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Taxonomy
Tityus
Nomenclature
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Order: ScorpionesFamily: Buthidae
SUMMARY
For Panama (but can also largely apply to Costa Rica)
Text adapted from 2016 "Guía para el abordaje/manejo integral de la picadura de escorpión (alacrán) en la República de Panamá" [See * below]
Tityus: This genus is the most diverse within the order of scorpions, harboring about 200 species, which have a predominantly South American distribution.
In our country, seven species have been recognized in our country, distributed in three of the subgenera, proposed by Lourenço (2006):
Archaeotityus: Members of this subgenus are small scorpions (up to 45 mm), with a light background coloration on which there are dark spots.
In this subgenus we have
Tityus ocelote Francke & Stockwell, 1987. [and]
Tityus tayrona Lourenço, 1991.
Atreus: Large scorpions (up to more than 100 mm, e.g. T. festae) with colorations ranging from reddish-brown to dark brown or black. Most of the medically important species belong to this subgenus:
Tityus asthenes Pocock, 1893.
Tityus championi Pocock, 1898.
Tityus festae Borelli, 1899.
Tityus jaimei Miranda et al., 2020 [updated from text of Tityus pachyurus Pocock, 1897.]
Tityus: In Panama only one member of this subgenus, They are recognized by coloration that can vary from yellow or orange-mahogany dark longitudinal bands on the dorsum of the mesosoma.; they are of medium size (75 mm). This species is considered of medical importance, as it has been involved in fatal accidents.
Tityus cerroazul Lourenço, 1986.
[Adapted text thanks to Kai Squires]
[* See https://www.panama24horas.com.pa/ultimas-noticias/panama-presenta-guia-p... ]