Iraqi scorp

[Reitz]

My dealer tells me that his exporter from Iraq has offered him some glow-in-the-dark scorps. He says they're green in daylight, and glow at night because they eat phosflorescent (sp) larvae. He says they're very toxic, and very rare.

I consider myself pretty well informed, esp when it comes to scorps from that region, but I've never heard of anything like this. I don't really believe him, since scorps that eat small prey usually don't need highly toxic venom. Yet, he says they'll be arriving after the war ends. Any ideas??

Peace,
Chris

 

[Kugellager]

IMHO

1...the guy is giving you a line because almost all scorpion species fluoresce under a blacklight.

2...If the they are green in daylight they are probably a colormorph of L.quinquestriatus(deathstalker) know as the 'Ghost Deathstalker..which as far as I know is not exclusive to Iraq and can be found throughout the middle east.

3...Yes it does have highly toxic venom if it is the above species...many of the other common specis from that region also have highly dangerous venom.

4...the guy sounds like he is giving you a line just to make the scorps sound more rare than they are.

John
];')

 

[Reitz]

He could be talking about L.quinquestriatus, and just have mis-heard his exporter, but his claim was that they don't glow under black light, they glow in the dark--with no light. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of a scorp that eats phosflorscent larvae. That's the part that tripped me up.

At any rate, I'll know soon enough.

Peace,
Chris

 

[Kugellager]

Well its also possible the dealer is confusing fluorescence with glow in the dark...I have heard that mistake many times..I'm sure you have too...The phosphorescent larve thing sounds to made-up or conjecture...most of the critters that I have seen that are phosphorescent and not algae are cave dwelling creatures...I would just be suspicious...

John
];')