The Legend of Double Stingers - Chinese Striped Bark "Swimming" Scorpion

[cottonsheep009]

This is the true identity of the amazing swimming scorpion in my story.

Everybody loves Raymond

The natives of Hainan Island of China always speak of a subspecies of Mesobuthus martensii known as Mesobuthus martensii hainanensis. What so spectacular about them is that these scorpions are known as "Double Stinger Scorpion" by the natives because they say these scorpions have two stingers and thus give you twice the pain, which are all quite impossible of course.

Eventually Earth Tiger (Kevin) got some of the so called Mesobuthus martensii hainanensis to look at and we discuss over the issue together. From their appearance, we are sure that they are not related to Mesobuthus martensii at all. While Mesobuthus martensii hainanensis may respesent a true species, what he has got are something different. The so-called 2nd stinger is just a small tooth in the vesicle and doesn't serve as a stinger as shown in the following figures. Kevin is aware of at least two genera of scorpions with such a structure - one is the famous Centruroides and the other is Lychas. He thinks Centruroides are mainly native to America, and the most probable candidate is Lychas mucronatus native to South East Asia such as India.

If that's the case, the geographical range of Lychas mucronatus now extends to Hainan Island, provided that what we got is not a geographical subspecies of L. mucronatus. Is it possible for a L. mucronatus to swim across a long distance to Hainan Island? And when did Hainan Island form/depart from the mainland?

We are no arachnid expert and we may be wrong. Corrections and comments are welcome.

 

[Earth Tiger]

I am posting this on behalf of cottonsheep, since she couldn't hold them that way

You can see that the telson of M. m. and that of Chinese Striped Bark Scorpion are way too different to be in the same genus:

 

[Earth Tiger]

Here shows the telson of Chinese Striped Bark Scorpion:

 

[skinheaddave]

Many genera have subaculear protubences of one sort or another. If you would like some assistance in keying out the scorpion, I will need a picutre of the sternum/pectines, close-up of the chela, and picture from directly above showing prosoma and mesosoma carinae.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[cottonsheep009]

Hi everyone, we are communal species like M. m.

 

[cottonsheep009]

Am I beautiful?

 

[Kugellager]

I'd go along with some type of Lychas as well...Dave would probably be able to help you best in the ID as he has quite a few ID keys...at he should be able to tell you what it is not.

On a purely selfish note...when will you be breeding these in large numbers for exportation to the Scorpion community.

I know I would love a few.

John
];')

 

[Navaros]

That's really interesting cottonsheep. Same question as Kugellager.

 

[Frank]

WOW!

Thanks for these informations and videos!


Same question as Kug

 

[cottonsheep009]

Kugellager,

Yes, Dave is very helpful and helps me gain much more insight on the species.

I'm afraid I don't have the knowledge to breed them in large numbers and I'm passing the ball back to you for the mission. I will post an ad. soon once Earth tiger and I manage to get some more for sale from the dealer. The Lychas in China would be happy to know someone in Colorado is longing to get them. =D

 

[cottonsheep009]

Navaros and Frank,

Thank you for your appreciation.

I'm as excited as, if not more excited than, you ppl. with this rare species. I hope I can bring them up to the market by this weekend.

Frank,

The video is by Earth Tiger, he has done a great job on the video thing. It would be unfair for him if I take this credit so I see the need for clarification. :}

 

[Navaros]

Good luck getting some more cottonsheep! And great vids earth tiger.

 

[CID143ti]

Wow, nice pics. Those guys look like Lychas mucronatus. I have a couple breeding pairs of these guys but no babies.

W. Smith

 

[bumbelbear]

availibility

how much scorps do you have for trade. i will prolly get together with some ppl and buy some creatures of off you when spring comes. i cant control when the order is made so i wonder how big a chance there is you can provide like 10 lychas and 10 mesobuthus at any given time?

 

[cottonsheep009]

Dear bumbelbear,
It's a good idea to gather friends around and place a large order to save some bucks on the shipping cost. How's the hobby in Sweden?

As you want it so bad, I would recommend you to make a reservation. I would then baby-sit the inverts for you till the weather at your side is favourable for shipment.

My PM box was full when you mailed me, I'm sorry. Please kindly write me again and we can discuss this in detail privately.

 

[pandinus]

On a purely selfish note...when will you be breeding these in large numbers for exportation to the Scorpion community.

I know I would love a few.

John
];')

this scorp is currently available at www.goldenphoenixexotica.com, and the specimens are truly beautiful.

 

[carpe scorpio]

It would seem that the term "swimming scorpions" should really be applied to scorps that enter water willingly. You could throw people out of planes without parachutes and call them "rare flying humans".

 

[pandinus]

It would seem that the term "swimming scorpions" should really be applied to scorps that enter water willingly. You could throw people out of planes without parachutes and call them "rare flying humans".

good point
funny story though

 

[carpe scorpio]

They certainly were frantically trying to make it to the "shore" of the sink, though I'm pretty sure that crossing the English channel is too great a distance, and too cold.

 

[woijchik89]

I wish they REALLY had 2 stingers, 2 tails would be cool too.

Does any body know if it's possible for a scorpion to have this defect? Or natural evolutionary advantage? I mean some snakes are born with two heads, so why cant a scorp be born with 2 tails?

If this could happen I think It'd be a real advantage.

I GOTTA GET ONE! LoL