The Buthidae are the largest family of scorpions, containing about 100 genera and 1339 species as of 2022.[2] A few very large genera (Ananteris, Centruroides, Compsobuthus, or Tityus) are known, but a high number of species-poor or monotypic ones also exist.[2] New taxa are being described at a rate of several new species per year.[2] They have a [cosmopolitan] distribution throughout tropical and subtropical environments worldwide.[2] Together with four other families, the Buthidae make up the superfamilyButhoidea. The family was established by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837.[2]
Around 20 species of medically important (meaning potentially lethal to humans) scorpions are known, and all but one of these (Hemiscorpius lepturus) are members of the Buthidae.[3] In dead specimens, the spine beneath the stinger, characteristic for this family, can be observed.
Few Buthidae scorpions are among the larger scorpions; on average the members of this family are mid-sized tending towards smallish. Microtityus and Microbuthus barely reach 2 cm (0.8 in). The largest members are found among Androctonus (fattail scorpions), Apistobuthus, Centruroides, and Parabuthus; and can reach 12 cm (about 5 in). Most of them have between two and five pairs of eyes. Some resemble the Vaejovidae. The Chaerilidae and Chactidae have one pair of eyes at most, and the former show a yellowish spot between and to the rear of these.[2]
Their vernacular name refers to the thick tails found in many Buthidae, especially in the Old World. The pedipalps, though, tend to be weak, slender, and tweezer-like. The Buthidae are generally rather cryptically colored, quite uniformly ochre to brown, but some are black or (like Centruroides and Uroplectes) more vividly colored. More conspicuous patterns and shapes occur, e.g., in Isometrus or Lychas.[2]
Scorpions from the genera Androctonus, Centruroides, Hottentotta,[Note 1]Leiurus, Parabuthus, and Tityus are notorious for their strong venom. Human fatalities have been recorded from fewer than two dozen species; identification of a particular Tityus is likely problematic and detailed data on the venom exists only for a small fraction of the Buthidae (see BmKAEP from the venom of Mesobuthus martensii, for example).[2] The venom of Rhopalurus junceus is used in Cuban traditional medicine and has been tested as a medication for cancer.[6]
Mechanism of toxicity
Studied Buthidae toxins have been found to hyperpolarize nerves and slow inactivation, causing painful nerve firing that can last for hours. Many toxins trigger Na+ channels to open prematurely, causing excess sodium ion leakage that triggers nerve signal transduction. [7] Other toxins have been found to bind K+ leak channels to prevent the flow of potassium ions, disallowing the hyperpolarized nerve membrane from depolarizing and returning to its resting state.[7]
The Na+ channel toxins of both Old World and New World Buthids (from Africa/Asia and the Americas, respectively) have a similar protein homology and mechanism of action.[7] It is speculated that toxins from these two groups are derived from the evolutionary ancestor before divergence 150 million years ago.[7]
^Teruel, Rolando & Fet, Victor (eds.) (2005): Snyopsis of the described scorpions of the world - Family Buthidae 2009-05-10 at the Wayback Machine. Version of 3/7/2005. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
^ abcdefghiRein, Jan Ove (2022). "Buthidae". The Scorpion Files. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
^Davies, E. (27 July 2016). The world's worst stinger has a surprising owner. BBC Earth. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
^Wilson R. Lourenço; Jürgen Velten (2016). "A new genus and species of fossil scorpion from Burmese Cretaceous amber (Scorpiones: Buthoidea: Buthidae)". Arachnida – Rivista Aracnologica Italiana. 10: 2–9.
^Santiago-Blay, Jorge A.; Soleglad, Michael E.; Fet, Victor (2004). "A redescription and family placement of Uintascorpio Perry, 1995 from the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation (middle Eocene) of Colorado, USA (Scorpiones: Buthidae)" (PDF). Revista Ibérica de Aracnología. 10: 7–16. ISSN 1576-9518.
^ abcdRowe,A.H., Xiao, Y., Scales, J., Linse, K.D., Rowe, M.P., Cummins, T.R., Zakon, H.H. (2011): Isolation and Characterization of CvIV4: A Pain Inducing α- Scorpion Toxin - [1]. Retrieved June July 20, 2020.
April 18, 2023
buthidae, largest, family, scorpions, containing, about, genera, 1339, species, 2022, very, large, genera, ananteris, centruroides, compsobuthus, tityus, known, high, number, species, poor, monotypic, ones, also, exist, taxa, being, described, rate, several, s. The Buthidae are the largest family of scorpions containing about 100 genera and 1339 species as of 2022 2 A few very large genera Ananteris Centruroides Compsobuthus or Tityus are known but a high number of species poor or monotypic ones also exist 2 New taxa are being described at a rate of several new species per year 2 They have a cosmopolitan distribution throughout tropical and subtropical environments worldwide 2 Together with four other families the Buthidae make up the superfamily Buthoidea The family was established by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837 2 ButhidaeTemporal range Cenomanian to recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg NOdonturus dentatusScientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ArthropodaSubphylum ChelicerataClass ArachnidaOrder ScorpionesSuperfamily ButhoideaFamily ButhidaeC L Koch 1837SubfamiliesButhinae Centrurinae Isometrinae TityinaeSynonyms 1 ListAkentrobuthinae Lamoral 1976 Ananterinae Pocock 1900 Androctonides C L Koch 1837 Babycurini Pocock 1896 Buthides C L Koch 1837 Centruroidinae Roewer 1943 Charminae Birula 1917 Isometrini Kraepelin 1891 Orthochirinae Birula 1917 Microcharmidae Lourenco 1996 Rhopalurinae Bucherl 1971 non Stunkard 1937 Rhopalurusinae Bucherl 1969 Tityinae Kraepelin 1905 Uroplectaria Pavlovsky 1924Around 20 species of medically important meaning potentially lethal to humans scorpions are known and all but one of these Hemiscorpius lepturus are members of the Buthidae 3 In dead specimens the spine beneath the stinger characteristic for this family can be observed Contents 1 List of genera and number of species 2 Description 3 Toxicity and relationship with humans 4 Mechanism of toxicity 5 Gallery 6 Notes 7 ReferencesList of genera and number of species EditThe following genera are recognised in the family Buthidae 2 Aegaeobuthus Kovarik 2019 4 sp Afroisometrus Kovarik 1997 1 sp Afrolychas Kovarik 2019 2 sp Akentrobuthus Lamoral 1976 2 sp Alayotityus Armas 1973 8 sp Ananteris Thorell 1891 92 sp Ananteroides Borelli 1911 2 sp Androctonus Ehrenberg 1828 29 sp Anomalobuthus Kraepelin 1900 6 sp Apistobuthus Finnegan 1932 2 sp Archaeoananteroides Lourenco amp Velten 2016 Cretaceous Burmese amber 4 Australobuthus Locket 1990 1 sp Babycurus Karsch 1886 14 sp Baloorthochirus Kovarik 1996 1 sp Barbaracurus Kovarik Lowe amp Stahlavsky 2018 10 sp Birulatus Vachon 1974 4 sp Buthacus Birula 1908 23 sp Butheoloides Hirst 1925 19 sp Butheolus Simon 1882 6 sp Buthiscus Birula 1905 1 sp Buthoscorpio Werner 1936 5 sp Buthus Leach 1815 65 sp Centruroides Marx 1890 93 sp Charmus Karsch 1879 5 sp Chaneke Francke Teruel amp Santibanez Lopez 2014 4 sp Cicileiurus Teruel 2007 1 sp Cicileus Vachon 1948 5 sp Compsobuthus Vachon 1949 49 sp Congobuthus Lourenco 1999 1 sp Darchenia Vachon 1977 1 sp Egyptobuthus Lourenco 1999 1 sp Femtobuthus Lowe 2010 1 sp Fetilinia Lowe amp Kovarik 2021 1 sp Gint Kovarik Lowe Pliskova amp Stahlavsky 2013 12 sp Grosphus Simon 1880 34 sp Hemibuthus Pocock 1900 2 sp Hemilychas Hirst 1911 1 sp Heteroctenus Pocock 1893 9 sp Himalayotityobuthus Lourenco 1997 2 sp Hottentotta Birula 1908 58 sp Iranobuthus Kovarik 1997 1 sp Ischnotelson Esposito Yamaguti Souza Pinto da Rocha amp Prendini 2 sp Isometroides Keyserling 1885 1 sp Isometrus Ehrenberg 1828 10 sp Jaguajir Esposito Yamaguti Souza Pinto da Rocha amp Prendini 2017 3 sp Janalychas Kovarik 2019 9 sp Karasbergia Hewitt 1913 1 sp Kraepelinia Vachon 1974 1 sp Lanzatus Kovarik 2001 2 sp Leiurus Ehrenberg 1828 17 sp Liobuthus Birula 1898 1 sp Lissothus Vachon 1948 3 sp Lychas C L Koch 1845 31 sp Lychasoides Vachon 1974 1 sp Mauritanobuthus Qi amp Lourenco 1 sp Mesobuthus Vachon 1950 12 sp Mesotityus Gonzalez Sponga 1981 1 sp Microananteris Lourenco 2003 1 sp Microbuthus Kraepelin 1898 7 sp Microcharmus Lourenco 1995 16 sp Microtityus Kjellesvig Waering 1966 40 sp Neobuthus Hirst 1911 16 sp Neogrosphus Lourenco 1995 3 sp Neoprotobuthus Lourenco 2000 1 sp Odontobuthus Vachon 1950 6 sp Odonturus Karsch 1879 1 sp Olivierus Farzanpay 1987 18 sp Orthochiroides Kovarik 1998 3 sp Orthochirus Karsch 1891 53 sp Pantobuthus Lourenco amp Duhem 2009 1 sp Parabuthus Pocock 1890 38 sp Pectinibuthus Fet in Orlov amp Vasilyev 1984 1 sp Physoctonus Mello Leitao 1934 3 sp Picobuthus Lowe 2010 2 sp Plesiobuthus Pocock 1900 1 sp Polisius Fet Capes amp Sissom 2001 1 sp Pseudolissothus Lourenco 2001 1 sp Pseudolychas Kraepelin 1911 3 sp Pseudouroplectes Lourenco 1995 5 sp Razianus Farzanpay 1987 4 sp Reddyanus Vachon 1972 34 sp Rhopalurus Thorell 1876 3 sp Saharobuthus Lourenco amp Duhem 2009 1 sp Sassanidotus Farzanpay 1987 2 sp Somalibuthus Kovarik 1998 1 sp Somalicharmus Kovarik 1998 1 sp Spelaeolychas Kovarik 2019 1 sp Teruelius Lowe amp Kovarik 2019 22 sp Thaicharmus Kovarik 1995 4 sp Tityobuthus Pocock 1893 19 sp Tityopsis Armas 1974 6 sp Tityus C L Koch 1836 223 sp Troglorhopalurus Lourenco Baptista amp Giupponi 2004 2 sp Troglotityobuthus Lourenco 2000 1 sp Trypanothacus Lowe Kovarik Stockmann amp Stahlavsky 2019 2 sp Uintascorpio Perry 1995 Eocene Green River Formation 5 Uroplectes Peters 1861 34 sp Vachoniolus Levy Amitai amp Shulov 1973 4 sp Vachonus Tikader amp Bastawade 1983 4 sp Xenobuthus Lowe 2018 3 sp Zabius Thorell 1893 3 sp Description EditFew Buthidae scorpions are among the larger scorpions on average the members of this family are mid sized tending towards smallish Microtityus and Microbuthus barely reach 2 cm 0 8 in The largest members are found among Androctonus fattail scorpions Apistobuthus Centruroides and Parabuthus and can reach 12 cm about 5 in Most of them have between two and five pairs of eyes Some resemble the Vaejovidae The Chaerilidae and Chactidae have one pair of eyes at most and the former show a yellowish spot between and to the rear of these 2 Their vernacular name refers to the thick tails found in many Buthidae especially in the Old World The pedipalps though tend to be weak slender and tweezer like The Buthidae are generally rather cryptically colored quite uniformly ochre to brown but some are black or like Centruroides and Uroplectes more vividly colored More conspicuous patterns and shapes occur e g in Isometrus or Lychas 2 Toxicity and relationship with humans EditMain article Scorpion Scorpion sting and venom Scorpions from the genera Androctonus Centruroides Hottentotta Note 1 Leiurus Parabuthus and Tityus are notorious for their strong venom Human fatalities have been recorded from fewer than two dozen species identification of a particular Tityus is likely problematic and detailed data on the venom exists only for a small fraction of the Buthidae see BmKAEP from the venom of Mesobuthus martensii for example 2 The venom of Rhopalurus junceus is used in Cuban traditional medicine and has been tested as a medication for cancer 6 Mechanism of toxicity EditStudied Buthidae toxins have been found to hyperpolarize nerves and slow inactivation causing painful nerve firing that can last for hours Many toxins trigger Na channels to open prematurely causing excess sodium ion leakage that triggers nerve signal transduction 7 Other toxins have been found to bind K leak channels to prevent the flow of potassium ions disallowing the hyperpolarized nerve membrane from depolarizing and returning to its resting state 7 The Na channel toxins of both Old World and New World Buthids from Africa Asia and the Americas respectively have a similar protein homology and mechanism of action 7 It is speculated that toxins from these two groups are derived from the evolutionary ancestor before divergence 150 million years ago 7 Gallery Edit Buthus occitanus Leiurus quinquestriatusNotes Edit Arthropods portal May include some Mesobuthus like the Indian red scorpion M tamulus References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buthidae Teruel Rolando amp Fet Victor eds 2005 Snyopsis of the described scorpions of the world Family Buthidae Archived 2009 05 10 at the Wayback Machine Version of 3 7 2005 Retrieved June 25 2008 a b c d e f g h i Rein Jan Ove 2022 Buthidae The Scorpion Files Retrieved December 3 2022 Davies E 27 July 2016 The world s worst stinger has a surprising owner BBC Earth Retrieved 19 July 2016 Wilson R Lourenco Jurgen Velten 2016 A new genus and species of fossil scorpion from Burmese Cretaceous amber Scorpiones Buthoidea Buthidae Arachnida Rivista Aracnologica Italiana 10 2 9 Santiago Blay Jorge A Soleglad Michael E Fet Victor 2004 A redescription and family placement of Uintascorpio Perry 1995 from the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation middle Eocene of Colorado USA Scorpiones Buthidae PDF Revista Iberica de Aracnologia 10 7 16 ISSN 1576 9518 Giovannini Catia Baglioni Michele Baron Toaldo Marco Cescon Matteo Bolondi Luigi Gramantieri Laura 2017 03 21 Vidatox 30 CH has tumor activating effect in hepatocellular carcinoma Scientific Reports 7 1 44685 doi 10 1038 srep44685 ISSN 2045 2322 PMC 5359575 PMID 28322221 a b c d Rowe A H Xiao Y Scales J Linse K D Rowe M P Cummins T R Zakon H H 2011 Isolation and Characterization of CvIV4 A Pain Inducing a Scorpion Toxin 1 Retrieved June July 20 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Buthidae amp oldid 1125349288, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
