Opistophthalmus

Opistophthalmus
Opistophthalmus
Tri-colored burrowing scorpion, O. glabifrons
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Scorpionidae
Genus: Opistophthalmus
Koch, 1837

Opistophthalmus is a genus of scorpions known commonly as burrowing scorpions, tri-colored scorpions or hissing scorpions. They are found predominantly in southern Africa. They are known for making deep and elaborate burrows.

Contents

Description

Opistophthalmus scorpions are typically heavily built for scorpions, and have broad, powerful claws (chelae). They vary in color from yellow through brown to black usually with darker or lighter areas. The leg color is typically much lighter than the rest of the body.

Species

Sources disagree on how many species within the genus there are, but it is generally accepted that there are approximately 60:

  • Opistophthalmus adustus (Kraepelin, 1908)
  • Opistophthalmus ammopus (Lamoral, 1980)
  • Opistophthalmus ater (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus austerus (Karsch, 1879)
  • Opistophthalmus boehmi (Kraepelin, 1896)
O. boehmi
  • Opistophthalmus brevicauda (Lawrence, 1928)
  • Opistophthalmus capensis (Herbst, 1800)
  • Opistophthalmus carinatus' (Peters, 1861)
  • Opistophthalmus cavimanus (Lawrence, 1928)
  • Opistophthalmus chaperi (Simon, 1880)
  • Opistophthalmus chrysites (Lawrence, 1967)
  • Opistophthalmus coetzeei (Lamoral, 1979)
  • Opistophthalmus concinnus (Newlands, 1972)
  • Opistophthalmus crassimanus (Purcell, 1899)
  • Opistophthalmus fitzsimonsi (Hewitt, 1935)
  • Opistophthalmus flavescens (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus fossor (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus fuscipes (Purcell, 1899)
  • Opistophthalmus gibbericauda (Lamoral, 1979)
  • Opistophthalmus gigas (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus glabrifrons (Peters, 1861)
  • Opistophthalmus granicauda (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus granifrons (Pocock, 1896)
  • Opistophthalmus haackei (Lawrence, 1966)
  • Opistophthalmus holmi (Lawrence, 1969)
  • Opistophthalmus intercedens (Kraepelin, 1908)
  • Opistophthalmus intermedius (Kraepelin, 1894)
  • Opistophthalmus jenseni (Lamoral, 1972)
  • Opistophthalmus karrooensis (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus keilandsi (Hewitt, 1914)
  • Opistophthalmus lamorali (Prendini, 2000)
  • Opistophthalmus laticauda (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus latimanus (Koch, 1841)
  • Opistophthalmus latro (Thorell, 1894)
  • Opistophthalmus lawrencei (Newlands, 1969)
  • Opistophthalmus leipoldti (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus litoralis (Lawrence, 1955)
  • Opistophthalmus longicauda (Purcell, 1899)
  • Opistophthalmus lornae (Lamoral, 1979)
  • Opistophthalmus luciranus (Lawrence, 1959)
  • Opistophthalmus lundensis (Monrad, 1937)
  • Opistophthalmus macer (Thorell, 1876)
  • Opistophthalmus nitidiceps (Pocock, 1896)
  • Opistophthalmus opinatus (Simon, 1888)
  • Opistophthalmus pallipes (Koch, 1842)
  • Opistophthalmus pattisoni (Purcell, 1899)
  • Opistophthalmus penrithorum (Lamoral, 1979)
  • Opistophthalmus peringueyi (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus pictus (Kraepelin, 1894)
  • Opistophthalmus pluridens (Hewitt, 1918)
  • Opistophthalmus praedo (Thorell, 1876)
  • Opistophthalmus pugnax (Thorell, 1876)
  • Opistophthalmus pygmaeus (Lamoral, 1979)
  • Opistophthalmus scabrifrons (Hewitt, 1913)
  • Opistophthalmus schlechteri (Purcell, 1898)
  • Opistophthalmus schultzei (Kraepelin, 1908)
  • Opistophthalmus setifrons (Lawrence, 1961)
  • Opistophthalmus ugabensis (Hewitt, 1934)
  • Opistophthalmus wahlbergii (Thorell, 1876)
  • Opistophthalmus werneri (Lamoral & Reynders, 1975)

In captivity

O. glabrifrons, O. wahlbergii and O. boehmi are readily available in the exotic pet trade. They are generally hardy captives, but tend to have a nervous disposition and if set up properly with deep substrate, they are rarely seen as they will burrow and hide most of the time.

References


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