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Tityus (genus)

Tityus is a large genus of thick-tailed scorpions (family Buthidae), the namesake of its subfamily Tityinae. As of 2021, Tityus contains more than 220 described species distributed in Central America and South America, from Costa Rica to Argentina.[1][2] Species in the genus Tityus have been studied for hundreds of years, long before the taxonomic classification was put in place. Tityus tend to be of medium size for scorpions, roughly 50 to 70 millimeters long.[3]  They are dark brown or red in color, and can exhibit sexual dimorphism.[3] They can live in a variety of environments, ranging from urban to arid mountains to the Amazon Rainforest. Tityus scorpions are best known for their venom and potent sting.[4][5] The genus contains several dangerously venomous scorpions, the best known of which is the Brazilian yellow scorpion, T. serrulatus. Its venom can cause severe illness (including pancreatitis), and in the young, old and infirm even death.[6] Some experts have argued that the genus as a whole may be paraphyletic, which could explain the knowledge gaps related to Tityus.  [3][5]

Tityus
Temporal range: Palaeogene–present
Tityus discrepans
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Buthidae
Genus: Tityus
Koch, 1836
Species

More than 200, see text

Geography

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Scorpions in the genus Tityus can live in several distinct environments across South America. However, there appears to be a clear geographic distinction that exists between species.[7] A species that inhabits the Andes Mountains will not also live in the Amazon Rainforest. In some South American countries, such as Argentina, the geographic range of Tityus scorpions is expanding.[7][8] This creates a problem for the general public and healthcare. When scorpion stings become more frequent, it puts more strain on hospitals and healthcare facilities.[5] [7][8]

Venom

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The genus Tityus is most well known for its venomous species.[5] Tityus serrulatus venom contains a powerful neurotoxin that affects almost all anatomical body systems.[4] The most dangerous species in the genus Tityus is serrulatus.[9] The nature of their venom and its ability to impact the entire body make Tityus serrulatus a particularly dangerous species. However, their stings are not often lethal, which may be due to low venom mass injected.[4][10] Young children and seniors are at a higher risk of death than the general population.[4] Many factors are important for determining how dangerous a scorpion sting will be.[11] Variables such as venom composition, location of the sting, and the overall health makeup of the victim in question play a role in determining the lethality of a sting.[11] Scorpion stings are the most common cause of envenomation in Brazil, and are seen as a risk in urban environments.[4] [5] Scorpions in the genus Tityus have been studied by medical researchers for the purpose of identifying and understanding the toxins produced by various species.[4] [8]

Further information: Butantoxin

Behavior

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Little is known and fully understood about scorpion behavior in the genus Tityus. This is especially true regarding reproduction. However, several species of Tityus (including Tityus serrulatus) is parthenogenic.[12] Scorpions are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. Parthenogenesis is the process of laying unfertilized eggs.[12] This survival strategy may contribute to their success in a variety of environments.[12] It is believed that females use a form of chemical communication to induce male courtship.[13] After being exposed to compounds associated with female scorpions, male scorpions will alter their behavior and perform behaviors characteristic of courtship.[13] Tityus scorpions use their stingers for defense, which is a behavior demonstrated by both sexes.[14] Venom is energetically expensive to create, so scorpions only use their stinger when seriously threatened.[14]

Diet

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Scorpions in the genus Tityus are carnivores.[3] They feed on insects such as cockroaches and crickets.[3] It is believed that members of the genus Tityus can survive for over a year without food, and even give birth after lengthy periods of starvation.[3] This is another survival technique that helps them outlast unfavorable conditions.

Species

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Tityus trinitatis
Trinidad
 
Tityus apozonalli
in amber

References

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  1. ^ Rein, Jan Ove (2021). "Buthidae". The Scorpion Files. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  2. ^ Jimmy A. Guerrero-Vargas, Caroline B. F. Mourão, Verónica Quintero-Hernández, Lourival D. Possani & Elisabeth F. Schwartz (2011). "Identification and phylogenetic analysis of Tityus pachyurus and Tityus obscurus novel putative Na+-channel scorpion toxins". PLoS ONE. 7 (2): e30478. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...7E0478G. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030478. PMC 3280238. PMID 22355312.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f Santos, Maria Dulcineia dos; Porto, Tiago Jordão; Silva, Rejâne Maria Lira da; Brazil, Tania (2014-08-15). "Description of the male of Tityus kuryi Lourenço, 1997 and notes about males of Tityus stigmurus (Thorell, 1877) and Tityus serrulatus Lutz & Mello, 1922 (Scorpiones, Buthidae)". ZooKeys (435): 49–61. Bibcode:2014ZooK..435...49D. doi:10.3897/zookeys.435.6694. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 4141186. PMID 25152686.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Bucaretchi, Fábio; Fernandes, Luciane C. R.; Fernandes, Carla B.; Branco, Maíra M.; Prado, Camila C.; Vieira, Ronan J.; De Capitani, Eduardo M.; Hyslop, Stephen (2014-10-01). "Clinical consequences of Tityus bahiensis and Tityus serrulatus scorpion stings in the region of Campinas, southeastern Brazil". Toxicon. 89: 17–25. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.06.022. ISSN 0041-0101. PMID 25011046.
  5. ^ a b c d e Mendoza-Tobar, Leydy Lorena; Meza-Cabrera, Ivonne Alejandra; Sepúlveda-Arias, Juan C.; Guerrero-Vargas, Jimmy Alexander (November 2021). "Comparison of the Scorpionism Caused by Centruroides margaritatus, Tityus pachyurus and Tityus n. sp. aff. metuendus Scorpion Venoms in Colombia". Toxins. 13 (11): 757. doi:10.3390/toxins13110757. ISSN 2072-6651. PMC 8625436. PMID 34822541.
  6. ^ Daniel Strickman, Stephen P. Frances & Mustapha Debboun (2009). Prevention of Bug Bites, Stings, and Disease. Oxford University Press. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-19-536578-8.
  7. ^ a b c de Roodt, Adolfo; Lanari, Laura Cecilia; Remes-Lenicov, Mariana; Cargnel, Elda; Damin, Carlos Fabián; Greco, Vanina; Orduna, Tomás Agustín; Lloveras, Susana; Desio, Marcela Alejandra; van Grootheest, Jantine Henriette; Casas, Natalia (2020-04-20). "Change in the distribution of Tityus species of sanitary importance in Argentina". Toxicon. 20th World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology. 177: S16–S17. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2019.10.071. ISSN 0041-0101. S2CID 220411797.
  8. ^ a b c Pimentel, Pollyana Maria de Oliveira; de Assis, Diego Rodney Rodrigues; Gualdrón-Lopez, Melisa; Barroso, Andréia; Brant, Fátima; Leite, Paulo Gaio; de Lima Oliveira, Bruno Cabral; Esper, Lisia; McKinnie, Shaun M. K.; Vederas, John C.; do Nascimento Cordeiro, Marta (2021-05-01). "Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom as a potential drug source for Chagas' disease: Trypanocidal and immunomodulatory activity". Clinical Immunology. 226: 108713. doi:10.1016/j.clim.2021.108713. ISSN 1521-6616. PMID 33711450. S2CID 232217487.
  9. ^ Miyamoto, Jackson G.; Andrade, Fabio B.; Ferraz, Camila R.; Cândido, Denise M.; Knysak, Irene; Venancio, Émerson J.; Verri, Waldiceu A.; Landgraf, Maristella A.; Landgraf, Richardt G.; Kwasniewski, Fábio H. (2018-01-01). "A comparative study of pathophysiological alterations in scorpionism induced by Tityus serrulatus and Tityus bahiensis venoms". Toxicon. 141: 25–33. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.11.005. ISSN 0041-0101. PMID 29170053. S2CID 10071860.
  10. ^ Pucca, Manuela Berto; Cerni, Felipe Augusto; Pinheiro Junior, Ernesto Lopes; Bordon, Karla de Castro Figueiredo; Amorim, Fernanda Gobbi; Cordeiro, Francielle Almeida; Longhim, Heloisa Tavoni; Cremonez, Caroline Marroni; Oliveira, Guilherme Honda; Arantes, Eliane Candiani (2015). "Tityus serrulatus venom – A lethal cocktail". Toxicon. 108: 272–284. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.10.015. PMID 26522893 – via ResearchGate.
  11. ^ a b Pucca, Manuela Berto; Cerni, Felipe Augusto; Pinheiro Junior, Ernesto Lopes; Bordon, Karla de Castro Figueiredo; Amorim, Fernanda Gobbi; Cordeiro, Francielle Almeida; Longhim, Heloisa Tavoni; Cremonez, Caroline Marroni; Oliveira, Guilherme Honda; Arantes, Eliane Candiani (2015-12-15). "Tityus serrulatus venom – A lethal cocktail". Toxicon. 108: 272–284. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2015.10.015. ISSN 0041-0101. PMID 26522893.
  12. ^ a b c Lima, Juliana Figueiredo; Carvalho, Leonardo Sousa; Schneider, Marielle Cristina (June 2020). "The first chromosomal analysis of bisexual populations of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 48 (1): 77–83. doi:10.1636/0161-8202-48.1.77. ISSN 0161-8202. S2CID 220056924.
  13. ^ a b Pordeus, L.M.; Lira, A.F.A.; Albuquerque, C.M.R. (December 2019). "Male courtship behavior is triggered by female chemical cues in the scorpion Tityus pusillus (Scorpiones: Buthidae)". Canadian Journal of Zoology. 97 (12): 1122–1125. doi:10.1139/cjz-2019-0020. ISSN 0008-4301. S2CID 202020286.
  14. ^ a b Albuquerque, Kamila Bento Cavalcanti de; Lira, André Felipe de Araujo (December 2021). "Sex-based defensive behavior influenced by threat level in the scorpion Tityus pusillus (Scorpiones: Buthidae)". The Journal of Arachnology. 49 (3): 402–406. doi:10.1636/JoA-S-20-074. ISSN 0161-8202. S2CID 245013948.
  15. ^ Riquelme, F.; Villegas-Guzmán, G.; González-Santillán, E.; Córdova-Tabares, V.; Francke, O. F.; Piedra-Jiménez, D.; Estrada-Ruiz, E.; Luna-Castro, B. (2015). "New Fossil Scorpion from the Chiapas Amber Lagerstätte". PLOS ONE. 10 (8): 1–20. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1033396R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0133396. PMC 4526686. PMID 26244974.
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