of the genus Leiurus are also often referred to as "deathstalkers". Leiurus quinquestriatus is yellow, and 30–77 millimetres (1.2–3.0 in) long, with an average of 58 mm (2.3 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fattail scorpion</span> Genus of scorpions

Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, one of the most dangerous groups of scorpion species in the world. The genus was first described in 1828 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buthidae</span> Family of scorpions

The Buthidae are the largest family of scorpions, containing about 100 genera and 1339 species as of 2022. A few very large genera are known, but a high number of species-poor or monotypic ones also exist. New taxa are being described at a rate of several new species per year. They have a cosmopolitan distribution throughout tropical and subtropical environments worldwide. Together with four other families, the Buthidae make up the superfamily Buthoidea. The family was established by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837.

Buthacus is a genus of scorpion of the family Buthidae. It is distributed across northern and western Africa, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

<i>Hottentotta</i> Genus of scorpions

Hottentotta is a genus of scorpions of the family Buthidae. It is distributed widely across Africa, except for most of the Sahara desert. Species in the genus also occur in the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, southeastern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Cape Verde Islands, and Sri Lanka (introduced).

<i>Heterometrus</i> Genus of scorpions

Heterometrus, whose members are also known by the collective vernacular name Asian Forest Scorpion, is a genus of scorpions belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is distributed widely across tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia, including Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China (Hainan). It is notable for containing some of the largest living species of scorpions.

<i>Buthus</i> Genus of arachnids

Buthus is a genus of scorpion belonging and being eponymous to the family Buthidae. It is distributed widely across northern Africa, including Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, as well as the Middle East, including Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and possibly Saudi Arabia and southern Turkey. Its European range includes the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and Cyprus.

<i>Isometrus</i> Genus of scorpions

Isometrus is a genus of scorpion belonging and being eponymous to the family Buthidae. Some species are currently assigned to the genus Reddyanus.

<i>Reddyanus besucheti</i> Species of scorpion

Reddyanus besucheti is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae endemic to Sri Lanka.

Isometrus thwaitesi is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae endemic to Sri Lanka.

Reddyanus loebli is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae.

Srilankametrus gravimanus is a species of scorpion belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka.

Hottentotta jalalabadensis is a species of scorpion of the family Buthidae. It was first found in Afghanistan.

<i>Neobuthus</i> Genus of scorpions

Neobuthus is a genus of scorpion of the family Buthidae. It is distributed across the Horn of Africa; in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya and Djibouti.

Leiurus hebraeus is a species of scorpion, a member of the family Buthidae. It was once considered as a subspecies of Leiurus quinquestriatus but recently it was elevated to the rank of a species.

<i>Leiurus abdullahbayrami</i> Species of scorpion

Leiurus abdullahbayrami is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae. Its venom is highly toxic to humans, but can be used in medical development.

<i>Lychas</i> Genus of scorpions

Lychas is a genus of scorpions belonging to the family Buthidae. It is one of the most widespread genus of the scorpions, where the species are found throughout in Africa and Seychelles, and in the Oriental region from India to Melanesia.

<i>Reddyanus</i> Genus of scorpions

Reddyanus is a genus of buthid scorpions native to Oriental region from India, Sri Lanka, China: Tibet, to Melanesia. The genus was previously described as a subgenus of Isometrus.

<i>Orthochirus</i> Genus of scorpions

Orthochirus is a genus of scorpion in the family Buthidae, first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1891.

References

  1. ↑ Hemprich, F.W.; C.G. Ehrenberg (1828). "Zoologica II. Arachnoidea. Plate I: Buthus; Plate II: Androctonus.". In Hemprich, F.W. & C.G. Ehrenberg (ed.). Symbolae Physicae seu Icones et Descriptiones Animalium evertebratorum seposites Insectae quae ex itinere per Africam borealem et Asiam occidentalem . Berlin.
  2. ↑ Vachon, M. (1949). "Etude sur les Scorpions. III (suite). Description des Scorpions du Nord de l'Afrique". Archives de l'Institut Pasteur d'Algérie (in French). 27 (2): 134–169.
  3. ↑ Lourenço, W.R., D. Modry & Z. Amr (2002). "Description of a new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) from the South of Jordan". Revue suisse de Zoologie . 109 (3): 635–642. doi: 10.5962/bhl.part.79613 .{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ↑ Rein, J. O. (2010). "Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837" (PDF). The Scorpion Files. Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet . Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  5. ↑ Yağmur, E. A., Koç, H., & Kunt, K. B. 2009 . Description of a new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Southеastеrn Turkey. Euscorpius, No. 85: 1-20.
  6. ↑ Lourenco WR, El-Hennawy HK. New considerations on the Leiurus Ehrenberg (Scorpiones: Buthidae) distributed in Africa and description of a particular species from Egypt. Serket. 2021;17(4):325-34.
  7. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  8. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  9. ↑ Lourenço W. R. (2020). Why does the number of dangerous species of scorpions increase? The particular case of the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg (Buthidae) in Africa. The journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases, 26, e20200041. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2020-0041
  10. ↑ Kovařík, F., & Lowe, G. 2020 . Scorpions of the Horn of Africa (Arachnida: Scorpiones). Part XXIV. Leiurus (Buthidae), with description of Leiurus gubanensis sp. n.. Euscorpius, No. 309: 1-19.
  11. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  12. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  13. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  14. ↑ Lourenço, Wilson & Kourim, Mohamed & Sadine, Salah. (2018). Scorpions from the region of Tamanrasset, Algeria. Part II. A new African species of the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Arachnida – Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 16.
  15. ↑ Lourenco WR. First record and description of a new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg from Kuwait (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Serket. 2020;17(2):143-9.
  16. ↑ Lowe G, Yagmur EA, Kovarik F. A Review of the Genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with Description of Four New Species from the Arabian Peninsula. Euscorpius. 2014 (191):1-129. PDF.
  17. ↑ Lourenco WR. A new subgenus and species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 from Iraq (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Serket.18(4):421-7.
  18. ↑ Lourenco WR. A new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Nigeria, with extension of the distribution range of the genus to the Southwestern portion of the African continent. Serket. 2021;18(1):1-10.
  19. ↑ Lourenco WR. A remarkable new species of Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 from the north deserts of Mali (Scorpiones: Buthidae). Revista Iberica de Arachnologia. 2020(37):147-52.
  20. ↑ Qi, J., Lourenço, W.R., & Cloudsley-Thompson, J. (2006). The African species of the genus "Leiurus Ehrenberg", 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with the description of a new species.
  21. ↑ Lourenço, W.F., J.-X. Qi & J.L. Cloudsley-Thompson (2006). "The African species of the genus Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) with the description of a new species" (PDF). Boletín Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa. 39: 97–101. Retrieved June 15, 2010.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ Sofer, S.; M. Gueron (1988). "Respiratory failure in children following envenomation by the scorpion Leiurus quinquestriatus: hemodynamic and neurological aspects". Toxicon. 26 (10): 931–939. doi:10.1016/0041-0101(88)90258-9. PMID   3201482.
  23. ↑ Chua Kian-Wee (1997–2000). "Relative toxicity of scorpions" . Retrieved April 7, 2010.
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