Parabuthus villosus
| Parabuthus villosus | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Parabuthus villosus |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Parabuthus villosus | ||||||||||||
| ( Peters , 1862) |
Parabuthus villosus is avery poisonous scorpion nativeto South Africa and Namibia , which is available in different color variations. It is one of the largest representatives of the genus Parabuthus as well as the family of Buthidae comprising over 900 species.
etymology
Parabuthus villosus , first described by the German naturalist Wilhelm Peters in 1862 , has no common German name, unlike its closest relative, the South African thick-tailed scorpion ( Parabuthus transvaalicus ). In English-speaking countries, P. villosus is not only known by its common scientific name but also as "black hairy thick-tailed scorpion" ( black hairy thick-tailed scorpion ). It owes its name to its pronounced hair. Translated from Latin, “ Villosus ” means: hairy.
description
Appearance
The Parabuthus villosus has a relatively thick metasoma (tail) and thin claws, which makes it a very poisonous species of scorpion.
It is available in different color variations, the black morph, the typical morph and the oranje morph . These color variations are not breeds, they occur in the wild.
The black morph has a dark, black and gray body and legs, and dark, e.g. Sometimes reddish-brown scissors, with Parabuthus villosus also showing regional differences in color. The black morph is very similar to its sister species Parabuthus transvaalicus . One can distinguish the two species well by the comb teeth, which are much darker in P. villosus .
The typical morph has a dark, brownish black body and amber legs and pedipalps .
The oranje morph has a dark, red-brown body and orange-brown pedipalps and legs.
Like all scorpions , the Parabuthus villosus also fluoresces under black light . Why this is so is not yet fully understood. It is assumed that this would attract insects or recognize conspecifics better.
Size / age
The females reach a body length of 12 to 18 cm (with tail) and are slightly larger than the males.
Parabuthus villosus males are fully grown and sexually mature in the 7th, females in the 8th instar (moulting interval). Depending on the conditions (food supply, climate), they reach adult age 1–2 years after birth. In contrast to some other scorpion species, the moulting of Parabuthus villosus usually takes place on the back. As is common with many arachnids , the females live significantly longer than the males.
Gender differences
The males are slightly smaller and less massive than the females, and the manus (thickened area at the start of the scissors) on the bucks is a bit more brawny, a bit like boxing gloves. The gender distinction can also be made based on the number of comb teeth.
A clear and age-independent sexual dimorphism can also be recognized on the comb organ ; Females have a significantly enlarged proximal median lamella (PML).
Way of life
Distribution area / habitat
P. villosus is native to South Africa and Namibia. Its distribution area extends from the South African province of North Cape along the Skeleton Coast in Namibia to the Namibian Damaraland . He lives in semi-arid to arid , z. Sometimes rocky areas under stones, wood or in self-dug caves. It has already been discovered in extremely arid zones of the Namib , but does not occur in the sand dunes of the Namib or Kalahari .
The Orange color morph is only endemic to a small area near Oranjemund on the Orange River .
General behavior
Various factors such as B. temperature, age or gender etc. have an influence on the "temperament" of P. villosus . As a rule, they are calm and shy contemporaries who seek to escape when a disturbance occurs, but aggressive behavior can also be expected under special circumstances.
Like many scorpion species, P. villosus is a strict loner in the wild, although in terrariums, under certain conditions (enough space, hiding places, food and water), keeping a pair can be problem-free. But the danger of cannibalism always remains.
What is special about Parabuthus villosus is its strong daily activity for a scorpion, which makes it particularly attractive for terraristics. This has only been observed in a very few species of scorpion. Even closely related species such as Parabuthus raudus , Parabuthus granulatus or Parabuthus schlechteri have never been seen in studies in Namibia during the day, while Parabuthus villosus itself to heißesten days go. Why this is so is still largely unclear. It is believed that it could be related to the fact that the main food, certain beetles, are also diurnal.
Enemies / Defense Mechanisms
The range of enemies is diverse. Various birds, reptiles, other arachnids and mammals such as the meerkat are among the predators of Parabuthus villosus .
If he feels threatened, he can stridulate loudly by stroking the individual segments of the back armor with the poison sting and thus generating a clearly audible ratchet. During this process, he can also finely spray some of his milky poison, which smells of horseradish, and thus underline the warning.
If this warning is not used, he can also spray the poison in a targeted manner up to a meter in the direction of the enemy, who then threatens to go blind if the poison gets into their eyes. This makes them one of the few scorpion species that can defend themselves fairly effectively against their archenemies, the meerkats. The last possible defense is then of course the sting, with which he can inject potent poison. He can actively control the composition of the poison as well as the amount administered.
Prey / hunting behavior
Parabuthus villosus can overwhelm almost anything roughly its size. Small reptiles or mice as well as other arachnids and insects belong to its range of prey, with the latter being the main source of food.
Like almost all scorpions, it is a stalking hunter , but it is one of the few species that do actively seek out and chase their prey. With its sensory hair, the scorpion perceives the slightest vibration on the ground up to a meter away and thus steers towards its prey in a targeted manner.
Once he has grabbed his prey with the scissors, he injects it with his paralyzing poison cocktail with several stitches, first of all surgically scanning the prey with the sting until it stabs at a suitable point.
Once the prey has been shot, it often happens that he “ piggybacks ” it in the typical manner and transports it to a sheltered place before eating it there.
Mating behavior
The mating ritual, the "Promenade a deux", by P. villosus is typical of scorpions and is often described as dancing. The smaller male follows the female's scent trail, then grabs her by the scissors and “pulls” her back and forth across the territory until the male has found a suitable place to hand over the sperm packet. The whole thing can drag on for many minutes to hours, with breaks being taken from time to time, but the male always keeps the partner firmly under control. In rare cases, a male scorpion can also give the female a mating sting. This makes the dangerous female a little more “docile” or pacified, as is assumed.
Once a suitable place for the spermatophore has been found, the male deposits his approx. 1.5 cm package and then carefully directs the female over it with jerky movements so that she can pick it up in her sexual pouch. As soon as this has happened, the dance ends abruptly and the male lets go of her and usually hurries away, as the lady can often react irritably afterwards. However, cannibalism does not normally occur.
Young animals
After a gestation period of around 10 months, 30–100 mini-scorpions are born, and the number of young usually decreases with the age of the mother. Immediately after birth, the cubs climb onto their mother's back. There they feed on the body's own reserves for 1–2 weeks and enjoy the protection of their mother. Then they shed their skin for the second instar and then go looking for food for the first time. You are then already fully poisonous and independent. Smaller tours of discovery are made from then on, but they still stay close to the mother and visit her back from time to time. Over time, the exploration tours take longer until they let go and occupy their own territory.
Poison
With an LD-50 value of 5.75 mg per kg tested on mice , the Parabuthus villosus is not one of the most poisonous scorpions of its genus. Even the sister species Parabuthus transvaalicus has a considerably more potent poison at 4.25 mg / kg. On the other hand , Parabuthus villosus can release more venom due to its size (the poisonous bladder can contain up to 12 mg of dry venom) than many of its relatives, which in turn makes it one of the most dangerous scorpions in southern Africa. The Parabuthus villosus is one of around two dozen species (out of a total of around 1,500 species of scorpion) that can be dangerous to humans. It is one of the medically significant scorpions and is classified at level 3.5 in the 4-level model of medical treatment with generic allocation.
Since P. villosus can also spray the poison, special care is required when handling the animals.
Parabuthus villosus can actively control the composition of the poison. There are two different types of poison. If there is less irritation, the more transparent prevenom is used. This poison has a paralyzing effect. The protein poisons it contains, which can cause cardiac muscle paralysis, are present in low concentrations. The prevenom is mostly used to catch prey, but it can also be used for mating.
As a defense against larger vertebrates , the milky postvenom is injected, which is composed primarily of neurotoxins and endogenous catecholamines. The poison can also cause severe pain and cardiac and central nervous symptoms in people and is especially dangerous for older, young, weak and allergic people.
In adults, the following symptoms can occur in the first 4 hours, at the latest 12 hours:
Eyes : locally conjunctivitis up to corneal damage after contact with poison
Autonomic nervous system : salivation, sweating, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Neuro-muscular : muscle paralysis with swallowing and speech disorders, ptosis to generalized paralysis, muscle cramps and muscle pain, weakness, tremor; increased muscle reflexes, hyperesthesia, ataxia, restlessness and anxiety.
Additionally : arterial hypertension, tachycardia, rarely breathing disorders, rarely respiratory depression, requires ventilation in exceptional cases.
Terraristics / keeping
terrarium
Since P. villosus is a relatively large, active and very poisonous scorpion, a sufficiently large, lockable terrarium with a good ventilation system is required. The size should not be less than 30 cm × 30 cm and a pair holding is possible from 60 cm × 40 cm. Larger terrariums offer more furnishing options and simplify climate control.
A sticker indicating the toxicity should be attached to the outside of the terrarium. You can also add some information about the species or the number of the toxicological center.
Facility
It is recommended that the facility is as natural as possible. Since P. villosus belongs to the burrowing species, it should be offered at least 15 cm of burrowable clay / sand mixture as a substrate. Pure sand is not suitable. The moist substrate is inserted in layers and pressed down a little and should be well dried out when the animals move in. If you bring the substrate up slightly towards the rear, you gain more area and the landscape is better presented to the observer.
Several hiding places with stones and caves should be offered in different climatic zones, making sure that the objects cannot collapse. This can be done, for example, with a clay / sand mixture that cannot be digested. In addition to a prefabricated hiding place, you can also indicate the other hiding places so that the animals can make their own hiding places.
A vertical climbing option such as a cork wall extends the radius of action and is sometimes used with pleasure.
You also need a small water bowl in which the animal is offered some water every 1–2 weeks. It should not be too big so that the animal cannot drown in it, otherwise you can put a few stones on the bowl as a preventive measure.
Dried pieces of roots, pieces of wood, dried blades of grass, stones, succulents or cacti etc. can serve as decoration. With the plants, of course, you have to pay attention to appropriate lighting so that they can survive, but you can also fall back on deceptively real-looking plastic plants, which is easier and unproblematic for the animals.
climate
A temperature of 30 ° C is recommended in the terrarium, with a local point that is heated to around 40 ° C by a radiant heater, so the animal can choose the most suitable place according to its needs. The heater should be switched on approximately every 12 hours.
The animals don't mind a sharp drop in temperature at night, as this is also given in the wild. The night temperature should be between 17 and 25 ° C. If there is any uncertainty, you can look at the climate values of the corresponding regions, e.g. B. from Lüderitz or Windhoek . The radiant heater is best used on one side or corner of the terrarium and not necessarily in the middle, so you can better ensure different climate zones for the animals.
Additional heating mats, etc. should be avoided or they should be attached to the side and not under the terrarium, as the animals instinctively dig down to escape the heat.
The humidity values should be 30–40% (slightly higher at night), whereby the orange and typical color morphs can be kept a little more humid (40–50%) due to the distribution area. This is guaranteed by spraying a quarter of the area in the terrarium a bit damp every few days, as required, thus also ensuring different climate zones. However, it is important to ensure that waterlogging never occurs.
Winter time can be simulated by slowly lowering the temperatures in October. The lighting time is reduced and weaker lamps are used. In November the animals can then be kept at around 25 ° C. From March the temperatures will gradually increase again. A natural simulation of the seasons is not absolutely necessary, but it can have a positive effect on the life expectancy of the animals and has an influence on mating behavior (9).
Cleaning / handling
The work in the terrarium is minimal. If the pane is dirty, you can clean it with a little water if necessary. If you find remains of the food animals, you take them out with tweezers, just like pieces of feces. But you shouldn't disturb the animals too much and because of the danger you should always keep the work in the terrarium to a minimum. The hiding places should also be lit up as far as possible, as this means stress for the animals. And if you have to check, this should be done with a red light, as the animals can perceive red light less.
For larger work in the terrarium, the animals must first be removed. This is done by carefully grasping the scorpion with long tweezers between the upper tail segments and then transferring it to the transition container provided. You should only press so hard that they cannot twist out of the tweezers.
In addition to the tweezers, a long brush is also useful. With it you can gently scare away the scorpion if you don't want to blow, and you can also use it to remove sand from the water bowl or the guide rail of the disc.
Lining
Various types of cockroach or crickets are available as feed, and are available in every specialist shop. In the second instar, small baby cockroaches and mini crickets are fed every 2-3 days and the adults are given a cricket or medium forest cockroach every 2-3 weeks. Overfeeding should be avoided at all costs and can cause the animal to become obese and thus drastically shorten life expectancy.
Mating / rearing
Before bringing the two animals together, preferably in spring, it is advisable to feed both animals well for the first time. Then you can study the behavior of the two by sharing the terrarium with a plexiglass or perforated grid. So the animals can get used to the situation a bit and if they don't show any aggression, you can remove the pane and be ready to intervene with blows and tweezers if a fight for life and death should break out. Normally there shouldn't be any problems in this regard. After the package has been handed over, the male can be removed again.
As the pregnancy continues, the female becomes thicker and thicker and if her pleural membrane (abdominal skin) usually takes on a shine after 8–12 months, it only takes a few weeks to give birth. If the litter is imminent, the lady can be relocated to a useful and clearly designed throwing pool.
After the birth, the mother is weakened. You can then offer her a dead insect, which is often gladly accepted and greedily devoured. You repeat this weekly until you have separated the young, so you minimize the risk that the mother will use her own offspring to regain strength.
The sensitive and more susceptible young animals are separated from the 2nd instar, when they begin to explore the environment, and reared in small boxes. They dehydrate quickly, so you should moisten the substrate well every 2 to 3 days and keep the climate a little more humid and not quite as hot (approx. 50–60% and 25–28 ° C) as is the case with the adult animals is. The higher humidity is also helpful during molting. Too much moisture and waterlogging should be avoided in any case, this promotes fungi and diseases. Small isopods, mini crickets, baby crickets and / or newly hatched cockroaches are given as food every 2 to 3 days. The size of the feed animals and the time between feedings naturally grows with the scorpions.
literature
- Dieter Mahsberg, Rüdiger Lippe, Stephan Kallas: Scorpions. Münster 1999, ISBN 978-3931587154
- Martin Watz: Scorpions in the terrarium. Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3800156580
- Alexis Harington: The Journal of Arachnology. Online: Diurnalism in Parabuthus villosus
- Alexis Harington: The Journal of Arachnology. Online: Character variation in the Scorpion Parabuthus villosus
- William Frederick Purcell: New South African scorpions in the collection of the South African Museum. In: Annals of the South African Museum 1. 1899
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.channel5.com/shows/wild-things-with-dominic-monaghan/meet-the-wild-things/black-hairy-thick-tailed-scorpion-namibia-2
- ↑ a b Alexis Harington, CHARACTER VARIATION IN THE SCORPION PARABUTHUS VILLOSUS http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v11_n3/JoA_v11_p393.pdf
- ↑ a b Panarthropoda.de: Parabuthus villosus "black color morphs"
- ↑ a b c skorpionforen.eu: Parabuthus villosus (Peters, 1862) ( Memento of the original from January 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Animal Planet - Animal Stories - Scorpions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSnjY8obtU8&list=PLD567E0D1FA5D1FEB&index=4
- ^ A b Dieter Mahsberg, Rüdiger Lippe, Stephan Kallas: Scorpions . P. 104
- ↑ http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/arachnids/scorpions/buthidae/parabuthus_villosus.htm
- ↑ http://wirbellosenzentrum.de/index.php/mollusca/403.html
- ↑ a b The Journal of Arachnology 10:85, Diurnalism in Parabuthus villosus, http://www.americanarachnology.org/joa_free/joa_v10_n1/joa_v10_p85.pdf
- ↑ skorpionforen.eu: Parabuthus villosus oranje morph ( Memento of the original from January 4, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Scorpio documentation from Animal Planet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACHFc34dQdU
- ↑ Dieter Mahsberg, Rüdiger Lippe, Stephan Kallas: Scorpions . P. 22
- ↑ Martin Waltz: Scorpions in the terrarium. P. 76
- ↑ Ann Webb and Herbert Schiejok SCORPIONS, page 76
- ↑ Toxicological Center Munich - http://www.toxinfo.med.tum.de/gifttiere/datenbank
- ↑ Martin Waltz: Scorpions in the terrarium. P. 39
