| This small family only includes 3 genera and 7 species
[Updated 06.05.03]. The members of this family were orginally placed
in the Buthidae, and have just recently been put into their
own family. These scorpions are very small (adults are between
7 - 16 mm).
The scorpions in this family are found in Africa
(Democratic Republic of Congo and Madagascar), where they
inhabit the litter in humid forests.
Lourenco described the genus Neoprotobuthus from
Madagascar in 2000. This new genus seems to share characters
both with the Microcharmidae and the Buthidae, and seems to
have an intermediate possision between these two families.
Because the genus share more characters with the
Microcharmidae, Lourenco placed the new genus in this
family.
No scorpions of this family have been reported to occur in
captivity.
No data has been found about the venom of these scorpions,
but as former members of the Buthidae, they should be presumed
to have a venom of some power.
Microcharmus hauseri photo by Dr.
Wilson Lourengo (C) and The Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins/
CEVAP (C)
SPECIES
FILES:
This list of genera and
species is based on Fet
et al.(2000). Subspecies is not included in the list. I
try to update the list as additions and changes are published.
* denotes changes after Fet
et al. (2000). I will be grateful for information about
new development in the taxonomy of this family. For
information about synonyms and bibliographies, see Fet
et al. (2000) | 
