The First Report of the Dangerous Scorpion Hemiscorpius acanthocercus from Hormoz Island in the Persian Gulf

The genus Hemiscorpius of scorpions belonging to the family Hemscorpiidae is among the most dangerous scorpions in Iran. Different species of this genus were reported from the western and southern regions of Iran (1, 2). So far, death cases due to sting of two species of Hemiscorpius, including H. lepturus and H. acanthocercus, have been reported in Iran (3, 4). The venom of these scorpions causes severe hemoglobinuria and acute renal failure in the victims (5). The body coloration of H. acanthocercus is bright to dark yellow. Pedipalps are bulky and stout. The tip of fingers is brownish. The metazoma segment in males is elongated and slender than in females (Figs. 1, 2). The maximum size of females is 53.0 and males is 60.0 millimeter. These specifications help doctors to identify this dangerous scorpion.

Automated summary

The genus Hemiscorpius of scorpions in Iran, particularly the species H. lepturus and H. acanthocercus, have been identified as among the most dangerous due to their venom causing hemoglobinuria and acute renal failure. Characteristics of H. acanthocercus include bright to dark yellow coloration, bulky pedipalps, and brownish fingers tips, with males having elongated metasoma segments than females.