| Buthidae Temporal range:
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|---|---|
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| Odonturus dentatus | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Scorpiones |
| Superfamily: | Buthoidea |
| Family: | Buthidae C. L. Koch, 1837 |
| Subfamilies | |
| |
| Synonyms [1] | |
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List
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The Buthidae are the largest family of scorpions, containing about 100 genera and 1339 species as of 2022.[2] A few very large genera (Ananteris, Centruroides, Compsobuthus, or Tityus) are known, but a high number of species-poor or monotypic ones also exist.[2] New taxa are being described at a rate of several new species per year.[2] They have a cosmopolitan distribution throughout tropical and subtropical environments worldwide.[2] Together with four other families, the Buthidae make up the superfamily Buthoidea. The family was established by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1837.[2]
Around 20 species of medically important (meaning potentially lethal to humans) scorpions are known, and all but one of these (Hemiscorpius lepturus) are members of the Buthidae.[3] In dead specimens, the spine beneath the stinger, characteristic for this family, can be observed.
- ^ Teruel, Rolando & Fet, Victor (eds.) (2005): Snyopsis of the described scorpions of the world - Family Buthidae Archived 2009-05-10 at the Wayback Machine. Version of 3/7/2005. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Rein, Jan Ove (2022). "Buthidae". The Scorpion Files. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
- ^ Davies, E. (27 July 2016). The world's worst stinger has a surprising owner. BBC Earth. Retrieved 19 July 2016.