# Buthus

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***Buthus*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [scorpion](/source/Scorpiones) belonging and being [eponymous](/source/Eponymous) to the family [Buthidae](/source/Buthidae). It is distributed widely across [northern Africa](/source/Northern_Africa), including [Morocco](/source/Morocco), [Mauritania](/source/Mauritania), [Algeria](/source/Algeria), [Tunisia](/source/Tunisia), [Libya](/source/Libya), [Egypt](/source/Egypt), [Senegal](/source/Senegal), [Guinea-Bissau](/source/Guinea-Bissau), [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), [Sudan](/source/Sudan), [Somalia](/source/Somalia), [Ethiopia](/source/Ethiopia), [Djibouti](/source/Djibouti), as well as the [Middle East](/source/Middle_East), including [Israel](/source/Israel), [Palestine](/source/Palestine), [Jordan](/source/Jordan), [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon), [Iraq](/source/Iraq), [Yemen](/source/Yemen), and possibly [Saudi Arabia](/source/Saudi_Arabia) and southern [Turkey](/source/Turkey). Its [European](/source/Europe) range includes the [Iberian Peninsula](/source/Iberian_Peninsula), southern [France](/source/France), and [Cyprus](/source/Cyprus).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

## Taxonomy

The genus was introduced by [W.E. Leach](/source/William_Elford_Leach) (1815: 391).[8] It was only the second [genus](/source/Genus) of scorpion as all species known to this date were included in the sole genus *[Scorpio](/source/Scorpio_(genus))* [Linné](/source/Carl_von_Linn%C3%A9), 1758. Leach found *[Scorpio occitanus](/source/Buthus_occitanus)* [Amoreux](/source/Pierre-Joseph_Amoreux), 1789 to differ from the other species of *Scorpio* known to him by having eight eyes (two median eyes and six lateral eyes) instead of six (two median eyes and four lateral eyes). [C.L. Koch](/source/Carl_Ludwig_Koch) (1837)[9] expanded this concept and subdivided the scorpions in four families according to the number of their eyes. He named his second family, the "eight-eyed scorpions", Buthides. The use of the number of eyes in the classification of scorpions has been discarded since, however the name **Buthidae** is still in use for the most diverse family of scorpions.

### Diversity

The content of this genus may vary, depending on the authority. The best known species, *B. occitanus*, was once thought to be widespread from southern France, throughout Spain and Morocco, along the southern coast of the [Mediterranean Sea](/source/Mediterranean_Sea), and eastwards as far as Israel.[1] However, recent research has shown that it forms a highly diverse cluster of closely related but separate species. A number of taxa formerly considered as subspecies or "varieties" have been granted full species status, others have been described as entirely new.[10][11][12][13] The Moroccan [Atlas](/source/Atlas_Mountains) region is a hot-spot of diversity with at least 14 species.[14] This diversity is explained by the [topography](/source/Topography) which led to a high degree of [speciation](/source/Speciation) in populations which are separated from others by mountain ranges.[15] Four species are considered to occur in Europe: *B. occitanus* (southern France, eastern and southern Spain), *B. montanus* (mountain ranges of southeastern Spain), *B. ibericus* (western Spain and [Portugal](/source/Portugal)), and *B. kunti* (Cyprus).[6][16][17] At least 75 species are known, many of which are quite similar in appearance:[18]

- *[Buthus adrianae](/source/Buthus_adrianae)* Rossi, 2013
- *[Buthus ahaggar](/source/Buthus_ahaggar)* Ythier, Sadine, Haddadi & Lourenco, 2021
- *[Buthus ajax](/source/Buthus_ajax)* (C. L. Koch, 1839)
- *[Buthus alacanti](/source/Buthus_alacanti)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus albengai](/source/Buthus_albengai)* Lourenço, 2003
- *[Buthus amri](/source/Buthus_amri)* Lourenço, Yağmur & Duhem, 2010
- *[Buthus apiatus](/source/Buthus_apiatus)* Lourenço, El Bouhissi & Sadine, 2020
- *[Buthus atlantis](/source/Buthus_atlantis)* Pocock, 1889
- *[Buthus aures](/source/Buthus_aures)* Lourenço & Sadine, 2016
- *[Buthus awashensis](/source/Buthus_awashensis)* Kovařík, 2011
- *[Buthus baeticus](/source/Buthus_baeticus)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus barcaeus](/source/Buthus_barcaeus)* Birula, 1909
- *[Buthus berberensis](/source/Buthus_berberensis)* Pocock, 1900
- *[Buthus bobo](/source/Buthus_bobo)* Ythier, 2021
- *[Buthus bonito](/source/Buthus_bonito)* Lourenço & Geniez, 2005
- *[Buthus boumalenii](/source/Buthus_boumalenii)* Touloun & Boumezzough, 2011
- *[Buthus boussaadi](/source/Buthus_boussaadi)* Lourenço, Chichi & Sadine, 2018
- *[Buthus brignolii](/source/Buthus_brignolii)* Lourenço, 2003
- *[Buthus centroafricanus](/source/Buthus_centroafricanus)* Lourenço, 2016
- *[Buthus chambiensis](/source/Buthus_chambiensis)* Kovařík, 2006
- *[Buthus confluens](/source/Buthus_confluens)* Lourenço, Touloun & Boumezzough, 2012
- *[Buthus danyii](/source/Buthus_danyii)* Rossi, 2017
- *[Buthus delafuentei](/source/Buthus_delafuentei)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus draa](/source/Buthus_draa)* Lourenço & Slimani, 2004
- *[Buthus dunlopi](/source/Buthus_dunlopi)* Kovařík, 2006
- *[Buthus duprei](/source/Buthus_duprei)* Rossi & Tropea, 2016
- *[Buthus egyptiensis](/source/Buthus_egyptiensis)* Lourenço, 2012
- *[Buthus elhennawyi](/source/Buthus_elhennawyi)* Lourenço, 2005
- *[Buthus elizabethae](/source/Buthus_elizabethae)* Lourenço, 2005
- *[Buthus elmoutakoualiki](/source/Buthus_elmoutakoualiki)* Lourenço & Qi, 2006
- *[Buthus elongatus](/source/Buthus_elongatus)* Rossi, 2012
- *[Buthus gabani](/source/Buthus_gabani)* Ythier, 2021
- *[Buthus garcialorcai](/source/Buthus_garcialorcai)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus goyffoni](/source/Buthus_goyffoni)* Abidi, Sadine & Lourenco, 2021
- *[Buthus halius](/source/Buthus_halius)* (C. L. Koch, 1839)
- *[Buthus hassanini](/source/Buthus_hassanini)* Lourenço, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2012
- *[Buthus ibericus](/source/Buthus_ibericus)* Lourenço & Vachon, 2004
- *[Buthus intermedius](/source/Buthus_intermedius)* (Ehrenberg, 1829)
- *[Buthus intumescens](/source/Buthus_intumescens)* (Hemprich *in* Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1828)
- *[Buthus israelis](/source/Buthus_israelis)* Shulov & Amitai, 1959
- *[Buthus jianxinae](/source/Buthus_jianxinae)* Lourenço, 2005
- *[Buthus karoraensis](/source/Buthus_karoraensis)* Rossi & Tropea, 2016
- *[Buthus kunti](/source/Buthus_kunti)* Yağmur, Koç & Lourenço, 2011
- *[Buthus labuschagnei](/source/Buthus_labuschagnei)* Lourenço, 2015
- *[Buthus lienhardi](/source/Buthus_lienhardi)* Lourenço, 2003
- *[Buthus lourencoi](/source/Buthus_lourencoi)* Rossi, Tropea & Yagmur, 2013
- *[Buthus lusitanus](/source/Buthus_lusitanus)* Lourenço, 2021
- *[Buthus malhommei](/source/Buthus_malhommei)* Vachon, 1949
- *[Buthus manchego](/source/Buthus_manchego)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus mardochei](/source/Buthus_mardochei)* Simon, 1878
- *[Buthus mariaefrancae](/source/Buthus_mariaefrancae)* Lourenço, 2003
- *[Buthus maroccanus](/source/Buthus_maroccanus)* Birula, 1903
- *[Buthus montanus](/source/Buthus_montanus)* Lourenço & Vachon, 2004
- *[Buthus nabataeus](/source/Buthus_nabataeus)* Lourenço, Abu Afifeh & Al-Saraireh, 2021
- *[Buthus nigrovesiculosus](/source/Buthus_nigrovesiculosus)* Hirst, 1925
- *[Buthus occidentalis](/source/Buthus_occidentalis)* Lourenço, Sun & Zhou, 2009
- *[Buthus occitanus](/source/Buthus_occitanus)* (Amoreux, 1789) [type species](/source/Type_species)
- *[Buthus orientalis](/source/Buthus_orientalis)* Lourenço & Simon, 2012
- *[Buthus oudjanii](/source/Buthus_oudjanii)* Lourenço, 2017
- *[Buthus paris](/source/Buthus_paris)* (C.L. Koch, 1839)
- *[Buthus pedrosousai](/source/Buthus_pedrosousai)* Teruel & Turiel, 2021
- *[Buthus pococki](/source/Buthus_pococki)* Kovarik, Stahlavsky & Elmi, 2020
- *[Buthus prudenti](/source/Buthus_prudenti)* Lourenço & Leguin, 2012
- *[Buthus pusilus](/source/Buthus_pusilus)* Lourenço, 2013
- *[Buthus pyrenaeus](/source/Buthus_pyrenaeus)* Ythier, 2021
- *[Buthus rochati](/source/Buthus_rochati)* Lourenço, 2003
- *[Buthus saharicus](/source/Buthus_saharicus)* Sadine, Bissati & Lourenço, 2015
- *[Buthus serrano](/source/Buthus_serrano)* Teruel & Turiel, 2020
- *[Buthus somalilandus](/source/Buthus_somalilandus)* Kovarik, Stahlavsky & Elmi, 2020
- *[Buthus tassili](/source/Buthus_tassili)* Lourenço, 2002
- *[Buthus trinacrius](/source/Buthus_trinacrius)* Lourenço & Rossi, 2013
- *[Buthus tunetanus](/source/Buthus_tunetanus)* (Herbst, 1800)
- *[Buthus yemenensis](/source/Buthus_yemenensis)* Lourenço, 2008
- *[Buthus zeylensis](/source/Buthus_zeylensis)* Pocock, 1900

## General characteristics

Members of *Buthus* are generally medium-sized scorpions (40–85 mm total length). Coloration is generally yellow, with different tones of brown to red-brown. Darker patterns may occur on various parts of the body. The [pedipalps](/source/Pedipalps) (pincers) are relatively gracile with slender digits and a globose base. The [cephalothorax](/source/Cephalothorax) bears strong ornamentation with small granules arranged to form carinae (ridges). The most prominent carinae form a [lyra](/source/Lyre)-shaped pattern behind the median eyes in many species. The mesosoma is also often granulated and commonly bears three ridges on the [tergites](/source/Tergites). The metasoma is slender but not thin with well developed carinae of granules, and some short spines in some species. A large vesicle terminates in a sharp and long aculeus (stinger).[1]

### Toxicity

Though generally not considered lethal, the venom of *Buthus* species is considered of medical importance. They form a considerable part of scorpion envenomation cases, especially in northern Africa.[19] According to a study by Touloun et al. (2001)[20] scorpions of the *B. occitanus* complex caused 26% of all recorded cases in southwestern Morocco, but none of them resulted in death.

## Habitat

Species of *Buthus* live in [semi-arid](/source/Semi-arid) to [arid](/source/Arid) [climate](/source/Climate) in various terrains, from mountain valleys to coastal plains mostly with sparse vegetation, even in [deserts](/source/Desert). As most scorpions they are predominantly [nocturnal](/source/Nocturnal) and hide in shallow burrows, most commonly below stones.

## References

1. Vachon, M. (1952). *Études sur les Scorpions* (in French). Algiers: Institut Pasteur d'Algérie. pp. 482 pp.

1. Kovařík, F. (2006). ["Review of Tunisian species of the genus *Buthus* with descriptions of two new species and a discussion of Ehrenberg's types (Scorpiones: Buthidae)."](http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/euscorpius/p2006_34.3.pdf). *[Euscorpius](/source/Euscorpius)*. **34**: 1–16.

1. Kaltsas D, Stathi I, Fet V (2008). ["Scorpions of the eastern Mediterranean."](http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/euscorpius/fetpubl/Kaltsas_et_al_2008.pdf). *Advances in Arachnology and Developmental Biology. Papers Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Božidar Ćurčić (S.E. Makarov & R.N. Dimitrijević, Eds.*. **Monographs, 12**: 209–246.

1. Lourenço, W.B. (2008). "About the presence of the genus *Buthus* Leach, 1815 in the Arabian Peninsula and description of a new species (Scorpiones, Buthidae).". *[Entomologische Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum Hamburg](/source/Entomologische_Mitteilungen_aus_dem_Zoologischen_Museum_Hamburg)*. **15** (179): 45–52.

1. Lourenço WB, Yağmur EA, Duhem B (2010). "A new species of *Buthus* Leach, 1815 from Jordan.". *[Zoology in the Middle East](/source/Zoology_in_the_Middle_East)*. **49**: 95–99. [doi:10.1080/09397140.2010.10638395](https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2010.10638395). [S2CID 82471734](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:82471734)

1. Yağmur EA, Koç H, Lourenço WA (2011). ["A new species of *Buthus* Leach, 1815 from Cyprus (Scorpiones, Buthidae)."](https://www.pensoft.net/J_FILES/1/articles/1135/1135-G-3-layout.pdf). *[ZooKeys](/source/ZooKeys)*. '***(115): 27–38. [doi:10.3897/zookeys.115.1135](https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.115.1135). [PMC 3187665](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3187665). [PMID 21976999](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21976999)***

1. Kovařík, F. (2011). ["*Buthus awashensis* sp. n. from Ethiopia (Scorpiones: Buthidae)."](http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/euscorpius/p2011_128.pdf). *[Euscorpius](/source/Euscorpius)*. **128**: 1–6.

1. Leach, W.E. (1815). ["A tabular View of the external Characters of Four Classes of Animals, which Linné arranged under Insecta; with the distribution of the Genera composing Three of these Classes into Orders, &c. and Descriptions of several new Genera and Species."](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/756958). *[Transactions of the Linnean Society of London](/source/Transactions_of_the_Linnean_Society_of_London)*. **11** (2): 306–400. [doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1813.tb00065.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.1813.tb00065.x)

1. Koch, C.L. (1837). *Übersicht des Arachnidensystems. Erstes Heft.* (in German). Nürnberg ([Nuremberg](/source/Nuremberg)): C.H. Zeh. p. 51.

1. Lourenço, W.A. (2002). "Considérations sur les mode-les de distribution et differentiation du genre *Buthus* Leach, 1815, avec la description d´une nouvelle espèce des montagnes du Tassili des Ajjer, Algerie (Scorpiones, Buthidae)". *[Biogeographica](/source/Biogeographica)*. **78** (3): 109–127.

1. Lourenço, W.A. (2003). "Compléments á la faune de scorpions (Arachnida) de l'Afrique du Nord, avec des considérations sur le genre *Buthus* Leach, 1815". *[Revue Suisse de Zoologie](/source/Revue_Suisse_de_Zoologie)*. **110** (4): 875–912. [doi:10.5962/bhl.part.80218](https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.80218)

1. Lourenço, W.A. & Slimani, T. (2004). "Description of a new scorpion species of the genus *Buthus* Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) from Morocco". *[Entomologische Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum Hamburg](/source/Entomologische_Mitteilungen_aus_dem_Zoologischen_Museum_Hamburg)*. **14** (169): 165–170.

1. Lourenço, W.A. & Geniez, P. (2005). ["A new scorpion species of the genus *Buthus* Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones, Buthidae) from Morocco"](http://www.science.marshall.edu/fet/euscorpius/p2005_19.pdf). *[Euscorpius](/source/Euscorpius)*. **2005** (19): 1–6. [doi:10.18590/euscorpius.2005.vol2005.iss19.1](https://doi.org/10.18590/euscorpius.2005.vol2005.iss19.1)

1. Touloun, O. & Boumezzough, A. (2011). "Une nouvelle espece du genre *Buthus* Leach, 1815 (Scorpiones: Buthidae) du Maroc". *Boletín de la S.E.A.*. **48**: 183–187.

1. Hofreiter, Michael; Habel, Jan C.; Husemann, Martin; Schmitt, Thomas; Zachos, Frank E.; Honnen, Ann-Christin; Petersen, Britt; Parmakelis, Aristeidis; Stathi, Iasmi (2012). "Microallopatry caused strong diversification in *Buthus* scorpions (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in the Atlas Mountains (NW Africa)". *[PLoS ONE](/source/PLoS_ONE)*. **7** (2). [Bibcode:2012PLoSO...729403H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2012PLoSO...729403H). [doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029403](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029403). [PMC 3287997](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3287997). [PMID 22383951](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22383951)

1. Lourenço, W.R. & Vachon, M. (2004). ["Considérations sur le genre *Buthus* Leach, 1815 en Espagne, et description de deux nouvelles espèces (Scorpiones, Buthidae)."](http://www.sea-entomologia.org/aracnet/12/02Escorpion.pdf). *[Revista Ibérica de Aracnología](/source/Revista_Ib%C3%A9rica_de_Aracnolog%C3%ADa)*. **9**: 81–94.

1. Sousa, Pedro; Froufe, Elsa; Alves, Paulo Célio; Harris, D. James (2010). ["Genetic diversity within scorpions of the genus *Buthus* from the Iberian Peninsula: mitochondrial DNA sequence data indicate additional distinct cryptic lineages"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/229212). *[Journal of Arachnology](/source/Journal_of_Arachnology)*. **38** (2): 206–211. [doi:10.1636/H08-98.1](https://doi.org/10.1636/H08-98.1). [S2CID 73551273](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:73551273)

1. Rein, J.O. (2022). ["Buthidae C.L. Koch, 1837"](http://www.ntnu.no/ub/scorpion-files/buthidae.php). *The Scorpion Files*. [Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet](/source/Norwegian_University_of_Science_and_Technology). Retrieved 8 April 2022.

1. Bahloul M, Chabchoub I, Chaari A, Chtara K, Kallel H, Dammak H, Ksibi H, Chelly H, Rekik N, Ben Hamida C, Bouaziz M (2010). "Scorpion Envenomation Among Children: Clinical Manifestations and Outcome (Analysis of 685 Cases).". *[The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene](/source/The_American_Journal_of_Tropical_Medicine_and_Hygiene)*. **83** (5): 1084–1092. [doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0036](https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.2010.10-0036). [PMC 2963974](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2963974). [PMID 21036842](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21036842)

1. Touloun O, Slimani T, Boumezzough A (2001). "Epidemiological survey of scorpion envenomation in southwestern Morocco.". *[Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins](/source/Journal_of_Venomous_Animals_and_Toxins)*. **7** (2): 199–218. [doi:10.1590/s0104-79302001000200006](https://doi.org/10.1590/s0104-79302001000200006)

## External links

- Images of various species of *Buthus*. [The Scorpion Fauna. Scorpions of Europe](http://eycb.pagesperso-orange.fr/scorpions/Geurope.htm)

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