What is the Rarest/Most Valuable Scorpion Species Available?

[Najakeeper]

So what is the Iridopelma seladonium or the Scolopendra hardwickei of the scorpion hobby? Which species, that is available, is the hardest to find and the most expensive to buy?

 

[snippy]

One of the rarest in the hobby that I know of is definitely Belisarius xambeui, at least in Europe. But I highly suspect that it is even rarer overseas

Regards
Finn

 

[Hendersoniana]

How about apistobuthus pterygocercus? Someone on the forum had kept one before, saw photos .

 

[superuglyllc]

henderson whats up with the bulb in there tail? pretty crazy with that ! tooshea awesome looking

 

[Hendersoniana]

These scorps dig very deep burrows from what i read. The bulb may be to help with digging much, i am not sure on these guys though.

 

[Jarvis]

There are several scorps that are hard to find, only because they are not since in the hobby, or one person has kept one a long time ago and was unsuccesful at breeding them, so it will be hard to give a difinite answer to that question, however the most expensive might be a mature Heterometrus Swammerdami I have seen them priced as high as $200.00.

 

[2nscorpx]

One of the rarest in the hobby that I know of is definitely Belisarius xambeui, at least in Europe. But I highly suspect that it is even rarer overseas

Regards
Finn

Yeah, that is easy for you to say--you keep them!

Tityus fasciolatus, Tityus argentinus, Tityus pachyurus, Tityus ocelote (from Costa Rica), Isometrus brachycentrus, Lychas burdoi, Uroplectes otjimbinguensis, Parabuthus capensis, Parabuthus laevifrons, Parabuthus granulatus, Odontobuthus odonturus, and many more, relatively nondescript species are rarer. More species keep coming into the hobby. It also varies on the availability in Europe and the in United States.

 

[Kaiser Scorpion]

H. swammerdami was very rare and expensive few years ago. Now it is almost common and not so exspensive.
I have a mature female of about 14 cm and I payed it only 20 €!



The price is different in every country.
For example, in USA, the price of H. arizonensis is 15-20 $ while in Europe 30-45 € (40-60 $).
Probably Urodacus spp from Australia in Europe can cost 100 € or more because nobody has this scorpions.

One of the rarest in the hobby that I know of is definitely Belisarius xambeui, at least in Europe. But I highly suspect that it is even rarer overseas

Regards
Finn

Yes, it is very rare in nature and it is not present in the pet-trades.
Do you have this species?

 

[AzJohn]

I allways find threads like this interesting. What does it mean to be rare? To me it should be something available. I could mention some US natives that I've kept that no one else is keeping as far as I know. I've found randon species of Vaejovis and Paruroctonus. Just because I'm the only person that has them, does that make them rare or valuable? I could list all kinds of species that are not in the hobby. So, I'd only consider species that are available but very hard to find. In the US I would say Hottentotta jayakari, Grosphus ankarana, and Heterometrus Madraspatensis. These species are in the US but in such small numbers that very few people have any.

 

[snippy]

Yes, it is very rare in nature and it is not present in the pet-trades.
Do you have this species?

Take a look at the link in my signature

A good friend of mine that also works on the page has several specimen (the pictures have been taken of his specimen), but I personally do not have any.

In the US I would say Hottentotta jayakari, Grosphus ankarana, and Heterometrus Madraspatensis. These species are in the US but in such small numbers that very few people have any.

Of course you are right, it highly depends on the definition of rare and the location. For example, the first two of the species you mentioned are totally common in Germany.

Regards
Finn

 

[2nscorpx]

I allways find threads like this interesting. What does it mean to be rare? To me it should be something available. I could mention some US natives that I've kept that no one else is keeping as far as I know. I've found randon species of Vaejovis and Paruroctonus. Just because I'm the only person that has them, does that make them rare or valuable? I could list all kinds of species that are not in the hobby. So, I'd only consider species that are available but very hard to find. In the US I would say Hottentotta jayakari, Grosphus ankarana, and Heterometrus Madraspatensis. These species are in the US but in such small numbers that very few people have any.

Yes, good point. Does 'rare' simply mean available but very uncommon or does the species have to be highly desired? There are some rare Vaejovis and Psedouroctonus spp. that are available, but for some reason they are seemingly not as desirable as other species, at least in the U.S.

 

[the toe cutter]

There are over 1500 species in about 170 Genera and in the US hobby we have maybe 50 species, so relatively everything is rare, lol! With over 200 described species within the Tityus genus alone and hobbyists here having access to only maybe 6-10 species in VERY small numbers circulating around I would consider them fairly rare, as well as Hottentotta with over 30 described species yet we only have access to around 5 species here and only 3 of those on a semi-regular basis. I would think that as far as monetary worth I would go with the rare Heterometrus sp, like H swammerdami and H madrapatensis can fetch a high price as far as scorpions go. The scorpion hobby is a small group here and I do not see the growing enthusiasm with it as out in the reptile and tarantula pet trade.

 

[Hornets inverts]

Down here in aus 2 of the most desirable species that are in the hobby but very very rare and probably not being bred are Urodacus planimanus and Liocheles karschii. Desirable species not in the hobby i'd say Urodacus excellens and Liocheles litodactylus. There are a few fairly desirable buthids out there but due to their size and difficulties keeping and breeding they dont seem to be as popular. In buthids i'd say Lychas lappa, Hemilychas alexandrinus and an undescribed Isometroides would be the most desirable species here. http://www.thedailylink.com/thespiralburrow/species/iso.jpg

 

[Najakeeper]

Liocheles sp. look so different and interesting, I wonder if I can find any in Europe. I am going to a reptile show tomorrow to look for them.

 

[Kugellager]

I think it might be an individual want or rarity...Some of the species mentioned I could care less about (i.e. H. Swammerdami-just another Heterometrus IMO) ...However I would love to get and sucessfully breed a pair of Apistobuthus pterygocercus. I would love to get legal Hottentotta arenaceus like I photographed in Namibia on my honeymoon.

John
];')

 

[richoman3]

rarest/best in australia would have to be urodacus megamastigus
never seen a pic of one, but from the description it sounds awesome... would love to see a pic or find some one day....

 

[Hornets inverts]

megamastigus is no rare then most other aussie scorps, as with most sp they are not available in the hobby. Thing with excellens is they are well known and there has been alot of hype around their size.

 

[Hendersoniana]

wow hornet, that picture of the unknown isometroids looks pretty neat!

A few more i find rare are H Fulvipes and H madraspatensis.

 

[Najakeeper]

H. swammerdami was very rare and expensive few years ago. Now it is almost common and not so exspensive.
I have a mature female of about 14 cm and I payed it only 20 €!

I asked around in the show today, the price for females were around 100 to 140 Swiss Franks depending on the size. So they are still very pricey in Switzerland.

 

[richoman3]

megamastigus is no rare then most other aussie scorps, as with most sp they are not available in the hobby. Thing with excellens is they are well known and there has been alot of hype around their size.

yes johny i know
i meant megamastigus would look the most appealing