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Cheloctonus (turf burrowing scorpions)
Life
> Eukaryotes
>
Opisthokonta >
Metazoa
(animals) > Bilateria > Ecdysozoa > Panarthropoda > Tritocerebra >
Arthropoda > Arachnomorpha > Cheliceriformes > Chelicerata > Euchelicerata
> Arachnida > Scorpiones
(scorpions)
> Superfamily: Scorpionoidea
> Family: Liochelidae
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Cheloctonus sp. [image
L. Prendini ©] |
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Cheloctonus occurs in the eastern regions
of South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique. Of the 5 species in southern Africa
Cheloctonus jonesii is the most commonly encountered. These are small to medium
scorpions with round shiny chelae. They are pelophilous
burrowing into hard soil using their chelicerae and chelae. They are not
aggressive and stings have little or no venom effect. they are very similar to
Opisthacanthus which does not burrow.
Text by Norman Larsen
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