Liocheles australasiae

Liocheles australasiae, commonly known as the Dwarf Wood Scorpion, is a small, non-aggressive scorpion species belonging to the family Hormuridae. This species is famous for being parthenogenetic, which means females are able to produce offspring by means of cloning itself without the need of a male.

HABITAT

🌍 Geographic Range:

Liocheles australasiae has a very broad Indo-Pacific distribution.

Some specific regions/countries where it occurs:

India (including northeastern India, e.g. Mizoram)

Sri Lanka

Bangladesh

China, Taiwan, Yaeyama Islands (Japan)

Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines

Pacific Islands: Mariana Islands, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, French Polynesia
Australia and Papua New Guinea American Museum of Natural

It even crosses some of the major biogeographic boundaries (such as Wallace’s Line) in the Indo-Pacific region. American Museum of Natural History

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🏡 Microhabitat Preferences:

It is found in humid, tropical to subtropical environments.

Within those regions, it tends to take up refuge in small sheltered spaces: under bark of trees, under stones, in rotting wood, in crevices, under flower pots, in basements or retaining walls in human-settled areas. Dark, moist microhabitats are favoured.
In island surveys (e.g. Miyako Islands, Japan), occurrences are influenced by altitude, distance from the coast, shading, and minimal exposure to low temperatures. It tends not to be in very cold or naked exposed areas.
Also found in coastal lowland areas in some island contexts.

Captive Care

📏Enclosure Size:

Maximum 1 litres (34oz) or smaller of a vertical enclosure.

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🌡️Temperature:

24–28 °C. Keep stable, avoid extremes below 20 °C or above 30 °C.

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💧Humidity:

Around 80%. Maintain consistently moist but not waterlogged conditions.

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🌱Substrate:

Moist, water-retentive soil or coco fiber. Depth of at least 2–3 cm to help with humidity retention.

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⏰Feeding schedule:

Feed once every 2 weeks. Offer appropriately sized prey (e.g., pinhead crickets, fruit flies).

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🥣Water Source:

Too small for a dish, mist the enclosure walls and decorations lightly. The scorpion will drink droplets.

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🍃Ventilation

Low ventilation is best to keep humidity stable. Avoid large mesh lids; use small pinholes or partial covering. (holes must be very small to prevent escape).

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🙈Hides:

Provide cork bark slabs or stacked pieces vertically. Narrow crevices mimic their natural hiding spots under bark and stones.

VENOM

💉 The venom of Liocheles australasiae has been studied in recent years and found to be relatively mild in its effects on humans and other mammals. Its main action seems to be directed at insects, making it useful for hunting small prey. Researchers have identified several types of bioactive compounds in the venom, including peptides that resemble potassium channel toxins, though there are fewer sodium channel-like toxins.

One of the most interesting discoveries is a peptide called LaIT6, which is highly effective at killing insects such as crickets and flies, but has shown no toxicity in mammals during laboratory tests.

Stings from L. australasiae are not considered dangerous to people. At most, they may cause mild localized pain or irritation, and there are no reports of serious systemic effects.

Overall, the venom is specialized for subduing small invertebrates and poses little threat to humans.

STATS

LATIN NAME:

• Liocheles australasiae

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COMMON NAME:

• Dwarf Wood Scorpion

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TEMPERATURE

• 23°- 28°

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TEMPERAMENT:

• Docile

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HUMIDITY:

• 80%

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COMMUNAL:

• 5/5

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SIZE:

• Up to 5cm

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ECOLOGY:

• Arboreal

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SUBSTRATE:

• Water-retentive soil

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ORIGIN:

• Australasiae

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