The Buthidae are the largest family of , containing about 100 genera and 1339 species as of 2022.
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.[Davies, E. (27 July 2016). The world's worst stinger has a surprising owner. BBC Earth. Retrieved 19 July 2016.] In dead specimens, the spine beneath the stinger, characteristic for this family, can be observed.
List of genera and number of species
The following genera are recognised in the family Buthidae:
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Aegaeobuthus Kovarik, 2019 (4 sp)
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Afroisometrus Kovarik, 1997 (1 sp)
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Afrolychas Kovarik, 2019 (2 sp)
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Akentrobuthus Lamoral, 1976 (2 sp)
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Alayotityus Armas, 1973 (8 sp)
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Ananteris Thorell, 1891 (92 sp)
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Ananteroides Borelli, 1911 (2 sp)
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Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (29 sp)
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Anomalobuthus Kraepelin, 1900 (6 sp)
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Apistobuthus Finnegan, 1932 (2 sp)
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extinct Archaeoananteroides Lourenço & Velten, 2016 (Cretaceous, Burmese amber)
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Australobuthus Locket, 1990 (1 sp)
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Babycurus Karsch, 1886 (14 sp)
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Baloorthochirus Kovarik, 1996 (1 sp)
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Barbaracurus Kovarik, Lowe & Stahlavsky, 2018 (10 sp)
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Birulatus Vachon, 1974 (4 sp)
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Buthacus Birula, 1908 (23 sp)
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Butheoloides Hirst, 1925 (19 sp)
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Butheolus Simon, 1882 (6 sp)
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Buthiscus Birula, 1905 (1 sp)
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Buthoscorpio Werner, 1936 (5 sp)
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Buthus Leach, 1815 (65 sp)
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Centruroides Marx, 1890 (93 sp)
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Charmus Karsch, 1879 (5 sp)
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Chaneke Francke, Teruel & Santibanez-Lopez, 2014 (4 sp)
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Cicileiurus Teruel, 2007 (1 sp)
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Cicileus Vachon, 1948 (5 sp)
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Compsobuthus Vachon, 1949 (49 sp)
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Congobuthus Lourenço, 1999 (1 sp)
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Darchenia Vachon, 1977 (1 sp)
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Egyptobuthus Lourenço, 1999 (1 sp)
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Femtobuthus Lowe, 2010 (1 sp)
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Fetilinia Lowe & Kovarik, 2021 (1 sp)
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Gint Kovarik, Lowe, Pliskova & Stahlavsky, 2013 (12 sp)
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Grosphus Simon, 1880 (34 sp)
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Hemibuthus Pocock, 1900 (2 sp)
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Hemilychas Hirst, 1911 (1 sp)
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Heteroctenus Pocock, 1893 (9 sp)
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Himalayotityobuthus Lourenço, 1997 (2 sp)
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Hottentotta Birula, 1908 (58 sp)
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Iranobuthus Kovarik, 1997 (1 sp)
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Ischnotelson Esposito, Yamaguti, Souza, Pinto da Rocha & Prendini (2 sp)
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Isometroides Keyserling, 1885 (1 sp)
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Isometrus Ehrenberg, 1828 (10 sp)
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Jaguajir Esposito, Yamaguti, Souza, Pinto da Rocha & Prendini, 2017 (3 sp)
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Janalychas Kovarik, 2019 (9 sp)
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Karasbergia Hewitt, 1913 (1 sp)
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Kraepelinia Vachon, 1974 (1 sp)
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Lanzatus Kovarik, 2001 (2 sp)
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Leiurus Ehrenberg, 1828 (17 sp)
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Liobuthus Birula, 1898 (1 sp)
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Lissothus Vachon, 1948 (3 sp)
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Lychas C.L. Koch, 1845 (31 sp)
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Lychasoides Vachon, 1974 (1 sp)
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Mauritanobuthus Qi & Lourenço (1 sp)
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Mesobuthus Vachon, 1950 (12 sp)
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Mesotityus Gonzalez-Sponga, 1981 (1 sp)
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Microananteris Lourenço, 2003 (1 sp)
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Microbuthus Kraepelin, 1898 (7 sp)
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Microcharmus Lourenço, 1995 (16 sp)
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Microtityus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 (40 sp)
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Neobuthus Hirst, 1911 (16 sp)
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Neogrosphus Lourenço, 1995 (3 sp)
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Neoprotobuthus Lourenço, 2000 (1 sp)
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Odontobuthus Vachon, 1950 (6 sp)
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Odonturus Karsch, 1879 (1 sp)
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Olivierus Farzanpay, 1987 (18 sp)
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Orthochiroides Kovarik, 1998 (3 sp)
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Orthochirus Karsch, 1891 (53 sp)
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Pantobuthus Lourenço & Duhem, 2009 (1 sp)
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Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 (38 sp)
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Pectinibuthus Fet in Orlov & Vasilyev, 1984 (1 sp)
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Physoctonus Mello-Leitao, 1934 (3 sp)
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Picobuthus Lowe, 2010 (2 sp)
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Plesiobuthus Pocock, 1900 (1 sp)
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Polisius Fet, Capes & Sissom, 2001 (1 sp)
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Pseudolissothus Lourenço, 2001 (1 sp)
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Pseudolychas Kraepelin, 1911 (3 sp)
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Pseudouroplectes Lourenço, 1995 (5 sp)
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Razianus Farzanpay, 1987 (4 sp)
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Reddyanus Vachon, 1972 (34 sp)
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Rhopalurus Thorell, 1876 (3 sp)
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Saharobuthus Lourenço & Duhem, 2009 (1 sp)
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Sassanidotus Farzanpay, 1987 (2 sp)
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Somalibuthus Kovarik, 1998 (2 sp)
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Somalicharmus Kovarik, 1998 (1 sp)
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Spelaeolychas Kovarik, 2019 (1 sp)
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Teruelius Lowe & Kovarik, 2019 (22 sp)
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Thaicharmus Kovarik, 1995 (4 sp)
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Tityobuthus Pocock, 1893 (19 sp)
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Tityopsis Armas, 1974 (6 sp)
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Tityus C. L. Koch, 1836 (223 sp)
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Troglorhopalurus Lourenço, Baptista & Giupponi, 2004 (2 sp)
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Troglotityobuthus Lourenço, 2000 (1 sp)
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Trypanothacus Lowe, Kovarik, Stockmann & Stahlavsky, 2019 (2 sp)
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extinct Uintascorpio Perry, 1995 (Eocene, Green River Formation)
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Uroplectes Peters, 1861 (34 sp)
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Vachoniolus Levy, Amitai & Shulov, 1973 (4 sp)
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Vachonus Tikader & Bastawade, 1983 (4 sp)
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Xenobuthus Lowe, 2018 (3 sp)
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Zabius Thorell, 1893 (3 sp)
Description
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 (
),
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.
Their vernacular name refers to the thick tails found in many Buthidae, especially in the Old World. The , though, tend to be weak, slender, and tweezer-like. The Buthidae are generally rather crypsis 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.
Toxicity and relationship with humans
Scorpions from the genera
Androctonus,
Centruroides,
Hottentotta,
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).
The venom of
Rhopalurus junceus is used in Cuban traditional medicine and has been tested as a medication for cancer.
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.
[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 α- Scorpion Toxin - [2]. Retrieved June July 20, 2020.]
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.
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.
Gallery
image:Buthus occitanus.jpg| Buthus occitanus
image:Deathstalker ST 07.JPG| Leiurus quinquestriatus
Notes
