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MESOBUTHUS MARTENSII SCORPION
Chinese Scorpion

EMBEDDED IN CASTING RESIN

FIND & BUY GREAT INSECT CASTING

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KINGDOM : Animalia

PHYLUM : Arthropoda

SUBPHYLUM : Chelicerata

CLASS : Arachnida

ORDER : Scorpiones

FAMILY : Buthidae

GENUS : Mesobuthus

SPECIES : M. Martensii

SYSTEMATICS OF THE THELYPHONIDA

MESOBUTHUS MARTENSII

Mesobuthus martensii is a species of scorpion in the family Buthidae. Its common names include Chinese scorpion, Manchurian scorpion, Chinese armor-tail scorpion and Chinese golden scorpion. Despite its common name, this scorpion is not only found in Manchuria or China, but also in Mongolia and Japan. Its preferred habitat is warm, dry areas with little vegetation. M. martensii can grow to about 6 centimetres long, with females usually slightly larger, and has a life-span of about 4 to 6 years.

M. martensii, especially its tail, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many centuries to treat various neuronal problems, such as chronic pain, paralysis, apoplexy and epilepsy. Over the past few decades, dozens of novel proteins in this scorpion's venom have been identified, cloned and investigated for clinical applications.

Scorpion envenomation is a significant threat to public health in many regions around the world, with the number of scorpion stings estimated to be 1.2 million annually, resulting in more than 3,200 deaths.

Scorpions are an indispensable part of the ecological food chain and they help to maintain a balance among various populations in an ecosystem. They primarily feed on insects, and also arachnids, myriapods, gastropods and small vertebrates. Scorpions are typically nocturnal animals, hiding in the day and foraging at night.


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