| Euscorpius | |
|---|---|
| |
| Euscorpius italicus in italy | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Scorpiones |
| Family: | Euscorpiidae |
| Genus: | Euscorpius Thorell, 1876[1] |
| Synonyms[2] | |
|
Acanthothraustes Mello-Leitão, 1945 | |
Euscorpius is a genus of scorpions, commonly called small wood-scorpions. It presently contains 65 species and is the type genus of the family Euscorpiidae – long included in the Chactidae[3] – and the subfamily Euscorpiinae.
The most common members belong to the E. carpathicus species complex, which makes up the subgenus Euscorpius.[2] This group is widespread from North Africa and Spain to temperate Eurasia from England and northern France through the Czech Republic to Russia.[3]
The species range in colour from yellow-brown to dark brown. Many are brown with yellow legs and stinger. The largest is E. italicus at 5 cm (2 in), and the smallest is E. germanus at 1.5 cm (0.6 in). The venom of Euscorpius species is generally very weak, with effects similar to a mosquito bite. Some smaller specimens may not even be able to puncture the human skin with their stings.
- ^ Thorell, T. (1876). "I.—On the classification of Scorpions". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 4. 17 (97): 1–15. doi:10.1080/00222937608681889. ISSN 0374-5481.
- ^ a b Teruel & Fet (2005)
- ^ a b Rein (2008a)