Have you ever lifted a rock and looked underneath to see what creatures might be hiding below?  Well if you live in Central America, you may very well see a scorpion called the Ananteris platnicki.  The Ananteris platnicki is a very rare scorpion from the Buthidae family that is found in Costa Rica and Panama.  The A. platnicki was a new species added to the genus Ananteris by Wilson Lourenco in 1993.  I am writing this essay to learn more about this species and to share the information with interested readers.

         

The Ananteris platnicki has characteristics that make it different from the scorpions of North America.  Although its body is similar in design, it is known to have a fat tail.  Its size is small to mid-size, with the adult measuring no more than 25mm.  The A.  platnicki is slightly darker in color than its yellowish brown relatives.  An important adaptation is the use of its pectines to locate food, because of its poor eyesight.   Its lighter color, small size, and fat tail separated it from the pictures of the shiny, big, black scorpions that I have seen before.

         

The Ananteris is recorded to contain roughly 64 species.  These species can be found in warm and temperate climates.  The A. platnicki is found in Central America in regions of Costa Rica and Panama.  I have found no conservations of this animal.  These scorpions are so rarely observed and new species have been added sparingly since Ananteris the Thorell in 1891. 

         

The Ananteris Platnicki is nocturnal and feeds when it is active.  It has to have water in addition.  The Platnicki has eyes on the top and front corners of its head.  Yet its eyesight is so bad that it depends on its hearing and sense of touch to locate its prey. They sense touch with their pectines, located between the back sets of legs. The Platnicki feeds on a diet of small insects, spiders, earthworms and other scorpions.  It has to use it front pincers to grab and bring food to its mouth, as well as defend itself.    It has to defend itself against other scorpions trying to make it their lunch.   I feel sorry for how hard it has to work to get food.

         

When I researched this scorpion, I wondered about its importance.  Just like our spider keeps the bugs under control, I think that scorpions must do the same.  But also like our spiders, they make me nervous to think where they might be hiding.  They move slow and have poor eyesight and yet have the power to create fear in humans. Although only a few varieties are poisonous, I think I would rather not be surprised by finding one hiding in my house or yard.

 

Author: Ryan D
Published: 02/2013

 

Bibliography:

Ananteris Platnicki, Lourenco W.R., Rev. Biol. Trop., 41 (3): 697-701

Ananateris Platnicki, http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anateris_platnicki

Buthidae. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buthidae

Survivor Exile Island. http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/survivor/a/Surv12Episode5_2.htm