Tityus obscurus, known as the Amazonian black scorpion, is a species of scorpion found in northern South America.
| Tityus obscurus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Scorpiones |
| Family: | Buthidae |
| Genus: | Tityus |
| Species: | T. obscurus
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| Binomial name | |
| Tityus obscurus Gervais 1843
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Description and behavior edit
It is one of the largest Tityus species, growing up to 65–100 mm.[1] It is characterized by its black color, flattened body and legs, and relatively thin claws. It is terrestrial and nocturnal. During the day it hides under stones, logs or loose bark, venturing out at night to hunt its prey, chiefly insects and arthropods.[2] Juveniles have a brown body and darkened appendix.[3]
Range and habitat edit
They are found in the tropical and sub-tropical forests of northern South America, mainly in the amazon rainforest of Brazil, French Guiana and Suriname. [4]
Venom edit
They have excitatory neurotoxins and cardiotoxins, symptoms already reported in humans include severe local pain, edema, profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, spreading numbness, muscle twitch, convulsions, semicoma, somnolence, hallucinations, tachypnea, tachycardia, excessive drooling and prostration.[4][2] In Guyana, a 16-year-old boy died 16 hours after being stung by this species.[5] In Guyana, in a 12-month period three people died, two children and a 30-year-old man. In all these cases, they experienced local pain that soon developed into vomiting and persistent leukocytosis. They all died after developing cardiopulmonary failure and dysrhythmias.[6] The median lethal dose from this species is 3.13 mg / kg (i.p.).[7]
Presumably, Tityus obscurus has been responsible for acute cerebellar dysfunction with neuromuscular manifestations in 58 patients in Santarém, Pará, Brazil. Symptoms such as cerebellar ataxia, dysdiadochokinesia, dysmetria, dysarthria, dyslalia, nausea and vomiting where reported to last for up to two days. Some patients presented myoclonus and fasciculations. Two had intense rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury.[8]
References edit
- ^ "Projeto: Estudo Genético de Tityus obscurus :: LEMAP UFPA". Lemap-ufpa.webnode.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
- ^ a b "Living Hazards Database (LHD) – Search by Scientific Name" (PDF). Acq.osd.mil. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ "Manual de Controle de Escorpiões" (PDF). Bvsms.saude.gov.br. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ^ a b "WCH Clinical Toxinology Resources". Toxinology.com. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
- ^ "Tityus stigmurus". Arachnoboards. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 2020-10-04.
- ^ Iserson, Kenneth V.; Jagit Ramcharran, Sri Devi (2019-10-01). "Black Scorpion (Tityus obscurus) Fatalities in Guyana and a Literature Review". The Journal of Emergency Medicine. 57 (4): 554–559. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.07.018. ISSN 0736-4679. PMID 31564443. S2CID 203607320.
- ^ De Paula Santos-Da-Silva, A.; Candido, D. M.; Nencioni ALA; Kimura, L. F.; Prezotto-Neto, J. P.; Barbaro, K. C.; Chalkidis, H. M.; Dorce VAC (2017). "Some pharmacological effects of Tityus obscurus venom in rats and mice". Toxicon. 126: 51–58. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.12.008. PMID 28012802. S2CID 205438953.
- ^ Torrez, Pasesa P. Q.; Quiroga, Mariana M. M.; Abati, Paulo A. M.; Mascheretti, Melissa; Costa, Walter Silva; Campos, Luciana P.; Franca, Francisco O. S. (2015). "Acute cerebellar dysfunction with neuromuscular manifestations after scorpionism presumably caused by Tityus obscurus in Santarem, Para/Brazil". Toxicon. 96: 68–73. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.12.012. ISSN 0041-0101. PMID 25549940.