Hemiscorpiidae

Hemiscorpiidae
File:Opisthacanthus rugiceps.png
Opisthacanthus rugiceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Scorpiones
Superfamily:	Scorpionoidea
Family:	Hemiscorpiidae
Genera
See text
Diversity
12 genera, c. 70 species
Synonyms
Ischnuridae Liochelidae

Hemiscorpiidae is a family of scorpions with 72 described species in 12 genera. Their old name is Ischnuridae, which had to be changed due to a naming conflict with the damselfly family of the same name. They at one point also held the name Liochelidae.

Description

Most species have a very flat and broad body plan, due to their main habitat in tight rock crevices. Some long-living species can reach a length of more than 20 cm.

Distribution

Hemiscorpiidae are distributed throughout the world's tropics and subtropics. The family's center of distribution appears to be Africa where several genera are found, although it is also known from Australasia, the Middle East, and South America

Human interaction

Many species are held as pets. Species in this family are one of the less venomous scopions. Only genus Hemiscorpius have a strong venom; especially that of Hemiscorpius lepturus can result in deadly accidents.

Genera

• Cheloctonus Pocock, 1892
• Chiromachetes Pocock, 1899
• Chiromachus Pocock, 1893
• Habibiella Vachon, 1974
• Hadogenes Kraepelin, 1894
• Hemiscorpius Peters, 1861
• Heteroscorpion Birula, 1903
• Iomachus Pocock, 1893
• Liocheles Sundevall, 1833
• Monodopisthacanthus Lourenço, 2001
• Opisthacanthus Peters, 1861
• Paleocheloctonus Lourenço, 1996

References

• Hemiscorpiidae bei The Scorpion Files

See also

• Hadogenes bicolor
• Hadogenes troglodytes