centruroides gracilis from honduras

[Mr. X]

Is there a physical difference between those from florida and those from honduras wich are a lot more dangerous. If not, how you know you dont have the lethal ones.

 

[Dessicata]

Sorry, don't know too much about Centruroides, or USA in general, but isn't Honduras in Mexico? If so, there may just be more deaths due to the state of the country (crappy healthcare, etc). Don't take this as gospel mind, but that's what springs to mind immediately (for someone who lives in a country where buthids are strictly out of bounds). There's most likely a different colour 'phase' for differing locales of the scorps.

 

[Mr. X]

Honduras is not in mexico but pretty close. And there's a difference in their venom cause i read, on a scale of 5, the potency of their venom is 4/5 compared to those from florida wich is 2/5, so i'm pretty sure the number of deaths is not due to the healthcare. So that's why i want to know if there's a trick to know who is who cause a difference of 2 on a scale of 5 make a huge impact on the level of panic whan you get stung.

 

[G. Carnell]

as to the second part of your question, you know whether they are dangerous if they are from honuduras or from florida you worked that out by yourself,
look for pics on the net, they look quite different,
but there is also the possibility of other, more dangerous spp of centuroides being misidentified as gracilis maybe? such as c.marg and tityus sp

Honuduras is a country... near panama, so its a rainforesty area, maybe the humidity and this rainforest setup (more predators than florida) might account for the raise in "medical significance"

just an opinion, plz dont take it as fact

 

[carpe scorpio]

To my knowledge, the species is the same in all respects other than toxicity. The geographical range of Gracilis is very large, Texas to Cuba and S.America, as well as several locations around the world that have had it introduced.

 

[Frank]

To my knowledge, the species is the same in all respects other than toxicity. The geographical range of Gracilis is very large, Texas to Cuba and S.America, as well as several locations around the world that have had it introduced.

Actually, I *think* that central american C. gracilis are darker than the ones from Florida, which are lighter colored. Central american C. gracilis are also often mis-IDed, just like mine (which are darker), as they were labeled C. limbiatus because this species has a really dark phase.

(Xav: je vais lire ton livre dans l'avion pendant mon voyage et je vais l'avoir fini après, je te contacterais après pour venir te le dropper.. dans 10 jours.)


Frank

 

[skinheaddave]

From what I've read here and there, I am actually under the impression that they are fairly polymorphic throughout their range and that variations between relatively local populations likely supercedes any overall trend.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[carpe scorpio]

Yes, and there is some very useful info about thier distribution over at The Scorpion Files.