[Rhazer31]

Scorpion of the month

 H.trilineatus_instar_6.1_Michiel_Cozijn.JPG (37.72K)
Number of downloads: 3

by Rien Groeneweg. (Rhazer31) R.groeneweg77@chello.nl



Specie: Hottentotta trilineatus, (peters, 1861.)
Family: Buthidae.
Important info: Medically important species because the strength of venom.
Can inflict a very painfull sting. No knows stingincidents with lethal outcome.


General.


This medically important species loive in the hot and sandy areas of Southern Africa, found in the north of Southpansberg into Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia. It's one of the 3 Hottentotta species found in Southern Africa besides the Hottentotta arenaceus and the Hottentotta conspersus the Hottentotta trilineatus is the most venomous of these 3 species. It will grow up to 6 cm (2.4'') in length, the female will grow a little bigger then the male, that also is built more slender.
This species has 3 black longitunindal lines across the tergites, this explaines the name Tri-line-atus.
It prefers to hide under logs, stones or other surface debris, my own experiance says this species is mildly agressive but can be surprisingly quick, when a female carries scorplings, or is in a far stadium of gestation she will be far more agressive.


Housing.



For one single adult a 30*20*20 CM or 12*8*8'' enclosure will be fine, a little bit smaller will also do. An adult pair can also be housed in the same container for mating. This species is in some cases communual, for instance if you make sure there are enough places to hide and burrow and the enclosure is big enough to keep them both in. For substrate i use only sand. 50/50 sand and dry coco-peat will also do fine (About 6 CM or 2.4" in depth). The H. trilineatus is an occasional burrower. They will dig under stones or bark to create a burrow, so make sure to place some wood, stones, or other material in the enclosure to burrow under, verticle climbs are not neccesary because this species is not a climber. Be sure to place stones on the bottom of the enclosure so it will not crush your animal when it's digging a burrow under the stones.

Temperatures: 28'C or 82'F daytime and 23'C or 73'F at night (temperatures i keep my H. trilineatus on)

 HPIM1644.JPG (30.5K)
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Housing of a single I2.
 HPIM1645.JPG (35.63K)
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Housing of a single adult.


Diet.


I feed the adult specimens once a week 1 or 2 crickets, the sub-adults are fed 2 times a week. Mealworms and roaches will also be great food for adult specimens. I occasionally place a water source inside the enclosure (mayby once a month) They will get their water from their prey items. My experience is that they eat very well.
I rarely had to remove an whole un-eaten cricket. The early instars can be fed with very small crickets or fruit flies, you may crush or cut the crickets in half the first couple of times to make it a lot easier fot them to eat.
Leave the cricket inside the container for 1 or 2 days, if the cricket remains uneaten remove it or it may cause stress to your animal.


Sexing.


Sexing of the H. trilineatus is pretty easy. Adult males have more bulbous chelae then females, also the male is a bit more slender then the female. this cannot be seen in early instars, the best way is when the scorpion reaches adulthood. As shown here below the male (lower) has visible bigger chelae then the female (above) (The coloration in the picture cannot be used for sexing, the color forms can variate from region to region)
 IMG_3083.JPG (35.2K)
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Raising the little ones.


As shown here below the embryos are clearly visible. it won't take long untill she gives birth. the next picture shows the female with her fresh offspring (taken 2 days after birth)
 HPIM1559.JPG (33.9K)
Number of downloads: 7  HPIM1577.JPG (27.82K)
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The gestation period of Hottentotta trilineatus is usually between 4 to 6 months. The average brood size of the Hottentotta trilineatus is 12 scorplings . It usually depends on the temperature and availability of food how long the gestation period will be, also the female usally keeps eating when in a far stadium of pregnancy.
This part contains some of my own experience, with some usefull information about the care of newborn scorpions.


19-10-'07: My H. trilineatus gave birth to 17 scorplings after a gestation period of 5 months

23-10-'07: All scorplings molted to Instar 2 (besides one, died during molting)

25-10-'07: Caught 9 scorplings that came of the females back (with a teaspoon to scoop them up) and
placed them in tiny containers (usually it takes 5 to 7 days till the first scorplings come
of the mothers back. When you are not able to catch all of the scorplings, you can offer the female a cricket
for the possible stress you may cause. It's better to chew on a cricket then the remaining scorpionsthat are still on her back.)

27-10-'07: Caught the remaining 7 scorplings that stayed on her back 2 days ago. I also fed them a tiny cricket that i crush or cut in half for making it easier to eat, plus that the crickets will not harm the scorpling..

07-11-'07: This picture shows a healthy scorpling nearly 3 weeks old, it eats whole crickets nearly it's own size, at this point i will try to feed the scorplings live crickets (not handicapped or cut in half)

20-11-'07: All 16 still alive, eating very well.

25-11-'07: All 16 healthy, i expect the first molts to instar 3 soon..

02-01-'07: I sold 14 scorpling and kept 2 myself to see there growing, they still did not molt to I3 but very healthy and do not skip a single meal, they are very active and catching theyre preys themselves..

 HPIM1619_2.JPG (24.26K)
Number of downloads: 7


Selected literature: Scorpions of Southern Africa. by Jonathan Leeming

And i'd like to thank Jeroen Kooijman and Michiel Cozijn for let me use their pictures and their help! ;)



I hope you all enjoyed reading my first SOTM..

Rien Groeneweg..

[BrianS]

Bravo!!! I knew this would be a good read ;)

[Plits]

It's a verry good write up sotm, good job and thanks Rien ;)

[Michiel]

Job welldone Rien! I liked reading it again :) Keep those SOTMS coming :rockon:

[jeroenkooijman]

Nice one Rien and glad to help you out any time :rockon: :woot:

So when can we expect the next one from you? :rockon:

[lweigle55555]

awesome job fun to read

[g-thing]

bravo :rockon: very nice

[MarkNewton]

I enjoyed it, very good, thankyou. Is the species also tri-carinate where the 3 lines are?

[butch4skin]

There must be a fair amount of size variation with this sp., because none of my adults exceed 1 1/2" by very much. Either that or I have something else entirely. Is H. polystictus smaller than H. trilineatus?

[LKR]

Rien,

A very informative and insightful read. GREAT job and I hope to see further contributions from you in the future.

All my best,
Luc

[straywolf]

Yup very fun to read indeed! :lol:

[Rhazer31]

Thanks very much all :)


@ Butch4skin: The H. polystictus looks very much like the H. trilineatus, the H. polystictus is indeed a little bit smaller then the H. trilineatus, there is a possibility that you mey have the H. polystictus, but it's also possible that your species did not reach the 2.4''.
2.4" is the max for this species..

@ Mark Newton: What do you mean with the tri-carinate? I'm do not know all the tems yet :)

Rien..

[MarkNewton]

Rhazer31, on Jan 4 2008, 02:07 AM, said:

@ Mark Newton: What do you mean with the tri-carinate? I'm do not know all the tems yet :)

Rien..

Where the 3 lines are on the dorsum, do these lines each represent a keel (carina), raised ridges that run down the back? I'm interested as most of our Lychas have one median keel on the dorsum, but there are some which I have never seen that have 3.

[Stinger88]

Great!
Very interesting, pics are good to

[Rhazer31]

Sorry to tell, but i don't know Mark, but i will do my best to find out, i expect a molt soon, that i will place under my microscope to find out, i'm not really experienced with the scientific part of scorpions. i will soon let you know :)

Rien..

[Michiel]

If you don't mind Rien, I'll answer it. Yes Mark each line represents a carina consisting of more or less equally spaced granules.

Species from genera like Babycurus, Odonturus and like you say some Lychas, have one median keel. But in Hottentotta these keels/ carinae are much more conspicuous and they really stand out as a feature. You can see them from some distance.

cheers, Michiel

[Rhazer31]

Thank Michiel :)

But still i'm going to place one under my microscope, i really like Hottentotta sp. i'd like to learn more about this family.

Rien..

[jart]

great guide Rien....looking forward for the results of your further studies.....u ROCK

[telow]

very well done.

:rockon: :rockon:

[Rhazer31]

Thanks everyone :) This makes me feel like studying harder to make more SOTM articles..

Rien..