68/150: Did you know scorpions live in Canada too?

animalia: Arthropoda: Arachnida: Scorpiones: Vaejovidae: Paruroctonus: Paruroctonus boreus (Girard, 1854)

Paruroctonus boreus, or the Northern Scorpion, is native to British Columbia and Alberta and is the only species of scorpion found in Canada. Though a relatively common species, it is rarely seen due to its nocturnal nature. However, like all scorpions, P. boreus glows under black light due to fluorescent compounds found in its exoskeleton and can be found in the field by using a hand-held UV lamp. Scorpions are venomous and use their stingers defensively to sting attackers. Despite their appearance, the scorpion ‘tail’ is not actually a tail, but an elongated abdomen curled above the rest of their body. Scorpions locate their enemies with sensory hairs found on their abdomens which allow them to strike accurately despite their poor vision. Though scorpions have trouble focusing their eyes, they are some of the most light-sensitive eyes on the planet and allow them to navigate by the stars at night. #Canada150 #Biodiversity150

Here’s the barcode sequence information for this species:

Process ID:  ARBCM3045-15

nucleotide sequence

aataatatattttattttcgctatatgatcaggaataattggttcatctataagtttattaattcgaatagaattaagtcatccaggaatatgaattaataatgatcaaatttataattctttagtaactagacatgcatttttaataattttttttatagtaataccatttataattgggggatttggaaattacttaattccattaatactaggatcaccagatatagcttttcctcgaataaataatattagattttgacttttacctccatcattatttatattactattaagaaatttatttacacctaatgtaggaacaggatgaactgtttatcctcctttatcttcttatttatttcattcatctccatcaattgatattgcaatcttttctttacatatatcaggaatttcttctattattggatcattaaattttattgttactattttaataataaaaaatctttcattaaactatgatcaaattaatttattctcatgatcagtatgtattacagtaattttattaattttatctttaccagttttagctggagctattactatattactcttcgatcgaaattttaatacttcattctttgatccaataggaggaggagatccaattttatatcaacatttattt

amino acid sequence

mmyfifamwsgmigssmsllirmelshpgmwinndqiynslvtshaflmiffmvmpfmiggfgnyliplmlgspdmafprmnnisfwllppslfmlllsnlftpnvgtgwtvypplssylfhsspsidiaifslhmsgissiigslnfivtilmmknlslnydqinlfswsvcitvillilslpvlagaitmllfdrnfntsffdpmgggdpilyqhlf

Learn more about it’s BIN (Barcode Index Number): BOLD:AAA8658