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Hadogenes paucidens

Hadogenes paucidens is a flat-rock scorpion in the family Hormuridae, noted for its strongly flattened body and long claws that allow it to slip into narrow rock crevices. It is confirmed from central Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with possible records in western Tanzania. This species lives on rocky outcrops and cliffs, using its flattened form to hide deep in cracks; it has a relatively mild sting and is not medically significant to humans.

HABITAT

🌍 Geographic Range:

The genus Hadogenes is endemic to the Afrotropical region, ranging from South Africa northward to Tanzania. Hadogenes species are typically distributed in allopatric or parapatric patterns across rugged mountainous terrain.

H. paucidens is attributed in some older sources to southern Africa, but most scientific sources do not clearly define its exact range by country in modern times.

The broad consensus places it within the southern African zone of Hadogenes, likely overlapping with populations in Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, or adjacent territories, but these attributions are not strongly supported by modern taxonomic revision.

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🏡 Microhabitat Preferences:

All Hadogenes species are restricted to life in rocky outcrops, exfoliated slabs, fissures, and crevices in weathered stone. They are specialists of rugged, mountainous or rocky terrain, adapted morphologically for navigating tight rock substrates.

Their bodies are extremely flattened (dorsoventrally compressed), and they possess specialized chelae and limb structures that allow them to grip and move along rock surfaces but move poorly on loose, shifting surfaces like sand or soft soil

As such, H. paucidens is expected to inhabit rocky ridges, cliff faces, or boulder fields in arid or semi-arid zones with little loose soil, using narrow rock cracks and crevices for shelter and movement.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

📏Size:

Hadogenes troglodytes, the flat rock scorpion, is one of the largest scorpions in Africa. Adults typically measure around 15–20 cm (6–8 inches) in length, though some individuals can grow even longer. Despite their size, they are relatively slender compared to bulkier species like Gigantometrus swammerdami.

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🎨Coloration:

In terms of colour, they are usually dark brown to black, with a somewhat matte or rough appearance that helps them blend into rocky environments.

Their pincers (pedipalps) are elongated and often lighter in shade, sometimes appearing reddish-brown or yellowish compared to the rest of the body. This colouration gives them excellent camouflage against the cracks and crevices of cliffs and rocky outcrops where they live.

CAPTIVE CARE

📏Enclosure Size:

A minimum terrarium of 30x30x20 is sufficient for a single H. paucidens adult.

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🌡️Temperature:

24–30 °C

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💧Humidity:

50%.

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🌱Substrate:

Dry substrate

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⏰Feeding schedule:

Once every 2 weeks

VENOM

💉Hadogenes paucidens is known to have very mild venom.

Its LD₅₀ (lethal dose for 50% of lab mice) has been reported around 1,800-2,667 mg/kg, which is quite weak compared to many dangerous scorpions.
The scorpion is reluctant to sting, preferring to use its powerful claws (pedipalps) as its first line of defense.
When it does sting, the pain is usually minor and brief — not serious for healthy adults in general.

STATS

LATIN NAME:

• Hadogenes paucidens

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COMMON NAME:

• Banded Flat-Rock Scorpion

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TEMPERATURE

• 25°- 30°

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TEMPERAMENT:

• Calm

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HUMIDITY:

• 50%

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COMMUNAL:

• 2/5 — Low Tolerance

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SIZE:

• Up to 20cm

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ECOLOGY:

• Terrestrial

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SUBSTRATE:

• Sand/Clay

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ORIGIN:

• Central Africa

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FACTS

It’s called the flat rock scorpion because of its extremely flattened body shape, which allows it to squeeze into narrow rock crevices for protection and ambush hunting. This adaptation makes it one of the best “rock specialists” among scorpions.

It’s also known for its impressive size, reaching up to 20 cm, making it one of Africa’s largest scorpions. Despite this, it has very weak venom, among the least potent of all scorpions. Instead, it relies on its strong pincers to capture prey and defend itself.

Another interesting feature is its slow growth rate. It can take up to 8 years to reach maturity, which is unusually long for an invertebrate. This long development contributes to its relatively long lifespan. many live well over a decade in captivity.

TAXONOMY

Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Hormuridae (modern consensus — previously placed in Scorpionidae)
Genus: Hadogenes
Species: H. paucidens

Common Names:

Flat Rock Scorpion
South African Flat Rock Scorpion (used broadly in hobby but not species-specific)

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Family Placement

Older literature (early-mid 1900s) placed Hadogenes in Scorpionidae, largely due to general morphological similarities with other robust scorpions.
Modern revisions, based on morphology of trichobothria patterns, sternum shape, and hemispermatophore details, now consistently place Hadogenes in Hormuridae, a family distinct from the true scorpions (Scorpionidae).

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Original Description

Described by: R. I. Pocock (1896)
Published in: Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 6, Volume 18
Original name: Hadogenes paucidens Pocock, 1896

The type specimen and type locality were designated in the original description, typically housed in a European museum collection (such as the Natural History Museum, London), but many older specimen records lack precise GPS coordinates.

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Synonymy & Misapplied Names

In taxonomy, synonymy refers to historical names that later research determined to refer to the same species.

For Hadogenes paucidens:

✅ Original description: Hadogenes paucidens Pocock, 1896
🚫 No widely accepted synonyms recognized in modern catalogs meaning it has remained relatively stable in name usage.

However, in hobby trade and older arachnology literature you may find:

Hadogenes sp. “Eastern Cape”
“South African Flat Rock Scorpion”

These are not valid scientific names, they are informal trade or locality labels.