# Texas Scorpion IDs?



## dunawayj (Nov 19, 2008)

I know these pictures are not the greatest but was hoping to get some further clarifications on these. If anyone could chme in that would be awesome. These were all found in Terlingua, TX near Big bend if that helps any. 

*1)
This one I was told was Centruroides vittatus "chisosarius or pantheriensis"*






*2)
This one i am assuming is Diplocentrus spp. but not sure which one. *






*3)
These little buggers I was told were Vaejovis coahuilae*






*4)
Not sure but clearly different than any other spp above*






5)
Also not sure but clearly different than any other spp above






Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
JM


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## calum (Nov 19, 2008)

1) Smeringurus mesaensis 
2) I'm guessing Diplocentrus Lindo 
3) need a better picture 
4) Smeringurus Vachoni immanis 
5) need a better picture.


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## Kugellager (Nov 19, 2008)

Definitely NOT S.mesaensis or S.vachoni - Neither Smeringurus species is not found anywhere near Texas. Not sure but I don't think Smeringurus makes it much east of western Arizona or western Utah.

@dunawayj - 
Your guesses on the first two seem like good starts.

Little one (#3) does 'look' like V.coahuilae.  Number 4 looks like a Paruroctonus sp - P.gracilior can be found to the north in southern New Mexico as can V.coahuilae. Number 5 looks like a Vaejovis sp.

It would really help if you could crop the images before you shrink them so that the scorpion looks larger in your images.

Click on the links below to see some photos of V.coahuilae and P.gracilior.

*V.coahuilae*











*P.gracilior*






John
];')


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## dunawayj (Nov 19, 2008)

Kugellager said:


> Little one (#3) does 'look' like V.coahuilae.  Number 4 looks like a Paruroctonus sp - P.gracilior can be found to the north in southern New Mexico as can V.coahuilae. Number 5 looks like a Vaejovis sp.
> 
> It would really help if you could crop the images before you shrink them so that the scorpion looks larger in your images.
> 
> ...


I just noticed a typo in my original message. these were found in TX. Do these spp range in Texas as well? The link you posted doesnt look right to me for the P gracilior. i will try and dig up a better picture. 

Thanks,
JM


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## Kugellager (Nov 19, 2008)

The two species I posted the photos of do range into Texas from southeastern New Mexico but I am not sure how far.  Chad (redhourglass) would know for sure as he does research in the Chihuahuan desert and is very knowledgeable of the Big Bend area scorpion species.  He has not been on much lately though.

John
];')


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## loxoscelesfear (Nov 19, 2008)

not completely off topic , but i found some scorps in Kingsville & Cotulla areas-  Centruroides ?   no pics, just curious if anyone knew what occured in these areas.  If not, guess I can google it


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## Kugellager (Nov 19, 2008)

In most places there are multiple species.  Photos are always helpful.

John
];')


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## James H (Nov 19, 2008)

*My Turn*

1) Paruroctonus boquillas-found in the sand dunes along the Rio Grand in Big bend.
2) Diplocentrus whitei-Found in Big Bend, much darker then the photos of D.lindo
3) V. waueri
4) V russelli-look at the large claws
5) I dont know, tried to enlarge the photo for a better look just got to blurry.


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## Kugellager (Nov 19, 2008)

The main easily distinguishable characteristics to differentiate Paruroctonus from Vaejovis are the smoothness of the chela (Vaejovis usually has smooth ridges) and the length of the 5th segment of the 'tail' which is very long and thin in Paruroctonus relative to Vaejovis.

This is why I believe #4 to be Paruroctonus and not Vaejovis.  I disagree that it is V.russeli which does not have necessarily large chela but does have relatively smooth chela - at least compared to most Paruroctonus sp.

On #1 you can just barely see the lyre marking on the head indicating it is a buthid...Which can only be Centruroides in TX.

Better photos would at least help us to better ID them down to genus.

*V.Russelli*











*P.boreus*






John
];')


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## pnshmntMMA (Nov 20, 2008)

my buddy in 1st Cav got stung during training at ft hood texas on the face and elbow by one of those texas scorps. no idea which one but his face swelled up like a cantelope and he had a nasty open wound on his elbow


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## Galapoheros (Nov 21, 2008)

That sounds unusual.  But I know one thing, some people don't know that C. vittatus can really pack a painful sting.  Sometimes it doesn't hurt much but there have been a couple of times when I got nailed that really woke me up.  The worst sting was to my arm.  It felt like a hornet and my whole forearm was swollen for a few days.  But at other times, just hurt a little with no noticeable swelling.


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## jettubes (Nov 21, 2008)

haha number 4 looks like some kind of Urodacus, allthough its impossible as they dont occure anywhere eles but Australia. seeems a bit like U.elongatus ;P


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## skinheaddave (Nov 21, 2008)

Does nobody read German?  There is an article in DeArGe's Arachne magazine (12(1)) that I wrote on the scorpions of Texas.  Granted, I can't read it either.  I've been assured that the translation was good, though. 

Anyhow, number 1 is C.vittatus for reasons already discussed.

On number 2, the range would suggest D.lindo but I wouldn't rule out D.whitei on range alone.  If you can get pectine tooth counts, that would seperate them out quite nicely.  There is a quick tutorial here: http://thereptileforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=588 which might help you give us an appropriate picture or just count them yourself.

I think kugellager is on the right track on the rest of them.  Just a few points I'd like to add.  First off, you can shift Paruroctonus from Vaejovis really easily using the presence or absense of setal combs.  If you look towards the "feet" of Paruoroctonus, they have these rows of well-aligned, long setae.  V.globosis has something similar, but you can shift it out because it still has the very pointy look to its metasoma, as compared to the smooth even look of Paruoroctonus.  

Better pictures would definitely be useful to get to genus.  In some cases, without more detailed pics, species is going to be impossible.

Cheers,
Dave


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## dunawayj (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks. I will try and get some better pics. I tried for an hour or so the other night but got frustrated since the pics turned out worse then these. Will give it another attempt this weekend and follow up here. I will definately give the ziplock a try.


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## redhourglass (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi all,

Picture four is Vaejovis crassimanus.  Sexual dimorphism in adults and chela dental counts with regards to V. russelli.  Habitat preferance between species is the key.

Cheers,

Sinc. Chad


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## dunawayj (Jan 9, 2009)

Well it took me forever but I was able to sit down and try yhe old ziplock trick and hopefully got some pics that are good enough to help with the IDs. Here they are in different order. Same as above with number 2 being a new addition.

1 Diplocentra ? (Terlingua)











2 (Kerr County)











3(Terlingua)











4(Terlingua)











5(Terlingua)











6(Terlingua)


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## Rick McJimsey (Jan 9, 2009)

#2, C.vittatus
#3 _might_ be a form of C.vittatus.


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## Galapoheros (Jan 10, 2009)

1st one looks like a young D. lindo to me, could be D. whitei but I'm leaning towards D. lindo, which is usually a little "thicker", but smaller than whitei as adults.  I have young D. whitei and even when young, their chela look more slender than that to me, just my guess.


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## dunawayj (Jan 14, 2009)

Cool thanks ya'll. That is the ones I was pretty sure on. Any one have any idea what the others might be? 

#6 was identified in person by LPS as vaejovis de couhillae? or something but no idea on the others and the previous pictures just sucked. These arent too hot but maybe a little better.


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