Nature surprises with a variety of representatives of flora and fauna, not all of them are friendly towards humans. And meetings with individual individuals can end tragically - a long hospital stay or even death. The main characters of this material are poisonous scorpions of the world, we will give general information and descriptions of the most dangerous species.
General Features
The word "scorpion" has ancient Greek roots, in Ancient Russia they were called "scorpion" - actually "snake". Why? The reason is clear - life-threatening bites.
In the taxonomy of the animal world, these representatives of the fauna belong to the order of terrestrial arthropods. The place of natural habitat is countries with a hot climate, but individuals, terrible in appearance and character, can be found in other latitudes as already pets.
The most poisonous scorpion in the world is the emperor scorpion, which impresses with its gigantic size, an adult reaches a length of 20 cm. It must be remembered thatToday, scientists count 1750 species, but only 50 species are dangerous to humans, some of which will be discussed below.
How does the scorpion poison machine work?
Both the most poisonous scorpion in the world and other, less dangerous individuals, have the same poisonous apparatus contained in the so-called "tail". Here is the telson (anal lobe). It ends with a needle, and inside are oval-shaped glands containing poison.
Outside, the glands are surrounded by transverse muscle fibers, during the contraction of which a poisonous secretion is released. At the end of the needle there are two holes through which the poison hits the enemy. Moreover, scorpions have different needle sizes, different sizes and shapes of telsons.
Scorpion venom contains fast-acting toxins, most often a mixture of neurotoxins and enzyme inhibitors. The sensations of a bite are similar to those that a person feels when a wasp or a bee stings. In the most difficult cases, convulsions, shortness of breath, and swelling of the airways occur. Meeting with a scorpion can be fatal. Luckily, this doesn't happen that often.
Parabuthus transvaalicus - the storm of all life
The world's most venomous scorpion, topping the list, is Parabuthus transvaalicus. It lives in South Africa, easily recognizable by its thick long black tail. Its claws are not very large, and this is another signal for the tourist to stay away.
This formidable animal doesn't need to use pincers,because it strikes its victim with a very strong poison (compared to cyanide). Another important fact is that this scorpion can “spit” a poisonous substance at a distance of up to 1 meter.
Uses two types of poison in combat. The first type requires less resources to produce, it is used for small prey and as a warning tool. The second type is more toxic, thrown away in order to save one's own life or defeat large prey.
Thunderstorm of Arizona – Centruroides exilicauda
There are poisonous scorpions in North America, the most terrible is the inhabitant of the deserts of Arizona, located in the territories of California and Utah. Its primary weapon is the same neurotoxic venom as the arthropod named above.
The venom of an Arizona tree scorpion is compared by survivors to an electric shock. First convulsions, then numbness, malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract. The death rate in Mexico is as high as 25% (one in four poisoned).
The severity of the consequences depends on the age of the victim and the state of he alth. American scientists have developed an antidote; in Arizona, they have been successfully eliminating the consequences of dangerous “encounters” for more than 40 years.
Androctonus australis - Australian yellow
Answering the question of what is the most poisonous scorpion in the world for men, scientists call Androctonus australis. The first word is translated from Latin as "killer of men." Its original habitat wasthe Australian continent, today you can meet this unpleasant "tourist" in Southeast Asia and North Africa.
The main component of the poison is a neurotoxin, it instantly affects the central nervous system. This leads to inhibition of the activity of the respiratory system, then to its paralysis, and ultimately to death. These scorpions have such a powerful exoskeleton that they can withstand the famous sandstorms without hiding in the sand.
Androctonus crassicauda is a dangerous Middle Eastern neighbor
Scorpion is a poisonous animal that is best avoided and can be seen on any continent. In Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, for example, the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion is the most common.
He is medium in size, preferring to prey on small rodents, spiders, lizards and insects. Its poison is toxic, besides this scorpion has a very aggressive character.
Tityus serrulatus - beware of the meeting
Parabuthus transvaalicus is the most venomous scorpion in the world, but it has its own competitor in South America and Brazil in particular. He is not as formidable as his brother, has a smaller size, light yellow color of claws and tail.
But the effect of Tityus serrulatus toxins on the human body is no less terrible, intoxication quickly spreads throughout the body. One of the manifestations of poison is hyperesthesia - the body becomes very sensitive, pain symptoms appear at the slightest touch. In more serious cases, poisoning is accompaniedspasms of the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting, the cardiovascular system suffers. Every year in Brazil there are a large number of deaths caused by an encounter with such a small, inconspicuous killer.
The list of poisonous scorpions can go on and on, but it is better not to meet these terrible representatives of the fauna in wildlife. And their appearance, life, habits to study with the help of special literature and television programs.
