Hairy desert scorpion
| Hairy desert scorpion | ||||||||||
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Hairy desert scorpion ( Hadrurus arizonensis ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||
| Hadrurus arizonensis | ||||||||||
| ( Ewing , 1928) |
The hairy desert scorpion or great Texas scorpion ( Hadrurus arizonensis Ewing , 1928) is particularly widespread in the south-west of North America ( Sonoran Desert ). With a body length of up to 15 cm, it is the largest scorpion in the USA and one of the 8–9 Hadrurus species living there . Thanks to this size, it is also able to prey on other scorpions and even small lizards and snakes . Whiskers and special sensory organs enable the scorpions to perceive vibrations triggered by potential prey from a distance of up to 30 cm.
These scorpions prefer semi-arid and dry steppes and desert areas and hide themselves under stones or in self-dug burrows during the day. In order to be surrounded by optimal humidity , the depth of its earthworks varies with the groundwater level of the soil. In midsummer the animals dig up to 2.5 meters deep.
On the established four-level classification of the symptoms of scorpion stings, stings from Hadrurus spp. assigned to the second stage (stings with strong local symptoms without systemic toxic effects). Accordingly, severe and long-lasting pain is to be expected. As a reaction of the autonomic nervous system to the pain and possible fear reactions, nausea , dizziness , circulatory collapse and hyperventilation can also occur. Overall, however, the toxicity of Hadrurus arizonensis on the basis of the LD 50 value of 168–198 mg / kg for mice can be assessed as comparatively low. The toxicity of Androctonus australis (stings with cardiac and central nervous symptoms; life-threatening ) with 0.32–6 mg / kg and the Mojave rattlesnake with 0.24–3 mg / kg provide a reference value . Nevertheless, this scorpion species is still two to three times more poisonous than about Heterometrus laoticus (LD 50 value 300–600 mg / kg mouse; intensity about a bee / hornet sting).
Compared to other species, the animals are considered to be less aggressive towards humans.
Web links
- Deutsche Arachnologische Gesellschaft eV (DeArGe) - an association that looks after the research and transmission of information from arachnids (publication organ : ARACHNE - ISSN 1613-2688 )
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Kleber, JJ et al .: Poisoning by scorpion stings . Ed .: Deutsches Ärzteblatt. tape 96 , no. 25 , June 25, 1999, pp. 1710–1715 ( aerzteblatt.de ).
- ↑ a b Komposch, C .: Scorpions and scorpion poisons from a biological and human medical perspective (Arachnida, Scorpiones) . In: Aspöck, H. (Ed.): Sick through arthropods . tape 30 . Denisia, 2010, p. 279-317 ( researchgate.net ).
- ↑ a b Tom van der Valk, Arie van der Meijden: Toxicity of scorpion venom in chick embryo and mealworm assay depending on the use of the soluble fraction versus the whole venom . In: Toxicon . tape 88 , September 2014, p. 38–43 , doi : 10.1016 / j.toxicon.2014.06.007 ( elsevier.com [accessed April 15, 2020]).