# My first Texas scorpion!



## MizM (May 6, 2009)

Went hiking at Lake Georgetown today and finally found a Texas scorp in the wild!! Anyone know what species this little cutie is?












It's about 3/4", so just a baby.


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## Nomadinexile (May 6, 2009)

*Good job!*

Hey!  good work!  First glance I thought C. vittatus.  But that doesn't look a whole lot like what I find around here.  I think it's different.  But,... anyone else?  :O)


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## Nomadinexile (May 6, 2009)

*second thought*

O.k. so I went and grabbed mine and took a second look, I do think that is a vittatus, coloration looks a little different but may be due to lighting, molt date, ect.  My vittatus has the same dark claw bulg and dark segment on tail.
C. vittatus.  But I am still a rookie.  Anyone else?  :O)


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## MizM (May 6, 2009)

Nomadinexile said:


> Hey!  good work!  First glance I thought C. vittatus.  But that doesn't look a whole lot like what I find around here.  I think it's different.  But,... anyone else?  :O)


It could be... it's still a baby and they change so much as they grow.

It was a nice day anyway, me and the German shepherd and just some peace and quiet to think.


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## Nomadinexile (May 6, 2009)

*Gsd*

I grew up with GSD's.  I love 'em.  Once I'm in a better position to do it I will be getting a GSD.  Peace and quiet is good too.  I've been busy last few days and can't get out.  My apartment sounds like a neighbors having a party half the time and there is construction going on in complex next door.  I like loud music, when I go out.  But 24/7?  Do I have to listen to 150 decible subwoofer from every 16 year old kid that drives by?   I understand Lenord Cohens "more noise please"  so much better these days!
Hope all is well, let us know if you need anything.  :O)    Ryan&Paige


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## Galapoheros (May 6, 2009)

C. vittatus.  They look like that around there, esp. when they are young.  Some adults keep some of the darker color on the tail like that and the claws in the Austin/Georgetown area.


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## DireWolf0384 (May 6, 2009)

I don't have a C. Vittatus but it looks like one to me. I'm no expert or anything either.


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## MizM (May 6, 2009)

Nomadinexile said:


> I grew up with GSD's.  I love 'em.  Once I'm in a better position to do it I will be getting a GSD.  Peace and quiet is good too.  I've been busy last few days and can't get out.  My apartment sounds like a neighbors having a party half the time and there is construction going on in complex next door.  I like loud music, when I go out.  But 24/7?  Do I have to listen to 150 decible subwoofer from every 16 year old kid that drives by?   I understand Lenord Cohens "more noise please"  so much better these days!
> Hope all is well, let us know if you need anything.  :O)    Ryan&Paige


LOL, I haven't heard a vibrating license plate since I left CA, where EVERYONE has their car stereo loud enough to wake the dead. This was my shepherd's first time at a lake:





Actually, of the hundred or so rocks I turned over, the one with the scorp under it was the only one she was interested in. She was whining and pawing at it, I like to think she knew what we were there for!!

I was thinking Centruroides, do we have exilicauda here?


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## pandinus (May 7, 2009)

MizM said:


> LOL, I haven't heard a vibrating license plate since I left CA, where EVERYONE has their car stereo loud enough to wake the dead.
> Actually, of the hundred or so rocks I turned over, the one with the scorp under it was the only one she was interested in. She was whining and pawing at it, I like to think she knew what we were there for!!
> 
> I was thinking Centruroides, do we have exilicauda here?


its a vitattus for sure terri! great find. you dont have any exilicauda or sculpturatus in texas dear, but you do have many other great species . maybe i'll come down there this summer and help you look


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## Nomadinexile (May 7, 2009)

*scorpion hunting dog*

HA!  I wouldn't have believed you had you had any other dog.  They are smarter than a lot of people I know!   
<glad I got that ID right, it would be embarrassing on the home turf to miss!>
I just haven't seen too many of them yet and was worried you had species there that was similar but different.  I would hate to tell someone, yeah that's a bark, and then they get hit and oops, its something worse, ya know?   I've only been into scorps about a month and don't have a whole lotta confidence in my knowledge yet.


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## pandinus (May 7, 2009)

Nomadinexile said:


> HA!  I wouldn't have believed you had you had any other dog.  They are smarter than a lot of people I know!
> <glad I got that ID right, it would be embarrassing on the home turf to miss!>
> I just haven't seen too many of them yet and was worried you had species there that was similar but different.  I would hate to tell someone, yeah that's a bark, and then they get hit and oops, its something worse, ya know?   I've only been into scorps about a month and don't have a whole lotta confidence in my knowledge yet.



In the US it doesnt get anyworse than the arizona bark, followed by the striped bark. of the two, only the striped is in your area, so if you are hit by one of these you have been hit by the hottest scorpion in your area.





John


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## Nomadinexile (May 7, 2009)

*Hottest of two!*

It's interesting though, I have heard lots of reports from locals, and read a lot on line, it really seems to be either population or species dependent.  Either that or I'm getting fooled on how much venom is being injected which I guess is really hard to tell anyway. But I have met multiple people who have been stung, and reports range from not a big deal (from adult specimen), to absolutely excruciating "hot knife in hand" variety (from small one!).  The Arizona bark is the same way I think.  Either way, I don't plan on cuddling with one!


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## Galapoheros (May 8, 2009)

It's been reported that C. vittatus have two diff mixes of venom that they use depending on the situation.  I haven't heard much about it though in a long time, so I don't know if it's legit or not.  One was titled "kill venom" if I remember correctly, I can't remember the other.  I just know that at least one scientist has stated that the C. vittatus sting has been underestimated, and I TOTALLY AGREE!!!!  I've been stung a lot, but there were 2 times that REALLY hurt compared to the others.  It might have something to do with the genetics of populations like you said.  Or it may have something to do with venom concentration due to environmental conditions assuring a kill in dry times, ..who knows, I'm just guessing ...maybe there are two kinds of venom they have I've read about.


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## MizM (May 8, 2009)

pandinus said:


> In the US it doesnt get anyworse than the arizona bark, followed by the striped bark. of the two, only the striped is in your area, so if you are hit by one of these you have been hit by the hottest scorpion in your area.
> John


Well, it's all _your_ fault that I like the little stingy guys, if you hadn't given me 9,000 of them at the last Arachnocon, I wouldn't find them so interesting!!:razz: 

I also wonder about individual tolerance. Some people get excruciating side effects from Latrodectus bites. Yet others, like my son-in-law, get only a small bump. Same with bees. It's really interesting that Galapoheros has suffered varying degrees of pain from the same species. Suggests to me that they _can_ control venom amount/strength. We all know that Ts can deliver a dry bite, why can't a scorp control it's venom also?


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