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(Received 13 Sep 2016; accepted 21 Aug 2017)
Abstract
Background: Scorpions are among the world's venomous arthropods, they sting humans every year, suffering painful symptoms or losing their lives because of the venom. Odontobuthus doriae Thorell 1876 (Arachnida: Scorpionida: Buthidae) is a scorpion of medical importance and therefore its geographical distribution in Isfahan Province has been studied.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was designed between Mar and Jun in 2012 and 2013 in Province of Isfahan, central Iran. Overall, 164 O. doriae scorpions were collected from their natural habitat by identifying the dug burrows. This arthropod's burrows were identified based on the presence of tumuli, particularly between May and Jun at the sloping foothills of pristine embankments. The sampling data was categorized and compared.
Results: The relative frequency of collected O. doriae for the counties was Mobarakeh (13.5%), Shahinshahre (11.5%), Borkhar (9%), Shahreza (7.5%), Kashan (7.5%), Naeen (6%), Natanz (5.5%), Isfahan (4.8%), Najafabad (4.8%), Aran and Bidgol (4.8%), Dehaghan (4.8%), Flavaņan (3.7%), Khomeinishahr (3.7%), Tiran (3.7%), Golpayegan (3.7%), Ardestan (3.7%) and Lenjan (2.5%). No O. doriae was collected from other counties of the province.
Conclusion: The habitats of O. doriae are more often located in central, eastern and northern regions of the province compared to other regions. Counties of southern and western regions are among cold parts of the province.
Keywords: Bio-ecology, Spatial distribution, Odontobuthus doriae, Iran
Introduction
Scorpions are among the oldest organisms on the earth. Scorpions possess stings equipped with venom glands located near the metasoma. Thus, they are among the most dangerous arthropods to humans. Approximately, 1.2 to 1.5 million cases of scorpion envenomation occurs worldwide annually (1, 2). Due to its type of climate, Iran hosts a very rich population of arthropods, and scorpions in particular (3, 5) and it is among the countries in which many scorpion species, particularly the dangerous types have been reported. Scorpion envenomation reports from ancient Iran are found in religious and historical texts, which indicate the long history of this issue in Iran (6, 7). Naturally, with the presence of these arthropods all over the Iranian territory, which possess suitable climate for their habitation, scorpion envenomation has been continuously an issue in Iran (8).
Scorpions are classified as burrowing and non-burrowing, in terms of...