- Joined
- Aug 7, 2002
- Messages
- 608
The pic clearly shows it's an adult and yes, Thailand in origin. Exact locality in Thailand is unknown.Are you certain it's an adult and that it's from Thailand? If so, which part of Thailand?
If it clearly showed it was an adult, I wouldn't be asking you if you were certain. The proportions (narrow chelae and metasoma) of this particular animal are more in line with a subadult for the most common species in the pet trade (i.e., H. silenus). This could be simple intraspecific variation of course.The pic clearly shows it's an adult and yes, Thailand in origin. Exact locality in Thailand is unknown.
H. spinifer are really only found on peninsular Malaysia, so it's unlikely. Additionally, they have pale yellow/orange telsons as juveniles and are typically dark red as adults. I've attached images of a juvenile and an adult below.Thanks for the info! Wow a sub-adult! That means this species grows to quite a large size. Ruling out Vietnam export. Definitely Thailand. I'll have really good pics to post Wed. night or Thur. Can you rule out H. spinifer? I've seen H. laoticus before, so I lean on H. laeviagatus as the timing of the available specimens makes sense. My Malaysian H. spinifer have a very "glossy black" coloration, but these are "flat black".
Thanks! I'll have good pics of these Thai locality scorpions Wed. or Thur. I'm looking for the black and white drawings by Kovarik showing the granulation details in this genus.H. spinifer are really only found on peninsular Malaysia, so it's unlikely. Additionally, they have pale yellow/orange telsons as juveniles and are typically dark red as adults. I've attached images of a juvenile and an adult below.
I'd like to add that thorelli is present in the Asian hobby but has likely not been purposefully shipped to north America due to lack of demand.If it clearly showed it was an adult, I wouldn't be asking you if you were certain. The proportions (narrow chelae and metasoma) of this particular animal are more in line with a subadult for the most common species in the pet trade (i.e., H. silenus). This could be simple intraspecific variation of course.
Most of the Heterometrus specimens in the hobby are H. silenus, and are typically from Vietnam regardless of the alleged country of origin.
The species found in mainland Thailand is H. laoticus, however I believe I can see granulation on the carapace/tergites which would rule out this species.
H. laevigatus can also be found in Thailand on the upper half of the Malay Peninsula. This species has entered the pet trade in small numbers in recent years, and is still fairly rare in the hobby. If you are certain the animal was collected in Thailand, then this is the most likely species.
H. thorelli is also be found in Thailand along the border with Myanmar, however this species is not in the pet trade.
May I ask where you got her from ? If you put her into a larger enclosure she will give birth tomorrow. I think she is one of ours from Uthai Thani we exported a shipment to USA around 1 month ago and 80% where gravid , picture attached is from the same breeding groupHeterometrus sp. from Thailand. Adult female looking gravid. Ideas as to species?
View attachment 421829
So, what species is from Uthai Thani? This sounds like the timing of when the Thai scorpions came into the U.S.May I ask where you got her from ? If you put her into a larger enclosure she will give birth tomorrow. I think she is one of ours from Uthai Thani we exported a shipment to USA around 1 month ago and 80% where gravid , picture attached is from the same breeding group
Heterometrus silenus, H. spinifer, and H. longimanus are not found on mainland Thailand. Javanimetrus cyaneus has an extremely wide range so it might be, but they're very distinctive and not easiy confused with other species. Chersonesometrus fulvipes is found in India, and has yellow legs and round chelae with heavy granulation, so it is absolutely out of the question.Well, it's most likely not Spinifer. They reflect light as a gray-green color. As for Utah Thani, that is smack in the middle of all six species. Silenus, Laoticus, Spinifer, Longimanus, Cyaneus and Fulvipes. All six are found in central Thailand.
I'm fairly confident they're Heterometrus laevigatus. Uthai Thani is pretty close to the peninsula, and it's perfectly reasonable to assume that their range extends onto the mainland. The morphology also matches up. Males will develop longer pedipalps than females as they mature, and you can start to see this characteristic in some of the specimens in your photos.ID help? Thanks!
Thanks for your opinion Collin! Playing devil's advocate, why would they not be H. laoticus? P.S. Kovarik thought these were H. silenus. Who do you follow, Predini or Kovarik?Heterometrus silenus, H. spinifer, and H. longimanus are not found on mainland Thailand. Javanimetrus cyaneus has an extremely wide range so it might be, but they're very distinctive and not easiy confused with other species. Chersonesometrus fulvipes is found in India, and has yellow legs and round chelae with heavy granulation, so it is absolutely out of the question.
I'm fairly confident they're Heterometrus laevigatus. Uthai Thani is pretty close to the peninsula, and it's perfectly reasonable to assume that their range extends onto the mainland. The morphology also matches up. Males will develop longer pedipalps than females as they mature, and you can start to see this characteristic in some of the specimens in your photos.
H. laoticus have a carapace and tergites that are completely smooth. The animals in your photos have visible granulation in these areas.Thanks for your opinion Collin! Playing devil's advocate, why would they not be H. laoticus? P.S. Kovarik thought these were H. silenus. Who do you follow, Predini or Kovarik?
Could you please cite references?Heterometrus silenus, H. spinifer, and H. longimanus are not found on mainland Thailand. Javanimetrus cyaneus has an extremely wide range so it might be, but they're very distinctive and not easiy confused with other species. Chersonesometrus fulvipes is found in India, and has yellow legs and round chelae with heavy granulation, so it is absolutely out of the question.
Looks like I'm going to have to take that trip to the university. They probably are aware of the revisions but getting a glomp like that translated... always some time lag with these operations. Note the most recent update on the data from China still uses the name Petersii.I linked Prendini's revision in my last comment. Nearly all of the species you just listed have been reclassified in some way.