|
Hottentota
[= Buthotus]
Life
> Eukaryotes
>
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra >
Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata
> Arachnida > Scorpiones
(scorpions)
> Superfamily: Buthoidea > Family: Buthidae
This genus, formerly known as Buthotus,
occurs from northern South Africa up through eastern Africa and into the Middle
East and India. In southern Africa there are 3 species that occur in the
Northern Cape to Namibia, Namibia and the Northern Province respectively - all
hot semi-arid to arid regions. They occur in sandy areas under stones, logs and
make a 60 to 100 mm deep burrow under succulent shrubs.
These scorpions range from 40 to
70 mm in length. They are yellowish to light brown
in colour with 3 granular ridges that extend along the length of the dorsal surface of the mesosoma
and may be indistinctly or distinctly marked
in black. The 2 lateral ridges extend forward onto the carapace while the
middle ridge does not. These 3 dorsal ridges as well as the fact that these
scorpions do not stridulate, separate them from
other buthid genera.
Hottentotta are active
nocturnal scorpions and are lapidocolous
and shelter under any available stone or suitable cover.
Text by Norman Larsen ©. |
