Hoffmannius spinigerus
| Hoffmannius spinigerus | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Scorpiones |
| Family: | Vaejovidae |
| Genus: | Paravaejovis |
| Species: | P. spinigerus |
| Binomial name | |
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Paravaejovis spinigerus (Wood, 1863) |
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Paravaejovis (Hoffmannius) spinigerus, commonly known as the Stripe-tailed scorpion or the "devil" scorpion, is very common and widely distributed in Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. This species is one of larger members of the eusthenura group of the genus Hoffmannius, which also includes Hoffmannius coahuilae and H. confusus.
Hoffmannius spinigerus is a medium-sized scorpion with large adult males and females reaching nearly 60–70 mm, weighing approximately 9.5 mg. It can be differentiated from the Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus) by the brownish-tan stripes on the back of its tail along the keels or ridges; the tail is typically thicker than the hands and pedipalps, both of which are quite slender in the bark scorpions. Some others may have a base color of light yellow/golden brown with variable underlying ducky markings along its tail. The name spinigerus is derived from the spiniform granules at the ends of the dorsal keels of the tail.
Hoffmanius spinigerus was placed into the genus Paravaejovis in 2013.
Found in the Sonoran desert (Arizona, New Mexico and parts of California), commonly found under rocks and surface objects, such as sleeping bags or shoes, or on sandy soils in a variety of habitats, from desert floor to rocky hillsides. It seeks the most humid areas it can find.
Like most scorpions, Paravaejovis (Hoffmannius) spinigerus feeds primarily on small invertebrates, including other scorpions, as well as crickets, meal worms and roaches.
Pallid birds, meerkats, "sand-swimmer" snakes, spiders, centipedes, lizards, birds, mammals and other scorpions all prey on Hoffmannius spinigerus.
Like all scorpions, Paravaejovis (Hoffmannius) spinigerus is venomous however the venom of this species is not medically significant for humans or other mammals and is not considered dangerous.
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Wikipedia