Hemiscorpius lepturus

Appearance

"Hemiscorpius lepturus" are yellow/brown in color and have a flat, broad body plan. This body style allows them to live in tight rock crevices easily. They are mainly distinguished from other scorpion species by their trichobothria, although there is no known dichotomous key for this species. These are small hair-like structures that occur along the fixed fingers of Arachnida that detect airborne vibrations and currents, as well as electrical charge. In "H. lepturus", trichobothria "ib" and "it" of the pedipalp chela are halfway along the finger of the scorpion, as opposed to being at the base of the finger in all species. Other distinctions include the presence of 3 pairs of lateral ocelli, a moveable cheliceral finger with external and internal teeth, and hemispermatophores with a double lamellar hook. The telson vesicles of mature "H. lepturus" males are elongated compared to adult females and other species, and have 2 distal lobes at the base of the stinger. Female "H. lepturus" have a bulky telson with no distal lobes.

Sexual dimorphism between male and female individual "H. lepturus" is present in the length of their tails. Males have longer tails and telsons than females do. "H. lepturus" is also distinguished sexually by the number of abdominal pectine denticles. Females have between 9 and 12 pectines, where males have between 14 and 16.

Behavior

One of "H. lepturus" only known behaviors is its shedding technique. This scorpion breaks through its exoskeleton by breaking it where the carapace meets the sides of the body. The chelicerae are then forced out of the old cuticle, and the scorpion contracts to force itself out of the exoskeleton. This process has been observed taking between 4 and 6 hours. After shedding, the scorpion's body appears colorless on the abdomen, legs, chelicerae, pedipalps, and tail. The only dark spots are the eyes and at the very end of the tail. The scorpion's body is then soft for two to three days. During this time the scorpion's movement is slow and limited and it does not drive its telson to sting at prey because of the soft state of the body. Melanization, or re-coloration of the body, takes between ten and thirty days, and the new cuticle formed is again a yellowish/brown color.

Habitat

"Hemiscorpius lepturus" is found in warm, humid climates, typically in the Middle East. These scorpions are heavily concentrated in southern Iraq and Iran, where they are responsible for the majority of deaths due to scorpion sting. "H. lepturus" has also been found in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. "H. lepturus" live in tight rock crevices and cracks to protect them from predators like centipedes, emerging to ambush prey like spiders and other insects. Once prey is caught the scorpion will secrete enzymes that will dissolve the prey until it is liquid enough to eat.

Reproduction

"Hemiscorpius lepturus", same as all scorpions, are oviparous: male scorpions fertilize female eggs externally, which are deposited inside the body of the female scorpion. In the pregnant female, the young are arranged side by side, which gives the scorpion a distinct appearance. Gestation time for "H. lepturus" is unknown. Delivery can take up to six hours, and some mother scorpions die during this process. During delivery, the space between the carapace and the abdomen is contracted so the genital opening and pectines are in position to give birth. Offspring leave the mother's body tail-first, which is facilitated by slight movements by the young and contractile movements by the mother. Offspring are piled between the mother's legs during birth, and they are led onto her back by the mother after all have been born. The average amount of offspring "H. lepturus" have is 24.3 per delivery. The offering will stay on the mothers back for a period of time until they are mature enough to leave and disperse.

Defense

The venom of "H. lepturus" is highly cytotoxic and hemolytic, meaning it is especially destructive to living blood cells. A sting from H. lepturus will induce severe dermonecrotic scorpionism; effects of the sting include serious wounds, skin inflammation, internal hemorrhages, secondary renal failure, and blisters or ulcers. Some cases result in acute renal failure, which will occasionally result in Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, resulting in hemolytic anemia and bloody diarrhea. The healing process after a sting is slow and painful, and usually results in scars.

Venoms with similar effects are found in spiders as well, and are only found in 3 genera: "Cheiracanthium", "Loxoscoles", and "Sicarius". The "Loxoscoles" genus contains the infamous brown recluse spider, "Loxoscoles reclusa". This spider is known to have one of the most lethal bites due to its cytotoxic venom. Other "Hemiscorpius" species probably have venom with similar effects, but "H. lepturus" is the most common and most documented.

Five neurotoxins have been discovered in the venom of "H. lepturus". These toxins include OD1, Odk1, Hemicalcin, Hemitoxin, and Heminecrolysin. These toxins all contribute to the cytotoxic and hemolytic effects of this venom. Along with these toxins, this venom also contains lytic enzymes that break down ester bonds in cell membranes.

General symptoms after being stung include dry mouth, thirst, dizziness, confusion, nausea, fever, vomiting, and convulsions. These symptoms gradually worsen, and are especially lethal in children. The only available treatment against the effects of this venom is administration of an available polyvalent anti-venom, which is an injection designed to combat the venom's effects. Recent studies on "H. lepturus" venom have shown that it has inhibitory effects on the growth and reproduction of Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1. Further research must be done before this venom is accepted as a possible treatment for HIV-1.