Rhopalurus laticauda vs. Rhopalurus crassicauda

scorpionmom

Arachnobaron
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Dec 5, 2010
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What is the difference between Rhopalurus laticauda and R. crassicauda? Size, coloration, behaviour, etc. Just wanting to know. Thanks!;):D
 

Jacek Szubert

Arachnopeon
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Feb 12, 2008
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Both species are very similar in almost every way. Actually they're virtually indistinguishable from each one. In opinion of some scientists, they might me the same species. For years one of them has been subspecies of another. For sure more studies should be done on this issue, we can only wait on some new publications :)
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
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Both species are very similar in almost every way. Actually they're virtually indistinguishable from each one. In opinion of some scientists, they might me the same species. For years one of them has been subspecies of another. For sure more studies should be done on this issue, we can only wait on some new publications :)

This is correct. At the moment, both species are considered valid, but as Jaceks said, they are very closely related, and not distuingishable with the naked eye. There are some morphometrical differences and also in coloration, and certain scientists are working on it. It could be possible that they are synonyms, but it would be too early to draw such a conclusion. As far as is known now, both species have a disjunct distribution, R.crassicauda in Brazil and R.laticauda in Venezuela (R.laticauda is the most common scorpion in Venezuela). More research of populations of both species will hopely clarify their relationship.
 

2nscorpx

Arachnoprince
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An old thread, but, are both species still considered to be very closely related or synonyms? I have seen Rhopalurus crassicauda in some collections in Europe, but specimens labeled as Rhopalurus laticauda still seem uncommon, and only in a few collections.
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
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Status is still the same........

I know for a fact that some people have them in the states :)
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
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Ask Ryan Tabor, a member here.....but this was years ago......
 

Jacek Szubert

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Feb 12, 2008
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Actually I've recently read kind of revision of Rhopalurus genus (Análise filogenética e biogeográfica do gênero Rhopalurus Thorell, 1876 (Arachnida: Scorpiones: Buthidae), PDF), where of course both those taxa were mentioned. It refuses proposed by Souza (2009) synonymization of R. crassicauda with R. laticauda. They are apparently from different paraphyletic groups. In the paper you can also find a map with clearly separated distribution of both species. As the paper is in Portuguese, I have no idea if there's more information about them ;) Check it out on your own.

R. laticauda are in offer of some German dealer, I guess it's still available. But you have still no certainty if they're well identified
 

Michiel

Arachnoking
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interesting paper, I will download it later and read it.....No surpirise that R.virkii was not a valid species :)
 

2nscorpx

Arachnoprince
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Thanks Jacek, interesting read, it is helpful.:)

@Michiel, yes, I know Ryan Tabor had them, but, as you said, this was a while ago...
 
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