Can anyone help me identify this Scorpion, I found it in my Bedroom!

[keely]

I live near Lake Arrowhead, CA (in the San Bernardino Mountains) My 3 year old daughter screamed as she opened my clothes closet, we were greeted by this scary Scorpion in attack mode! I managed to catch it in a bucket

Do you know what kind of Scorpion it is and if it is something to be really worried about, if it stung my 3 year old, would this be an ER visit possible fatal sting? If I found one is it likely that I will find more?

Thank you for your help, worried Mom!

Keely

 

[Ludedor24]

Looks as though it is Anuroctonus phaiodactylus. They are also known as the swollen tail mafia scorpion. I believe the venom is pretty low on the scale. everyone reacts differently to a sting but I would say not fatal. You could find more. you can always use a blacklight in the dark to find these.

 

[shebeen]

It looks to be an Anuroctonus pococki (Swollen Stinger Scorpion). I don't believe that they are medically significant. A sting to a healthy adult would be painful but not fatal. A sting to a child on the other hand might be more dangerous. This species, however, is more likely to give you a painful pinch than sting. Eddy (Abyss) might be able to provide more information. Below is a caresheet if you wish to keep it in captivity.

http://www.scorpion-forum.com/t492-a-pococki-caresheet-also-applies-for-opistophthalmus-sp

 

[keely]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply, I'm glad to hear it's not the bark scorpion!

 

[~Abyss~]

Keely that is in fact A.pococki. If your looking to get rid of it please send me an email. ehdz88@gmail.com
I know they are super agrresive but I assure you the venom is low and you probably noticed by now it tries to pinch instead of sting. I love these guys and I'm working on a breeding project.

 

[Alltheworld601]

Okay, I'm jealous. I've been looking for one of these.

 

[Brachypelmo]

That Scorpion is awesome!!!

 

[Smokehound714]

The claws are worse than the venom, IMO.

Large individuals can deliver quite a powerful pinch, especially if they grab a loose portion of skin. Fortunately, their claws aren't big enough to hurt you seriously.

 

[josh_r]

I believe you guys are getting pococki and phaeodactylus mixed up here. the scorp in the photo is lookin pretty phaeodactylus esque to me. Pococki is a bigger species and is much darker in color with claws that match the color of the body. Here is a quick video of a great example of pococki.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjq303D-lI

The scorpion above is the classic phaeodactylus look and I have found phaeodactylus in that very same area she lives in.

 

[VickyChaiTea]

I'm glad everyone was able to narrow down a species for you. It's a beautiful individual.

 

[Smokehound714]

Josh_r is on the money.

Pococki is found in coastal scrub. arrowhead is too far inland, as well as being way too high in elevation.

I have seen a few pococki with this coloration, however pococki has a kind of reddish brown tinge.

for all we know, it's neither pococki OR phaiodactlyus.

Just like aphonopelma, batrachoseps, ensatina, eleodes, etc.

There could be several species of anuroctonus that remain undiscribed.

It's certainly possible, considering the sheer diversity in habitat types in socal.

 

[~Abyss~]

Coloration is not a factor with this species it's all about location. That being said it might very well be either or in that area my money is still on pococki rather than phaiodactlyus.

 

[darkness975]

That is not a bark scorpion rest assured. Here is the "bark scorpion" (aka Centruroides sculpturatus) that you're likely thinking about (although I wish people wouldn't demonize them so much): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_bark_scorpion