Nature surprises with a variety of representatives of flora and fauna, not all of them are friendly towards people. And meetings with individuals can end tragically - with a long hospital regimen or even death. The main characters of this material are poisonous scorpions of the world, we will give general information and descriptions of the most dangerous species.
General characteristics
The word "scorpion" has ancient Greek roots, in ancient Russia they were called "scorpion" - actually a "snake". Why? The reason is clear - life-threatening bites.
In the systematics of the animal world, these representatives of the fauna belong to the order of terrestrial arthropods. The natural habitat is in countries with a hot climate, but individuals that are terrible in appearance and in character can be found in other latitudes as pets.
The most poisonous scorpion in the world is the imperial scorpion, which strikes with its gigantic size, an adult reaches a length of 20 cm. It must be remembered that today scientists have 1750 species, but only 50 species are dangerous to humans, some of which will be discussed below.
How does the poisonous scorpion apparatus work?
And the most poisonous scorpion in the world, and other, less dangerous individuals, have the same poisonous apparatus contained in the so-called “tail”. Here lies the telson (anal lobe). It ends with a needle, and oval-shaped glands containing poison are located inside.
Outside, the glands are surrounded by transverse muscle fibers, during the reduction of which the release of toxic secretion occurs. At the end of the needle there are two holes through which the poison strikes the enemy. Moreover, scorpions have different needle sizes, different sizes and shapes of telson.
Scorpion venom contains high-speed toxins, most often a mixture of neurotoxins and enzyme inhibitors. The sensation of a bite is similar to what a person feels when bitten by a wasp or a bee. In the most difficult cases, cramps, shortness of breath, and swelling of the respiratory tract occur. Meeting with a scorpion can be fatal. Fortunately, this does not happen so often.
Parabuthus transvaalicus - the thunderstorm of all living things
The most poisonous scorpion in the world, ranking first on the list, is Parabuthus transvaalicus. It lives in South Africa, it is easily recognizable by its thick long tail in black. Its claws are not very large, and this is another signal for the tourist that he should stay away.
This formidable representative of the fauna does not need to use claws, since it strikes its victim with very strong poison (compared with cyanide). Another important fact - the poisonous substance of this scorpion can "spit" at a distance of 1 meter.
In battle, uses two types of poison. For the production of the first type, less resources are needed, it is used for small-scale mining and as a warning tool. The second type is more toxic, it is thrown out in order to save one's own life or to defeat large prey.
Arizona Storm - Centruroides exilicauda
There are poisonous scorpions in North America, the most terrible is the inhabitant of the Arizona deserts, located in California and Utah. Its main weapon is the same neurotoxic poison as that of the representative of the arthropod family named above.
The Arizona scorpion's venomous lesion is compared with electric shock. First a convulsion, then numbness, disruptions in the gastrointestinal tract. The mortality rate in Mexico reaches 25% (one in four affected by poison).
The severity of the consequences depends on the age of the victim and the state of health. American scientists have developed an antidote, in Arizona, more than 40 years, successfully eliminate the consequences of dangerous "meetings".
Androctonus australis - australian yellow
Answering the question, what is the most poisonous scorpion in the world for men, scientists call Androctonus australis. The first word is translated from Latin as “killer of men”. Initially, its habitat was the Australian continent, today you can meet this unpleasant "tourist" in Southeast Asia and North Africa.
The main component of the poison is neurotoxin, it instantly affects the central nervous system. This leads to inhibition of the respiratory system, then to its paralysis, and ultimately to death. These scorpions have such a powerful exoskeleton that they can withstand the famous sandstorms without hiding in the sand.
Androctonus crassicauda - a dangerous Middle Eastern neighbor
Scorpio is a poisonous animal, meetings with which it is better to avoid, and you can see it on any continent. In Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, for example, the most common is the Arabian thick-tailed scorpion.
It reaches medium size, prefers to hunt small rodents, spiders, lizards and insects. Its poison is toxic, moreover, this scorpion has a very aggressive character.
