A few South African scorpions.

[Jmugleston]

The title says it all. This guy was making a lot of noise when I uncovered it. I have recordings of the stridulation, so I'll see if I can post that soon.

First scorpion found on the trip:

Last scorpion found on the trip:

These were everywhere on a nature reserve just off the coast of the Indian Ocean.

 

[Aztek]

Nice.
Finding scorpions in their own place is nice.

 

[Richard McJimsey]

Hi,
The last scorpion looks like a Parabuthus sp.

 

[Jmugleston]

Hi,
The last scorpion looks like a Parabuthus sp.

I too thought it looked like a thicktail, but I'm not the best with scorpion identification. I do now the little ones didn't want to be picket up and I came close to getting stung a few times before I was able to get them into the alcohol vials. (We were collecting insects and a few arachnids for research).

 

[Selket]

is the second one actually that blueish-green, or is that just weird lighting?

 

[Jmugleston]

is the second one actually that blueish-green, or is that just weird lighting?

It was slightly overcast, but that is natural lighting. It did have a color that reminded me of the asian forest scorpions in the pet trade.

 

[inverts]

Nice images.

 

[Michiel]

1) Ophistopthalmus sp. 2) Opisthacanthus capensis 3) Opisthacanthus validus and 4) Parabuthus, possibly Parabuthus planicauda.....but like always IDíng from photo's is not foolproof.

 

[Skywalker]

Hi,

the last one is a Parabuthus planicauda.

My guess on the other scorpions:
#1 Opistophthalmus sp.
#2 Opistacanthus/Cheloctonus sp.
#3 Opistacanthus sp.


-Peter

 

[signinsimple]

is the second one actually that blueish-green, or is that just weird lighting?

The blueish-green is probably the scorpion flouresing under the UV rays in the natural sunlight. So it depends what you mean when you say "Is the scorpion actually that blueish-green?" Without UV rays? probably not.

 

[tabor]

Hi,
The last scorpion looks like a Parabuthus sp.

considering there's about 20 Parabuthus species from there, i'd say that's a safe bet!

but yeah that is most likely a P. planicauda as Skywalker said.

 

[dangriga]

Nice.
Finding scorpions in their own place is nice.

That's the best.

Awesome pics and scorpions!!
Please post more!!!

 

[Jmugleston]

That's the best.

Awesome pics and scorpions!!
Please post more!!!

Sadly, I don't have any more pics from the Africa trip.

 

[Kugellager]

My wife and I went to South Africa and Namibia for our honeymoon last May/June. I highly recommend a side trip to Namibia if you spend as much time there as you did if you get there again. I have a thread somewhere in here with H.arenaceus photos I took while there...Some photos of O.validus as well from SA.

Here is my thread: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=128031

I can't wait to go back there again myself!

John
];')

 

[Nigel4less]

Beautiful Photos of some Gorgeous Specimens!

 

[Jmugleston]

My wife and I went to South Africa and Namibia for our honeymoon last May/June. I highly recommend a side trip to Namibia if you spend as much time there as you did if you get there again. I have a thread somewhere in here with H.arenaceus photos I took while there...Some photos of O.validus as well from SA.

Here is my thread: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=128031

I can't wait to go back there again myself!

John
];')

I'll probably be back within the next few years. I hope to hit the Northern Cape and up to Kruger next time.

 

[kalvaer]

Seen more of my native animals on these boards than I have outside. I think I really need to go and actually look whats out there.

Lovely Photo's btw, and if anyone wants to swop for a while.. I'll come to the USA and you can take my house

 

[Kugellager]

Seen more of my native animals on these boards than I have outside. I think I really need to go and actually look whats out there.

Lovely Photo's btw, and if anyone wants to swop for a while.. I'll come to the USA and you can take my house

Yeah just get little UV LED flashlight and find a nice rocky area and I'll be t you'll find something.

I brought this with me on our honeymoon. Very light-weight and compact and puts out a lot of UV for its size.

http://www.brightguy.com/products/Inova_X5_UV_(Ultra_Violet).php
A great little travel blacklight. There are a lot of cheaper ways to do it but this was great for traveling due to its size and weight.

What part of SA do you live? I have been to Jo'burg, Pretoria and the Westerrn Cape - Also Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. We stayed with friends in Centurion between Jo'burg and Pretoria for a couple of nights before flying out to Sabi Sabi where we did the big game thing and where I collected and photographed the O.validus. Namibia was in the middle of the trip.

 

[Jmugleston]

Seen more of my native animals on these boards than I have outside. I think I really need to go and actually look whats out there.

Lovely Photo's btw, and if anyone wants to swop for a while.. I'll come to the USA and you can take my house

As the post above stated, let us know where you are at and we may be able to give some good recommendations for field sites. I've been to a number of the nature reserves in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces.

 

[kalvaer]

I stay in southern Johannesburg. But the Rand waterboard nature reserve is on the border of my house. Then I work for a family business, on my parents farm, which is on the Suikerbosrand nature reserve (on the foot of a rocky mountain).

Up until 2 months ago, I never actually even bothered to look for things like this, Since then, my mother has found 2 Baboon spiders in her house (she blames me for tempting them there)

I have recently found out that one of my suppliers is really involved in south african spiders in SA. He has said he wants to spend some time walking around to see what he can find. I think I need to organise a decent camera and head out with him some time soon to see what is there