Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion
Paravaejovis spinigerus
This record describes Paravaejovis spinigerus (species). Recorded family: Vaejovidae. Recorded order: Scorpiones.
Identification and Appearance
Female, note wide girth. Not necessarily fatness, but the width of the mesosoma segments (main body), the middle tergites (plates) are wider than the more anterior ones. In males, the tergites are usually the same width or nearly so. Strong, striped tail with enlarged, spinelike, terminal granules on dorsal keels (a character shared by most Vaejovis scorpions, but not on Paruroctonus ); hands relatively small, rarely robust (like this one), and smooth (no keels), lustrous. Dorsum lustrous, granular, usually darker than appendages. Carapace slightly darker behind interocular triangle (3 sets of eyes: 2 triads lateral, at front corners; 1 pair median, visible here in middle of carapace), with interocular region usually pale. ~ Kari J McWest It was originally described from specimens supposedly from Texas, but specimens have not been collected in Texas since the description by H. Wood in 1863.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Scorpiones (Scorpions)
- Family
- Vaejovidae
- Genus
- Paravaejovis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
Most common in chaparral of the Upper Sonoran Desert. Readily found under rocks. Sting painful, not dangerous.
Geographic Range
This species is one of the most common in Arizona and also occurs in southwestern New Mexico and SE California into Mexico. It is especially common in the Arizona Upland Division of the Sonoran Desert and into low-lying confier forests to elevations of 5,000 feet or slightly higher.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: spinigerus refers to the enlarged, spinoid terminal granules on the dorsal keels of the metasoma/tail.
About Scorpions: the wider group
Order-level background for Scorpiones, the group containing Paravaejovis spinigerus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Scorpiones includes ~2,700 described species. Scorpions are among the oldest terrestrial arthropods, with fossils dating back 435 million years to the Silurian period. They glow under ultraviolet light due to fluorescent compounds in their exoskeleton.
Ecological role of the group
Scorpions can survive extreme conditions - some species can be frozen for weeks and recover, and others survive extended starvation by reducing their metabolic rate by up to 97%. They are important desert predators controlling insect populations.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Scorpion stings cause an estimated 1.2 million envenomations and 3,250 deaths worldwide annually (WHO). Scorpion venom is the most expensive liquid on Earth at $39 million per gallon - it contains compounds being researched for cancer treatment and as painkillers.
Recorded sources for this group: WHO, National Geographic, medical research. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Kari McWest , kschnei
Frequently Asked Questions About Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion
What is Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion?
Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion (Paravaejovis spinigerus) is a species in the family Vaejovidae, within the order Scorpiones.
How big is Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion?
Adults from 35 to 55 mm, large females may be up to 70 mm. At higher elevations, like in the Santa Catalina, Santa Rita, and Huachuca Mtns, and in the higher elveations near Prescott, specimens are typically smaller and may be darker, especially with markings within the interocular triangle.
How do you identify Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion?
Female, note wide girth. Not necessarily fatness, but the width of the mesosoma segments (main body), the middle tergites (plates) are wider than the more anterior ones. In males, the tergites are usually the same width or nearly so. Strong, striped tail with enlarged, spinelike, terminal granules on dorsal keels (a character shared by most Vaejovis scorpions, but not on Paruroctonus ); hands relatively small, rarely robust (like this one), and smooth (no keels), lustrous. Dorsum lustrous, granular, usually darker than appendages. Carapace slightly darker behind interocular triangle (3 sets of eyes: 2 triads lateral, at front corners; 1 pair median, visible here in middle of carapace), with interocular region usually pale. ~ Kari J McWest
Where is Arizona Stripedtail Scorpion found?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Most common in chaparral of the Upper Sonoran Desert. Readily found under rocks. Sting painful, not dangerous. |
| Range | This species is one of the most common in Arizona and also occurs in southwestern New Mexico and SE California into Mexico. It is especially common in the Arizona Upland Division of the Sonoran Desert and into low-lying confier forests to elevations of 5,000 feet or slightly higher. |