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Species molecular data
  • Scorpiones (Scorpions)
  • Urodacidae
  • Urodacus
  • megamastigus

    • Pilbara Burrowing Scorpion Urodacus megamastigus Koch, 1977

    Fauna Portal species: 14396
    Order: Scorpiones (Scorpions)
    Family: Urodacidae


    megamastigus

    Urodacus megamastigus female, dorsal (HBI N36264-5; ca. 25 km SE. of Mulga Downs, Western Australia)

    Image: Alexander Greenhill (2025)

    Fauna Portal Image No. 12920

    Diagnosis

    (after Koch 1977): Distinguished from all other Urodacus by excessively elongate vesicle.

    (after Volschenk et al. 2000): Urodacus megamastigus is one of the most striking representatives of the genus. It is most similar to U. mckenziei but can be separated using several features including: the much larger adult size of U. megamastigus; extremely elongate metasomalsegment V, more than seven times longer than deep in males; the telson is also more elongate, to the extent of being almost cylindrical in males, females with telson more typical for the genus; aculeus stout and sharply curved in the distal half. Urodacus megamastigus possesses more numerous trichobothria on the pedipalp patella and manus; tarsi of legs III and IV also with more numerous spiniform setae on the ventrolateral margins.

    COI barcode data also separates U. megamastigus from all other Urodacus.

    Status

    • native

    Linnean Holotype

    1 ♂
    |
    Western Australian Museum
    |
    T4324
    |
    8 April 1963
    |
    Australia
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    Mundiwindi
    |
    by hand

    Australia

    • Western Australia

    Fauna Portal Records

    The map shows all records that have been verified as part of the Fauna Portal project and may not represent the true distribution of a species. Specifically, for described species, check the link to the Atlas of Living Australia on this page for potential wider distributions. Fauna Portal Reference specimens and Linnean types are shown in red. If you identified a specimen that exceeds the distribution of an undescribed species as illustrated here, please contact the Fauna Portal team who can assist with the lodgement of the specimen in a public institution and display on the map.


    Publications

    Koch LE (1977): The taxonomy, geographic distribution and evolutionary radiation of Australo-Papuan scorpions. Records of the Western Australian Museum. 5: 83 - 367WEB

    Volschenk ES, Smith GT, Harvey MS (2000):

    A new species of Urodacus from Western Australia, with additional descriptive notes for Urodacus megamastigus (Scorpiones). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 20: 57 - 67WEB


    Atlas of Living Australia
    Volker Framenau, 13 January 2026
    Harry Butler Institute
    |
    N36264-2
    |
    ♂
    |
    27 May 2025
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    ca. 25 km SE. of Mulga Downs
    |
    cup trap (scorpions)
    |
    COI
    |

    CATAAAGATATTGGGACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGAGCGTCGATGGTTGGGACGGCTTTAAGATTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTTGGGAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTCGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATAGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTGTTAGGGTCTGCTTGTTTGGAGAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGAACTGTTTATCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAGTATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCATTACATTTAGCTGGGATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGGATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTATTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAGCATTTGTTTTGATTTTTTGGTCAC

    Harry Butler Institute
    |
    N36264-4
    |
    unknown
    |
    27 May 2025
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    ca. 25 km SE. of Mulga Downs
    |
    cup trap (scorpions)
    |
    COI
    |

    CATAAAGATATTGGGACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGAGCGTCGATGGTTGGGACGGCTTTAAGATTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTTGGGAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTCGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATAGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTGTTAGGGTCTGCTTGTTTGGAGAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGAACTGTTTATCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAGTATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCATTACATTTAGCTGGGATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGGATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTATTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAGCATTTGTTTTGATTTTTTGGTCAC

    GenBank (Biologic)
    |
    PP028660
    |
    unknown
    |
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    5 km N. of Newman
    |
    COI
    |
    PP028660

    GACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGGGCGTCGATAGTTGGGACGGCTTTGAGATTAATAATTCGTATTGAGGTTGGGAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAATTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTGATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGGGGGTTTGGGAATTGACTTGTTCCTTTAATGTTGGGAGCTCCTGATATGGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTGTTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTGTTGGGTTCTGCTTGTTTGGAAAGTGGGGCAGGGACTGGGTGGACTGTCTATCCCCCTTTGTCTTCTAATATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCTTTGCATTTAGCTGGGATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATACGAAGAGAAGGGATGGTTTTGGATCGGGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAAATTACTGCGATTTTATTATTGCTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGACCCTGCGGGTGGGGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAACATTTGTTT

    Western Australian Museum
    |
    T100386
    |
    ♂
    |
    25.05.2009
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    Mulga Downs Station, Murrays Hill area, 4 km NE. of homestead
    |
    dry pitfall trap
    |
    COI
    |

    ACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGAGCGTCGATGGTTGGGACGGCTTTAAGATTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTTGGGAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTCGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATAGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTGTTAGGGTCTGCTTGTTTGGAGAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGAACTGTTTATCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAGTATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCATTACATTTAGCTGGGATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGAATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTATTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAGCATTTGTTT

    Western Australian Museum
    |
    T100390
    |
    ♂
    |
    25.05.2009
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    Mulga Downs Station, Murrays Hill area, 4 km NE. of homestead
    |
    sifted soil & litter
    |
    COI
    |

    ACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGAGCGTCGATGGTTGGGACGGCTTTAAGATTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTTGGGAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTCGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATAGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCGTTTTTTTTGTTGTTAGGGTCTGCTTGTTTGGAGAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGAACTGTTTATCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAGTATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCATTACATTTAGCTGGGATCTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGGATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTATTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAGCATTTGTTT

    Western Australian Museum
    |
    T114249
    |
    1 juv.
    |
    24.08.2011
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    Marillana, 100 Km N. Newman (site 4)
    |
    blacklight
    |
    COI
    |
    OM747866

    GACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGGGCGTCGATGGTTGGGACGGCTTTGAGATTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTCGGGAGTCCTGGCTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTGGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGGTTTGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATGGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATGAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTGTTAGGGTCTGCTTGTTTAGAAAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGGACTGTTTACCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAATATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCTTTACATTTAGCTGGAATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTGAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGGATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTATTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCAGCATTTGTTT

    Western Australian Museum
    |
    T126922
    |
    1 juv.
    |
    20.10.2012
    |
    Western Australia
    |
    ca. 7 km SW. of Pannawonica
    |
    vertebrate pitfall trap
    |
    COI
    |
    PV955400

    AACTATGTATTTAATGTTAGGGGGTTGAGCGTCGATAGTTGGGACGGCTTTGAGCTTAATAATTCGTGTTGAGGTTGGAAGTCCTGGTTCTTTTATTGGTGATGATCAGATTTATAATGTAGTTGTTACGGCTCATGCTTTTGTAATGATTTTTTTTATGGTGATGCCTATTATAATTGGAGGGTTTGGGAATTGGCTTGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATGGCTTTTCCTCGGTTGAATAATATAAGATTTTGGTTATTGCCTCCTTCTTTTTTTTTGTTATTAGGGTCTGCCTGTTTGGAAAGAGGTGCAGGGACTGGATGGACTGTTTATCCTCCTTTATCTTCTAATATTTTTCATTCTGGAGGTTCTGTTGATATAACTATTTTTTCTTTGCATTTAGCTGGAATTTCTTCTATTTTGGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTACTACTATTTTAAATATGCGAAGAGAAGGAATGGTTTTAGATCGAGTACCTTTATTTGTTTGGTCTGTTAAGATTACTGCAATTTTGTTGTTATTGTCTTTACCTGTGTTGGCTGGGGCTATTACTATGTTGTTGACTGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTGCGGGTGGAGGGGACCCTATTTTATATCACATTTGTTT

    Scorpiones (Scorpions)
    • Buthidae
      • Urodacidae
        • Urodacus
          • butleri
          • FP-12656
          • FP-13183 (WAM SCO031)
          • FP-13878
          • FP-13880
          • FP-13882
          • FP-13885
          • FP-14404
          • FP-14481
          • FP-14490
          • FP-14513 (WAM SCO026)
          • FP-2705
          • FP-4764 (WAM SCO027)
          • megamastigus
          • novaehollandiae
          • planimanus
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        • Scorpiones (Scorpions)
      • Crustacea
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