A. bicolor

invertepet

Arachnolord
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I am always amazed at the incredible sculptured shape of the A. bicolor cauda. As I prodded gently to get some of these pics, this sucker NAILED the forceps a couple of times, and I can safely say there's some muscle behind those strikes.

These rank up there with A. crassicauda and Apistobuthus pterygocercus for 'meanest' cauda. ;)
 

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skinheaddave

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Amen to that, brother!

I think that sometimes A.bicolor is overlooked due to its diminuative size. Personaly, though, I think it is the nicest of the Androctonus ... but I have a thing for black scorpions.

Since we're talking wickedly sculptured metasomas, Parabuthids are in the running too. The fifth metasomal segment of P.transvaalicus is truly awe-inspiring.

Cheers,
Dave

P.S. Reading through my post, I can see why sometimes the outsiders think we're perhaps a wee bit crazy. ;)
 

Reitz

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I have trouble imagining sizes. I've never actually seen an A. bicolor in person, but they get to be about 2 in., correct? Does that mean that, realistically one could fit onto a quater if it pulled its chela in and held its metasoma over its body?

Also, given their small size, would an adult A. bicolor be capible of delivering enough venom to a healthy adult human to cause systemic reactions? I am of course asking a purely hypothetical question, and would expect no one on this forum to treat an A. bicolor with anything but the utmost respect. But I ask because A. bicolor's venom has an LD 50 rating comparable to C. exilicauda, though all the info I could get on A. bicolor venom was attained through the iv method, which usually gives absurdly low LD 50 results (meaning, of course, that it claims the venom is more dangerous than it actually is).

So given the relativly low LD 50 for an Androctonus sp., it's small size, and the potentially misleading existing LD50 stats, does this scorpion have an undeserved reputation as being one if the most deadly?

Chris
 

XOskeletonRED

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Originally posted by skinheaddave
P.S. Reading through my post, I can see why sometimes the outsiders think we're perhaps a wee bit crazy. ;)
I get that a lot too. :?

Great looking scorp, Bill! :D

adios,
edw. =D
 

invertepet

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I've seen them get fairly large, actually... This one here has a body length (sans cauda and pedipalps) of about 2". Since it's not dead and I don't want to be, either, I'm not going to attempt to get an exact measurement of the whole scorp stretched out but I think it would be about 3.75", which is a respectable length for any scorpion.

So far, the biggest 'bad boy' scorpion I've ever laid eyes on are those A. pterygocercus. Yikes, they're big! And those 2nd metasoma are awe inspiring.

Hey J, it looks like you might want to let your sand/peat(soil?)mixture dry out, as appears to be clinging to your scorp. That can be a bad thing. I have good luck with straight dry sand or dry peat with a small water dish.

bill
 

invertepet

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Here's a pic I did with UV... You usually see more 'pedestrian' scorps under blacklite, but here you see the beautiful metasomal structure and the granulation of the carapace... (this was using my new 3 LED handheld 'true' UV light).

By the way, this image wasn't retouched at all other than to resize it for posting.
 

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jwb121377

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Well Bill I don't normally keep it moist, but when I was filling the water dish up I kinda over did it and got the scorpion and substrate a little wet.
 

invertepet

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Didn't mean to lecture you-- heh, shows how little you can deduce from pics. ;)
 

jwb121377

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Hehe I know, I'm a rather big clutz at times. It didn't like getting wet very much and ran out of it's encloser on to the floor, but I wrangled it back in for the picture.
 

invertepet

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I hear that - I had one spring out and sprint across MY floor this morning while packing an order. Nothing gets the heart pumping like a good-sized deadly black scorpion with a huge fat tail scurrying underfoot.

bill
 

Reitz

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I had a C. gracilis do the same two nights ago while I was trying to photograph it. Those little guys are quick!

I assume from the lack of responces that no one wants to take a stab at my A. bicolor venom question. I realize that there isn't much info available, but I'd be interested to hear someone's thoughts.

Chris
 

jwb121377

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Well Chris I don't know the anwser to your question, but I can tell you that I treat A. bicolor with much respect. I'm sure a sting would very painful and cause systematic side effects.
 
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skinheaddave

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Originally posted by Reitz
Also, given their small size, would an adult A. bicolor be capible of delivering enough venom to a healthy adult human to cause systemic reactions?
As an extension of our chat, I have dug up the following on PubMed:


[Myocardial and central nervous system involvement in scorpion envenomation by Androctonus bicolor bicolor]

[Article in Hebrew]

Nevo Y, Spirer Z.

Dept. of Pediatrics A, Rokach Hospital, Tel Aviv.

A 3-year-old girl was stung by a scorpion (Androctonus bicolor bicolor) in her foot while walking barefoot in a courtyard in the early evening. Within an hour she began to vomit and became extremely agitated. On admission she was stuporous and hypotensive, and severe hypertonicity and prolonged convulsions ensued. Treatment consisted of adrenalin, corticosteroids, diazepam, chloral hydrate and phenobarbital and she improved within 2 hours. The following day myocardial involvement, with tachycardia, gallop rhythm and electrocardiographic abnormalities developed and treatment with digoxin and dexamethasone was started. Full recovery took 6 days. Both black and brown scorpions of this species are dangerous and may cause multisystem manifestations, especially in young children. Usually found in the desert or in sand dunes, it sometimes occurs in inhabited areas as well, in rubble or building ruins. Its distribution is from Haifa in the north down to the Sinai peninsula.

PMID: 1885103 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Cheers,
DAve
 

jwb121377

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Wow nice digging Dave that is a good piece on the venom toxicty of A. bicolor. Six days man is that a long lime to recover, I wonder what it would be like for an adult?
 

Reitz

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Thanks so much. Great info. Though case studies are, by their nature, flawed, they're much better than educated guesses based on flawed LD 50 charts.

Thanks again,
Chris
 

XOskeletonRED

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Hypertonicity and convulsions...that's pretty intense. I'll keep to the common sense level of things and keep my fingers out! Less I feel like looking like this for a few days or more. :8o


adios,
edw. :D
 
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