Mesobuthus

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Mesobuthus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Buthidae
Genus: Mesobuthus
Vachon, 1950
Synonyms [1] [2]

Mesobuthus is an Asian genus of scorpions in the family Buthidae.

Contents

Species

Mesobuthus contains the following species: [3]

Mesobuthus vesiculatus [4]

The scorpion Mesobuthus vesiculatus is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae. It is primarily located in Iran, ranging from the Caucaso-Iranian Highlands to Anatolian-Iranian Desert (90% of Iran). The males and females are of a modest in size, reaching lengths of 60 mm or approximately 2.4 inches. M. vesiculatus is known to have a yellowish to brownish yellow coloration with brownish segments located at or near tergite, sclerotized plate formed near dorsal portion of an arthropod, and dark reticulations on the basal half. Males in general have more pectines, comb-like teeth, 26-29 than females 20–22.

Morphology

Carapace

Anterior of the carapace is virtually smooth, with slight emarginates. The carinae are seen to be more pronounced in males and granular in both genders. However, the posterior median carinae are small with granules on the dorsal edge of the carapace. The dorsal side of the metasomal segments are all temperately developed. Three pairs of lateral eyes are located on each side, and the median eyes are separated, from one another, by 2 ocular diameters.

Telson

The telson is globular in shape, characteristic of the scorpions in the family Buthidae, but appears more swollen with short, small, and hooked aculeus (A. Karatas, 2012).

Chelicerae

It has two reduced denticles at base of the ventral side of its movable finger.

Legs

All legs have spurs that are prolateral and retro lateral, and all telotarsi have two rows of bristles ventrally and several setae dorsally. The dactyl is small and blunt, while the ungues short, stout, and weakly curved (A. Karatas, 2012). Legs III and IV contain strong tibial spurs.

Hemi spermatophore

These are typical for this genus and family of scorpion. The outer and interior lobe of the truncal flexure are thick at the base. There are four distinct lobes with the interior lobe being the largest in size.

Differentiation of M. vesiculatus from other scorpions in family Buthidae

M. Vesiculatus is similar to Sassanidotus gracillis because they both have a large telson and narrow metasoma but M. Vesiculatus is shown to have three granules near the terminal granule on the pedipalp movable finger. M. Vesiculatus also has very pronounced carapacial and metasomal carination, and its metasomal segment are seen to be larger than that of Olivierus caucasicus and smaller than that of M. eupeus.M. Vesiculatus is different than these three other species in that its median eyes are much larger, its vesicle and aculeus is smaller, and it has a stouter carination on its pedipalp.

Related Research Articles

<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.

<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>Hottentotta tamulus</i> Species of scorpion

Hottentotta tamulus, the Indian red scorpion, also known as the eastern Indian scorpion, is a species of scorpion of the family Buthidae. It occurs in most of India, eastern Pakistan and the eastern lowlands of Nepal, and recently from Sri Lanka.

<i>Mesobuthus eupeus</i> Species of scorpion

Mesobuthus eupeus is a polymorphic scorpion species belonging to the well-known family Buthidae. Commonly known as the lesser Asian scorpion or the mottled scorpion. It is thought to be the most widely dispersed species of the genus Mesobuthus, perhaps even of the family Buthidae.

<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>Chaerilus</i> Genus of scorpions

Chaerilus is a genus of scorpions in the family Chaerilidae. They live in tropical parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. A fossil genus Electrochaerilus is known from the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) aged Burmese amber.

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

<i>Charmus laneaus</i> Species of scorpion

Charmus laneaus is a species of non-venomous scorpion in the family Buthidae endemic to Sri Lanka.

<i>Lychas srilankensis</i> Species of scorpion

Lychas srilankensis is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.

Chaerilus ceylonensis is a species of scorpion in Chaerilidae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.

<i>Srilankametrus indus</i> Species of scorpion

Srilankametrus indus, commonly known as the giant forest scorpion, is a species of scorpions belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka.

<i>Hottentotta conspersus</i> Species of scorpion

Hottentotta conspersus, the Sesriem scorpion, is a species of scorpion of the family Buthidae.

<i>Buthoscorpio</i> Genus of scorpions

Buthoscorpio is a genus of scorpions in the family Buthidae.

<i>Lychas</i>

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.

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

Charmus is a genus of buthid scorpions native to India and Sri Lanka.

<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.

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

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

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

Heterometrus serratus is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae endemic to Sri Lanka where it is restricted to southern parts.

References

  1. Afghanobuthus Lourenço, 2005 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2021-10-21
  2. IRMNG (2021). Afghanobuthus Lourenço, 2005. Accessed at: https://www.irmng.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1168001 on 2021-10-21
  3. Jan Ove Rein (2022). "Buthidae". The Scorpion Files. Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet . Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  4. Karatas, Aysegul (Sep 2012). "Rediscription of Mesobuthus Vesiculatus". Turkish Journal of Zoology. 36: 576–584 via EBSCO.