Rank Genus | Scientific name Buthacus Higher classification Buthidae Order Scorpion | |
Similar Scorpion, Compsobuthus, Orthochirus, Buthidae, Odonturus dentatus | ||
Buthacus arenicola feeding
Buthacus is a genus of scorpion belonging to the family Buthidae. It is distributed across northern and western Africa, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Contents
- Buthacus arenicola feeding
- Egyptian green scorpion buthacus sp feeding
- Taxonomy
- Diversity
- General characteristics
- Toxicity
- Habitat
- References
Egyptian green scorpion buthacus sp feeding
Taxonomy
The genus was introduced in 1908 by A.A. Birula, originally as a subgenus of the genus Buthus. It was elevated to genus rank by M. Vachon in 1949.
Diversity
Species of Buthacus are very similar to each other and have been considered subspecies in some examples. At least 22 species are known, some of them are disputed:
General characteristics
Small to moderately sized scorpions (40–75 mm). Most species are yellow, some are brownish, yellow-grayish or yellow-greenish colored. They show a rather slim habitus with long walking legs and a slender metasoma; pedipalp chelae very gracile and elongate. Cephalothorax smooth or with very weak carinae.
Toxicity
As in other buthids the venom in at least some species of Buthacus is relatively potent and can be of medical importance to humans.
Habitat
Most species live in arid, rocky and sandy desert habitats, some in semi-arid steppe environments. As most other scorpions they shelter from daylight in rock crevices or burrows.