Hemiscorpiidae

Opisthacanthus rugiceps

The Hemiscorpiidae are a family of scorpions ( Scorpiones ), with 72 known species in 12 genera. They were formerly known as Ischnuridae, but had to because of the name similarity with a damselfly family will be renamed. This was done only in the name of " Liochelidae " and later in the currently valid name Hemiscorpiidae.

Features

A characteristic feature of most representatives of this taxon is its very flat and broad physique. This is regarded as an adaptation to their way of life because they reside mainly in narrow crevices. Some very long-lived species can reach heights of more than 20 centimeters.

Distribution and habitat

The types of Hemiscorpiidae occur on all continents except North America in subtropical and tropical climates.

System

The following genera are summarized as Hemiscorpiidae:

• Cheloctonus Pocock, 1892
• Chiromachetes Pocock, 1899
• Chiromachus Pocock, 1893
• Habibiella Vachon, 1974
• Hadogenes Kraepelin, 1894
• Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861
• Straight Scorpion Birula, 1903
• Iomachus Pocock, 1893
• Liocheles Sundevall, 1833
• Monodopisthacanthus Lourenço, 2001
• Opisthacanthus Peters, 1861
• Paleocheloctonus Lourenço, 1996

Hemiscorpiidae and people

Many of the species are kept as terrarium animals. Your poisons are sometimes very strong and above all the poison of Hemiscorpius lepturus can be fatal to humans.