Scorpions, Science and Folklore in Durango City

Scorpions are incredible venomous animals found on almost every continent. According to fossil data, these animals have been able to adapt to the different environments from the Cambrian period until today with minimal anatomical changes. Scorpions are mostly nocturnal animals, and their ability to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diversity (Basel) 2023-06, Vol.15 (6), p.743
Main Authors: Gonzalez-Ponce, Eduardo, Rodríguez-Rangel, Sofia, Martinez, Raymundo, Alvarado, Adrian, Ruiz-Baca, Estela, Miranda, Pablo, Sánchez-Rodríguez, Jorge E., Lopez-Rodriguez, Angelica
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animals
Cambrian
Centruroides suffusus
Durango scorpion
Environmental aspects
Folk literature
Folklore
Food resources
Food supply
Homing behavior
Hunting
ion channels
Nervous system
Photoreceptors
Protection and preservation
Scorpions
Social aspects
Ultraviolet radiation
Venom
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Summary:Scorpions are incredible venomous animals found on almost every continent. According to fossil data, these animals have been able to adapt to the different environments from the Cambrian period until today with minimal anatomical changes. Scorpions are mostly nocturnal animals, and their ability to detect and tolerate light stimuli seems to be an essential tool for their subsistence, homing and mating. Centruroides suffuses is the most predominant specie of scorpions in Durango City, Mexico. Interestingly, and despite their life-threatening venom, these predatory arthropod animals have been adopted by locals as part of the landscape and daily life, by including them as part of their folklore and their economic resources, and learning how to take advantage of their abundance. In addition, the venom of scorpions possesses potential for therapeutic uses, while the scorpions themselves represent a nutritional food resource rich in protein, which has been poorly explored so far. Therefore, they are an excellent model for exploring the interplay between light sensibilities, survival and therapeutic–medicinal uses. Here, we review some of the potential benefits of scorpions and share the ways people in Durango City, Mexico, use UV light devices to detect and avoid or catch them for business and research purposes.
ISSN:1424-2818
1424-2818
DOI:10.3390/d15060743