Need Help Identifying Arizona Scorpion Species

[Jason Brantley]

I'm thinking Vaejovis species but I could be wrong.

 

[Smokehound714]

This is a Lesser stripetail scorpion- Chihuahuanus coahuilae

a small, but very attractive species. neat find!

 

[RTTB]

Is that what V coahuilae morphed into? The sting is reported to be fairly painful.

 

[Smokehound714]

Is that what V coahuilae morphed into? The sting is reported to be fairly painful.

it hurts for literally half a minute, then you dont feel like anything stung you at all. Kinda like hitting your finger with a hammer

 

[RTTB]

Yeah I guess don't believe everything I read.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

I vote vaejovis or similar sp. The tail appears too thick for centruroides. I've collected vaejovis sp in the wild. Thrilling!

 

[crlovel]

Definitely not a C. sculpturatus. Tail is much too thick.

 

[Dovey]

Okay, I just skipped to the end, cause this guy's a local. I know him well. It's a striped tail. Yeah yeah yeah, scientific name, blah blah blah. You get a pass on the latin if you've stepped on one barefoot in the middle of the night. It's a striped tail. Which is awesome.

They are so active and funny to keep, dancing all over the place, kicking ass of any and sundry within reach, but they are cannibalistic little devils... and in their hearts, THEY WISH YOU ILL. Much more agressive than barks or hairies! Know where the little bugger is before you put your hand in the tank. Otherwise, it'll all be over but the crying. Seriously, they sit around during the day and plot your demise. Do yourself a favor, shake your shoes in the morning. If you pull a blanket out of the closet and get a sting, it's a bark scorpion. As for shoes and clothes you left on the floor last night, this is usually the guilty party. And he's laughing.

 

[brandontmyers]

Smokehound is right on this one, as always. Chihuahuanus coahuilae.

 

[Dovey]

Is that what V coahuilae morphed into? The sting is reported to be fairly painful.

Um, yup. It doesn't have that horrible electric shock component that bark scorpion stings do, but it's memorable! Not like a honey bee, more like a hornet. Localized swelling, possible discomfort throughout the day. Few after effects unless there is some allergy issue.

 

[Dovey]

And contrary to some websites, stripetails cannot be kept communally. They may share a habitat for short periods of time, but sooner or later you will own one single fat scorpion.

As an odd little aside, I have often seen mature male Aphonopelma chalcodes, who eat very little once they mature during breeding season in the wild, contentedly munching on this scorpion. On two occasions (once in Maricopa County and once in Yavapa County), I have seen a now-tailless adult stripetail scurrying away as a mature desert blonde gnawed on his violently detatched tail. They must be particularly tasty, although I cannot confirm that from personal experience.

 

[Dovey]

And while I knew ThExMETAL666 was incorrect about the species, I completely agree that that is a fantastic-looking habitat, just exactly like the terrain in which I most often find these guys scurrying around at night. They are very active hunters and can be found far from any perceivable cover. For that reason, I would err on the side of a larger container with more terrain to explore. And they are a surprisingly attractive and hardy adult species to keep. I always try to have a striped tail on hand, because when no other scorpion is out and about, this guy will often be poking around and does not seem to particularly fear observation with the light on.

I keep my stripe-tails with death-feigning or iron-clad beetles (Asbolus verrucosus), which are very good at cleaning up any prey scraps, and/or with pinacate beetles (Eleodes ca. spinipes), which are also very hardy and absolutely hilarious to watch going about their clowney beetle business. They are easy to find in the wild, and they also have a long lifespan. Watch this species, however, as they can spray a noxious chemical when harassed. Like skunks, they will flash their abdomens up in the air in warning if threatened.

 

[ArizonaAmanda]

I was thinking a juvenile desert hairy.. but it doesn't quite look like that either... It's definitely not a bark or a ground yellow scorpion... I don't see stripes for the striped tail... But it's hard to see in pictures... Just remember Arizona bark scorpions can be house communally... Pretty much the Other Desert scorpions cannot.. it looks like you have it alone but I just wanted to put that out there..

 

[ArizonaAmanda]

You know I was actually thinking it was a striped tail but I didn't actually see the stripes in the picture... Does it indeed have the little thorny Ridge stripes on its tail? Also I think I read someone was asking about its venom I believe it is less than the bark but more than the desert hairy..

like you im not expert either but that looks like a bark to me (i could be very wrong lol). that being said though i absolutley love the setup you have it in looks like where youd see one in the wild great encloser!!!

Yup

 

[ArizonaAmanda]

It might be stripe tail, ill find out as it matures. Heres a pic of my adult I want to confirm if its a bark

Your bark is infact a male arizona bark.

 

[darkness975]

I hope your Centruroides sculpturatus has vertical bark to hide and climb in. If not it requires it.