Hadrurus Obscurus mycosis

[desertscorpion]

I have a juvenile Hadrurus Obscurus that I recently purchased and noticed two small dot sized black spots on the body. Seems to be very small mycosis spots. I don’t have pics of the spots yet but I do have a pic of when she was first purchased few days ago.

I was wondering if mycosis shortens the lifespan of scorpions (hadrurus in particular) if it is a very small spot that doesn’t spread. If they successfully “molt out” of the mycosis damage, will their lifespans still be shortened from having had mycosis? I searched the boards, but saw many conflicting messages on whether my scorp will have a shortened lifespan from mycosis. Some seem to say if it doesn’t spread they are unaffected, while some seem to imply that it is only a matter of time before they die from having any mycosis. Anyone with experience or knowledge on this matter that could help me out would be greatly appreciated. I am experienced with forest scorpions, which I’ve had for years, so having to deal with mycosis is a new experience for me.

 

[The Snark]

Touch the spots with a slightly moistened cotton swab. If it stains the swab it's possibly spores. It the spot returns, it is likely mycosis. However, if that containment is as dry as it looks it isn't likely.

 

[desertscorpion]

Touch the spots with a slightly moistened cotton swab. If it stains the swab it's possibly spores. It the spot returns, it is likely mycosis. However, if that containment is as dry as it looks it isn't likely.

Thanks, I’ll try that out. The spots are in a very tough spot to reach (underneath the joint where the leg meets the body, and on the side of one of her bottom belly plates) so it lay be difficult. In case it doesnt wipe off, would that mean it isn’t active mycosis and is just the leftover damage leaving black spots?

 

[The Snark]

In case it doesnt wipe off, would that mean it isn’t active mycosis and is just the leftover damage leaving black spots?

Mycelium is invisible. Only the spores in dispersal phase can be seen. They will be loose and easily picked up by a swab. If the swab doesn't easily pick up spores, the spots don't come off or need to be scrubbed to come off, it's some other material.

 

[Moakmeister]

Mycelium is invisible. Only the spores in dispersal phase can be seen. They will be loose and easily picked up by a swab. If the swab doesn't easily pick up spores, the spots don't come off or need to be scrubbed to come off, it's some other material.

Is that really what you do to figure out if it’s mycosis? It’ll come off easily?

 

[The Snark]

Is that really what you do to figure out if it’s mycosis? It’ll come off easily?

With most fungi, yes. The spores are exposed and trying to disperse, either through the air, water, or in very rare instances, onto the surface of some medium. (I vaguely recall it's something like 98% of myco spore releases are into the air in the form of a fine dust like powder. Typical example is taking spore patterns of mushrooms and toadstools. Spores, the fingerprint of the myco world.

The ultra pecurliar weirdness about spores is some of them pack extremely powerful neurotoxins. Why? Maybe understandable in toadstools trying to reduce the munching animal populations but a black mold, stachybotrus chartarum, packs a deadlier neurotoxin than Sarin. So deadly in concentrations that chemical weapons experts turned to synthesizing their own rather than deal with the mold. Alien life form intended to take over the planet?