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the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Bothriuridae

Life > Eukaryotes > Opisthokonta > Metazoa (animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra > Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata > Arachnida > Scorpiones (scorpions) > Superfamily: Scorpionoidea

The bothriurids are Gondwanaland relics and include 10 genera in South America, 1 in Australia and the endemic northern Namibian genus Lisposoma that includes 2 species. Lisposoma scorpions are small (18 to 32 mm body length) with a relatively thick tail. The chelae in males are only slightly thicker than the tail. These scorpions can be confused with smaller buthids but tails of the latter are considerably thicker than the chelae.

Lisposoma joseehermana burrows deep into gritty soil under rock. Lisposoma elegans retreats under small stones on hard gritty soil. The stings are small and are of no medical importance.

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Text by Norman Larsen ©.