Scorpion ID, Isometrus species?

[D3N2]

I recently found a bark scorpion in Sarawak, Malaysia. I found it hidden amongst dead palm leaves. It's around 2 cm (.75") from chelicerae to tip of the telson. I THINK it is Isometrus maculatus. Can anyone confirm this? If it's not what I think it is, could I get some suggestions on what species it could be, even just the genus. Also for anyone familiar with this species, what instar do you think it is? I'm guessing 4th. Thanks!

Here is a picture:

 

[Deftones90]

I wanna say Lychas mucronatus. They have a pretty extensive range.

 

[Kaiser Scorpion]

Hello!

I have Lychas mucronatus from Java and Isometrus maculatus from Philippines and the females are very similar.
You can easily see the correct genus:
Lychas has tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
Isometrus has not tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
If it is only 2 cm, it is not an adult.

 

[moymoy]

That would be Lychas sp. for me. I noticed the dark band near the metasoma segment (dunno what's the term of the segment).

 

[2nscorpx]

Send it to me, I'll identify it accurately for you.

 

[D3N2]

It's interesting to hear that what I found is a Lychas. Back in the Philippines, I was told that Lychas is rarer than Isometrus. Then again, it was Lychas infuscatus there, instead of Lychas mucronatus

Kaiser Scorpion, you mentioned the tibial spurs on Lychas. I checked to see what they would look like and took more pictures of my scorpion. (Which, by the way, was quite an ordeal! This guy is fast! I almost lost him a couple times, and once he jumped off the table and landed on my hand! He then proceeded to walk up my arm, good thing i was wearing long sleeved shirt, so I waited for him to crawl on to that before putting a cup over him. I've read too many reports of people being stung on the arm while scooping off the scorpion. I try not to handle my scorpions, and this was definitely my 'first time'.) Anyway, back on topic, I do not notice any tibial spurs. Are they present on scorpions this young? Are they present on both males and females? All I noticed at the location where the spurs are supposed to be was hair that looked no different from the hair all over his body. Should I post pictures of his legs?

I have Lychas mucronatus from Java and Isometrus maculatus from Philippines and the females are very similar.
You can easily see the correct genus:
Lychas has tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
Isometrus has not tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
If it is only 2 cm, it is not an adult.

moymoy, are you talking about the dark band to the 'rear' of each segment? Or specifically the dark band on the last segment before the telson?

That would be Lychas sp. for me. I noticed the dark band near the metasoma segment (dunno what's the term of the segment).

haha no..

Send it to me, I'll identify it accurately for you.

According to http://eycb.pagesperso-orange.fr/scorpions/Gasie.htm, the Lychas species present in Malaysia are:
L. flavimanus
L. hosei
L. mucronatus
L. shelfordi

I wonder if this covers east Malaysia. I checked Indonesia too, just in case, and found 2 species that are in Indonesia that are not in Malaysia, L. lourencoi and L. scutilus.

 

[Michiel]

Hello!

I have Lychas mucronatus from Java and Isometrus maculatus from Philippines and the females are very similar.
You can easily see the correct genus:
Lychas has tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
Isometrus has not tibial spur on legs 3 and 4...
If it is only 2 cm, it is not an adult.

This is the only post in the thread that makes sense It is a juvenile and there is no way you can identify it on species level from a picture.
By the shape of the subaculear tooth and some other structures I am inclined to think it's a Lychas, but like Kaiser Scorpion aptly stated, it can be easily checked by looking for the tibial spurs....

Nice find! Tuhin, stop bragging.....or I will ask the OP to send you the scorpion, and I would want a full description from you.....

 

[2nscorpx]

This is the only post in the thread that makes sense It is a juvenile and there is no way you can identify it on species level from a picture.
By the shape of the subaculear tooth and some other structures I am inclined to think it's a Lychas, but like Kaiser Scorpion aptly stated, it can be easily checked by looking for the tibial spurs....

Nice find! Tuhin, stop bragging.....or I will ask the OP to send you the scorpion, and I would want a full description from you.....

Ha! Sorry, I was just joking--you can ask the OP to send the scorpion, I don't mind that at all!It is a beautiful specimen.

 

[D3N2]

Thanks for all the replies and compliments everyone! Does anyone know the 'approximate' venom level of Lychas species? I just want to be sure this scorpion can not kill me, and if I do get stung, how painful it will be. Thanks.

Also, just to clarify, I know you said that an exact ID of a juvenile is impossible, but will the tibial spurs be present on a juvenile Lychas or not?

This is the only post in the thread that makes sense It is a juvenile and there is no way you can identify it on species level from a picture.
By the shape of the subaculear tooth and some other structures I am inclined to think it's a Lychas, but like Kaiser Scorpion aptly stated, it can be easily checked by looking for the tibial spurs....

 

[2nscorpx]

Thanks for all the replies and compliments everyone! Does anyone know the 'approximate' venom level of Lychas species? I just want to be sure this scorpion can not kill me, and if I do get stung, how painful it will be. Thanks.

Also, just to clarify, I know you said that an exact ID of a juvenile is impossible, but will the tibial spurs be present on a juvenile Lychas or not?

This species is probably not considered to be medically significant. On a general scale, Lychas spp. could be said to be a 3 out of 5 at the most. An envenomation would be very painful but should not really have severe effects. I do not know about the tibial spurs, but I would think that they would be present. Ask Michiel, of course he will know.

 

[Michiel]

I suspect that in juveniles the spurs would not be fully developed, but probably visible....I have no juveniles of Lychas in my preserved collection, so I cannot check this assumption. Lychas don't grow slow, so you'll have your answer in max half a year or so

 

[D3N2]

Alright, thanks again for the information! I'll post pictures again after 3-4 molts, when I think it has matured.

Now if I can only get it to eat.....

 

[Hornets inverts]

I'm pretty sure this is an isometrus, can you get a better pic of the telson?

 

[D3N2]

I'm pretty sure this is an isometrus, can you get a better pic of the telson?

Cropped a picture for you. Let me know if you need a clearer one.


Also added some cropped close-ups of legs III and IV to see if you guys can make out the tibial spurs.



And a dorsal close-up.


And a ventral close-up.


Sorry for all the pictures, I know the quality is not great, but I already took a bunch and didn't want them to go to waste.

 

[Michiel]

What I can see on the walking legs are setae, not spines.....The subaculear tooth seems somehwat rhomboidal and not typically spinoid, Hornets inverts could be right in his assumption that it is an Isometrus....like I said before, I don't know if the spines develop during the juvenile stages and are completely formed when adult..

 

[D3N2]

Hmm.. Alright. I guess I still need to wait until it matures to get a more accurate ID. If it is an Isometrus, in terms of care and venom level, what are the main differences compared to Lychas? I've heard they are quite similar all around?

 

[Michiel]

yep, that's correct husbandry and venomosity is comparable.....

 

[D3N2]

Alright, thanks for all the help!

 

[Hornets inverts]

I cant see any sign of tibial spurs in those pics (not saying they are not there) which points to lychas but the SAT size and shape points to Isometrus. Cant go off pattern as i'm not familiar with anything but the australian species of this genus. Sorry i couldnt be of more help

 

[D3N2]

I cant see any sign of tibial spurs in those pics (not saying they are not there) which points to lychas

Actually, I think they meant the lack of tibial spurs points to Isometrus.

but the SAT size and shape points to Isometrus. Cant go off pattern as i'm not familiar with anything but the australian species of this genus. Sorry i couldnt be of more help

Regardless, thanks for all the information. If not the exact ID, at least now I have a general idea of what to look for when differentiation between Lychas and Isometrus.