The 3 Most Dangerous Scorpions in the World

Not all Scorpions are Created Equal (Venom Wise)

What are the most dangerous scorpions in the world? All scorpions look deadly with those huge pinchers out front and a tail that's always ready to strike at a moment's notice, but most of them are not actually poisonous enough to do any real damage to a human being.

Look at the emperor scorpion on the right for example. Some of them can reach up to eight inches in length. Their deep black color and size makes it appear to be formidable species that you'd want to stay as far away as possible, and yet, most (depends on the subspecies) aren't much more dangerous than a typical bee sting. They hurt, yes, but their sting is usually not fatal. In fact, some people keep emperor scorpions as pets!

Now, I'm personally not sure why anybody would want a scorpion as a pet, especially when they can get up to eight inches long, but just because you get a scorpions sting doesn't mean you'll die, even if it's big, black and ugly! In the next few paragraphs i will show you some scorpions which you should stay away from if at all possible.

Indian Red Scorpion (Hottentotta Tamulus)

The Indian Red Scorpion has been said to be the most lethal in the world. Although not agreed upon by all, this tiny scorpion does pack a huge punch. When stung, typically victims experience nausea, heart problems, discoloration of the skin, and in more severe cases, pulmonary edema, which is basically accumulation of fluid in the lungs.

Pulmonary edema causes shortness of breath and could lead to death. Severity of these symptoms depends on the amount of venom received and the susceptibility of the victim.

What's scary is that scorpion antivenom doesn't help much with a sting from an Indian Red Scorpion. According to clinical studies, however, prazosin, which is a drug used to treat high blood pressure, can raise mortality rates by 4%. My advice... just don't get stung!

These deadly scorpions live mostly in India and in the eastern regions of nepal and pakistan. Also, there have found some of these species in Sri Lanka, although sighting are rare.

Indian Red Scorpions are not very large, ranging from 40 to 60 milimeters in length. The color of the species varies from orange to brown to grey, and have dark grey spots scattered from the head on down to the lower back. They also have relatively small pinchers and a large stinger end. Coincidence?

DeathStalker Scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus)

The DeathStalker scorpion has a dangerous sounding name, and no wonder, because it is definitely one of the most dangerous scorpions in the world. It's venom is highly toxic, and if stung, the victim will likely never forget the excruciating pain it delivers.

The symptoms of a DeathStalker scorpions sting is an increased heartbeat, high blood pressure, and even convulsions and coma. It may even cause death to small children or unhealthy adults.

It is not advisable to have these scorpions as pets. The reason why is because these scorpions are very aggressive, and become very agitated when confined in a small cage.

Unlike the Indian Red Scorpions whose venom is resistant to any known antivenom, there exists an effective antivenom for the DeathStalker. It is highly advised to seek medical attention if somebody gets stung by these scorpions.

It is sometimes very hard to identify them, because their color varies depending on where they live. They usually are yellow or green, and due to their elastic-like appearance, it has been pointed out that they look almost like toys. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE BEFORE YOU PICK UP A "TOY" SCORPION! It might not actually be a toy, but a deadly DeathStalker!

Arabian Fat-Tailed Scorpion

It has been disputed on whether or not the arabian fat-tailed scorpions or the Deathstalker is the most dangerous. Whoever would win in a bug vs bug battle, I do know that it would be a close one.

A sting from these lethal scorpions can cause a number of terrible symptoms. Among these, besides the obvious pain in the area where the sting was delivered, includes siezures, unconsciousness and hypertension.

Like the previous two scorpions mentioned on this page, the people who are most in danger of dying from its sting are young children and people with heart problems. Death doesn't usually occur however because of antivenom which can usually be delivered in time. Some sources have stated though that death may occur if victims have not seeked medical attention within 7 hours.

Many people have confused the arabian fat-tailed with the black fat-tailed, claiming that they are the same species. While they do look quite similar, according to scientists they are to distinct species. One of the major differences between the two species is that the arabian has larger pinchers than the black fat-tailed scorpion.

source :  http://buddysquid.hubpages.com/hub/The-Most-Dangerous-Scorpions-in-the-World