Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger. The evolutionary history of scorpions goes back 435 million years. They mainly live in deserts but have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions, and can be found on all continents except Antarctica. There are over 2,500 described species, with 22 extant (living) families recognized to date. Their taxonomy is being revised to account for 21st-century genomic studies.
The Arizona bark scorpion is a small light brown scorpion common to the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. An adult male can reach 8 cm in length (3.14 inches), while a female is slightly smaller, with a maximum length of 7 cm (2.75 inches).
Centruroides exilicauda, the Baja California bark scorpion, is a species of bark scorpion found in Baja California. It is closely related to the Arizona bark scorpion, but is not considered dangerous. Previously only distinguished by geographic range, the two variants were classified in 1980 as the same species. Subsequently, differences in venom toxicity were recorded, and in 2004, DNA analysis showed them to be separate species. The Baja California bark scorpion is a slender, long-tailed scorpion, and although it is typically sand-colored it appears in darker colors.
The striped bark scorpion is an extremely common scorpion found throughout the midsection of the United States and northern Mexico. It is perhaps the most frequently encountered scorpion in the U.S.
Androctonus maroccanus is a species of scorpion of the family Buthidae. Along with other members of the genus Androctonus it is also known by the collective vernacular name fat-tailed scorpion. A. maroccanus is endemic to the Atlantic coast of central Morocco.
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.
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.
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.
Androctonus crassicauda, the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, is a species of extremely dangerous scorpion usually found in North Africa and the Middle East.
Reddyanus basilicus is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae.
Isometrus thwaitesi is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae endemic to Sri Lanka.
Lychas srilankensis is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Srilankametrus gravimanus is a species of scorpion belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is native to India and Sri Lanka.
Hadrurus is a genus of scorpions which belongs to the family Hadruridae. They are found in sandy deserts and other xeric habitats in northwestern Mexico and in southwest United States. They are among the largest of all scorpion genera, only surpassed by Hadogenes, Pandinus, Heterometrus and Hoffmannihadrurus.
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.
Buthoscorpio is a genus of scorpions in the family Buthidae.
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.
Hottentotta rugiscutis is a species of scorpion which is endemic to India.
