Scorpio palmatus

Scorpio palmatus is a scorpion in the family Scorpionidae, recently redescribed and separated from other members of the Scorpio maurus group. It occurs in northern Egypt, the Sinai, Israel/Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, and Syria, with Jordanian populations reassigned to a different species. Usually yellow to yellow-brown with strong pincers, it lives in arid and semi-arid soils, digging deep spiral burrows. Because it requires deep substrate and stable burrow conditions, it is best suited for intermediate to advanced keepers.

HABITAT

🌍 Geographic Range:

Scorpio palmatus is native to North Africa and the Middle East. Its distribution includes:

North Africa: Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco
Middle East: Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and parts of the Arabian Peninsula

It is widespread across the eastern Sahara and Levant regions, often found in arid and semi-arid zones.

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🏡 Microhabitat Preferences:

This species is well-adapted to desert and steppe environments. Typical habitats include:

Sandy deserts and semi-deserts, where it digs burrows in loose soil.
Rocky plains and wadis (dry riverbeds), where stones and cracks offer shelter.
Oases and cultivated land edges, where irrigation provides microhabitats.
It is a fossorial species, excavating burrows that can be quite deep, which helps it regulate temperature and humidity in harsh climates.

Like most scorpions, it is nocturnal, emerging at night to hunt insects and other small invertebrates, while spending the day concealed underground or under cover.

Physical Description

📏Size:

Scorpio palmatus is a medium-sized scorpion, generally reaching 6–8 cm (2.5–3 inches) in length as an adult. It is fairly robust for a desert scorpion, with well-developed pincers and a sturdy body.

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🎨Coloration:

Its coloration is typically pale yellow to light sandy brown, which provides effective camouflage against desert soils and rocky substrates.

This species presents sexual dimorphism, males will have a shorter fixed finger (top finger) than the females do, males will also appear to have a matt finish on their carapace where as females will have a more glossy appearance.

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Captive Care

📏Enclosure Size:

A single adult does well in a 5- gallon terrarium with more floor space than height. Provide 10 cm of substrate for digging shallow retreats. Include plenty of rock slabs, cork bark, or stacked slate to imitate the rocky forest floor and to create secure hides.

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🌡️Temperature:

Keep the enclosure at 24–28 °C by day with a slight gradient; avoid overheating above 28 °C. Nighttime temperatures can drop to 20 °C, similar to montane Yunnan nights. Usually no strong heat source is needed indoors; if your room is cooler than 20 °C, use a low-wattage side heat mat to raise one corner only.

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💧Humidity:

Unlike desert species, S. validus needs a moderate humidity of 80% with good airflow to prevent mold. Lightly moisten half to two-thirds of the substrate, leaving one area a bit drier so the scorpion can choose. Mist lightly once or twice a week if the substrate dries out.

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🌱Substrate:

Use a moisture-retentive but firm mix of coco-fiber or forest soil blended with sand or clay for stability. Depth of 105 cm supports burrows and helps maintain humidity. Keep the lower layers slightly damp and the top layer just barely moist or dry..

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⏰Feeding schedule:

Feed adults every 10–14 days. Offer live prey such as:

Crickets
Roaches
Locusts
Occasionally superworms (not as staple food)

Juveniles may feed more often, about once per week. Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours to avoid stress or injury to the scorpion. Adults sometimes fast for weeks, which is normal if the scorpion is otherwise healthy.

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🥣Water Source:

Provide a small, shallow water dish with fresh water, frequently. This species drinks a lot of water and ofen burrow very deep in order to access moisture. Keep water bowl filled always.

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🍃Ventilation

Strong cross-ventilation is essential to prevent stagnant air while keeping the substrate dry. Avoid high humidity buildup, airflow should simulate the open, arid conditions of its natural desert habitat.

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🙈Hides:

Provide multiple dry shelters such as flat rocks, cork bark, or half logs. While S. palmatus often digs burrows, surface hides replicate natural crevices and give extra security. Burrows may be deep and stable if the substrate is suitable, helping regulate temperature and humidity in captivity.

VENOM

💉Scorpio palmatus has a venom that is considered mildly potent, but it is not medically significant to healthy adult humans. A sting typically causes localized pain, swelling, redness, and mild inflammation, which may last from a few hours up to a couple of days. The pain is often compared to a bee or wasp sting.

The venom itself is mainly composed of neurotoxic peptides that act on ion channels in invertebrates, making it effective for subduing prey such as insects and small arthropods. In humans, systemic symptoms (like nausea or dizziness) are rare and usually only occur in sensitive individuals, such as children, the elderly, or those with allergies. Compared to truly dangerous scorpions in the family Buthidae, S. palmatus is regarded as low-risk and not a species of medical concern.

STATS

LATIN NAME:

• Scorpiops palmatus

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COMMON NAME:

• SIsraeli Gold scorpion

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TEMPERATURE

• 24°- 28°

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TEMPERAMENT:

• Very defensive, will pinch/sting if bothered

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HUMIDITY:

• 40%

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COMMUNAL:

• No

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SIZE:

• Up to 7cm

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ECOLOGY:

• Fossorial

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SUBSTRATE:

• Loamy sand

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ORIGIN:

•Middle east

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