ON QUEENSLAND SCORPIONS. 



By JOSEPH LAUTERER, M.D. 



[J^fiad before the lloyal Society of Queenshoul, Hth April, 1893.] 



The natural family of Scorpions is of a very old standing, as 

 they are found in strata as old as the Carboniferous rocks of 

 Bohemia. The genus to which I wish specially to draw atten- 

 tion is called Cyclophthalmas, and is characterised by having 

 twelve eyes like the recent African genus Androctonus. 



In Queensland we find] many scorpions, and in Koch and 

 Keyserling's great work on the Spiders of Australasia there are 

 thirteen species described. It is lucky for us that none of these 

 is as big or as poisonous as the African or Indian scorpions are. 

 The scorpions belong to the best known Arachnodse, and are 

 distinguished by the long dostonally segmented abdomen, 

 terminating in a hooked claw, which is perforated at its point 

 by the duct of a poisonous gland situated at its base. The 

 maxillary palpi are greatly developed, and constitute strong 

 nipping-claws — the outer half of which is moveable — in opposi- 

 tion to those of the Crab, where the inner half changes its 

 position. The scorpio)is of our country live under stones and 

 in crevices, but mostly under the deciduous barks of Eucalypts, 

 such as KucalyptiWi tereticornis, E. niaculatu, and of Anijop/iora 

 lanceolata. They run swiftly, carrying the tail curved over the 

 back. They feed on insects which they hold in the nipping- 

 claws and sting to death. Like the larger number of Australian 

 animals the scorpions are of nocturnal habits and lie quietly 

 asleep under the bark during the day. 



A near relation to the Scorpions is the genus L'haron, though 

 destitute of a sting. It was established by Karse iu 1879 from 

 a fragmentary specimen, and was founded principally' on the 



