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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Scorpions (Scorpiones) » Vaejovidae » Smeringurus » giant sand scorpion (Smeringurus mesaensis)
Photo#140296
Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis
Copyright © 2007 DNC2112

Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis
Lucerne Valley: 20 mi N of Big Bear Lake, 20 mi E of Victorville/Apple Valley, San Bernardino County, California, USA
August 26, 2007
Size: 2-2.5"
Mild night, some light scattered cloud cover, meaning for the California High Desert it was relatively humid. This guy/girl (?) was clinging to the stucco on the side of my garage, not straight up-and-down but rather at a perfect right angle with the ground with his left facing downward; when I looked to my left and saw this sitting exactly at eye level, I had the impression of a sideways lion waiting to pounce. Good night for hunting, too; we had the outside lights on and the ant lions, june bugs, and sphinx moths were the thickest I've seen in a few weeks.

Images of this individual: tag all
Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis Arizona Bark, or Hairy Desert Scorpion? - Smeringurus mesaensis Giant sand scorpion - Smeringurus mesaensis - male
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Contributed by DNC2112 on 27 August, 2007 - 5:22am
Last updated 3 January, 2008 - 8:30pm

Moved
Moved from Smeringurus.
… Kari J McWest, 3 January, 2008 - 8:30pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Scorpions.
… Kari J McWest, 3 January, 2008 - 8:29pm login or register to post comments

Looks more like a Smeringurus
Looks more like a Smeringurus mesaensis, but Im not sure of their range. I dont think its a Vaejovid and the chelae look too big to be a Centruroides exilicauda/sculpturatus. Its definitely not a Hadrurus arizonensis (desert hairy), I can tell you that much.
… Steve Ferguson II, 27 August, 2007 - 3:06pm login or register to post comments

 
Darn...
Never heard of S. mesaensis, but after google-image searching the term (and then "Gold Sand Scorpion," apparently the common name) it seems you're right. And I was really hoping I'd be able to say I've got a specimen of the only dangerous scorpion in America!
Really though the chelae are a dead giveaway. More bulbous at the base than a Bark Scorpion.
Thanks for helping out, it'll put my mother at ease that this thing isn't seriously threatening!

...actually, upon further inspection of the scorpion itself and some very specific descriptions of the physical characteristics of a few different Vaejovids, I think it's actually a Vejovoidus; the main characteristic being that the telson is rounder and slightly more bulbous, compared to a longer and narrower telson as described of Smeringurus. Still, thanks, you've been a massive help!
… DNC2112, 28 August, 2007 - 6:32am login or register to post comments

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