''Hadrurus'' is a genus of scorpions which belongs to the family Caraboctonidae. They are found in sandy deserts and other xeric habitats in northwestern Mexico and in southwest United States. They are among the largest of all scorpion genera, only surpassed by ''

Hadogenes ''Hadogenes'' is a genus of African scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characte ...

'', '' Pandinus'', '' Heterometrus'' and ''Hoffmannihadrurus.''

Taxonomy

There are currently 7 species of this genus which are recognized: * '' Hadrurus anzaborrego'' Soleglad, Fet & Lowe, 2011 * '' Hadrurus arizonensis'' Ewing, 1928 * '' Hadrurus concolorous'' Stahnke, 1969 * '' Hadrurus hirsutus'' Wood, 1863 * '' Hadrurus obscurus'' Williams, 1970 * '' Hadrurus pinteri'' Stahnke, 1969 * '' Hadrurus spadix'' Stahnke, 1940 Two species (''H. aztecus'' and ''H. gertschi'') were separated and placed in the genus ''Hoffmannihadrurus'' based on the larger distance between the lateral eyes and the anterior margin of the carapace as well as the shorter distance between the median eyes and the lateral eyes. Hadrurus and Hoffmannihadrurus measurements

Hadrurus and Hoffmannihadrurus measurements

General characteristics

The species of this genus are large (up to a max of 15 cm) and hairy scorpions with yellowish tones through their bodies although there is an exception in '' Hadrurus spadix'', a species which has a dark almost black prosoma and mesosoma while the palps, legs and metasoma are yellow in color. Not the palps nor the metasoma are in any way reduced in size.

Toxicity

Though not considered to have a dangerously toxic venom, its sting is still quite painful and unlike other big species of scorpions which defend themselves using their powerful palps to pinch the attacker. The species of ''Hadrurus'' prefer to sting.

Behaviour

The species of this genus are quite active through the night foraging for food or a potential mate. They are avid burrowers, preferring somewhat (but not completely) loose soil such as dried sand to make their burrows. If loose soil is not available, they can take shelter beneath rocks and dead plants such as ''

Opuntia ''Opuntia'', commonly called prickly pear or pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae. Prickly pears are also known as ''tuna'' (fruit), ''sabra'', ''nopal'' (paddle, plural ''nopales'') from the Nahuatl word f ...

'' and ''

Cylindropuntia ''Cylindropuntia'' is a genus of cacti (family Cactaceae), containing species commonly known as chollas, native to northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. They are known for their barbed spines that tenaciously attach to skin, fur, a ...

'' during the day. It bears live young which are guarded by the female until they undergo their first molt.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3125635 Caraboctonidae Scorpion genera Scorpions of North America