Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran
Background: Scorpions pose one of the most important public health and medical problems in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the fauna and spatial distribution of scorpions. Methods: In this descriptive study,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2019-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/1227 |
| _version_ | 1818386851824664576 |
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| author | Faranak Firoozfar Abedin Saghafipour Hassan Vatandoost Mulood Mohammadi Bavani Masoumeh Taherpour Nahid Jesri Mahmood Yazdani Kourosh Arzamani |
| author_facet | Faranak Firoozfar Abedin Saghafipour Hassan Vatandoost Mulood Mohammadi Bavani Masoumeh Taherpour Nahid Jesri Mahmood Yazdani Kourosh Arzamani |
| author_sort | Faranak Firoozfar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Scorpions pose one of the most important public health and medical problems in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the fauna and spatial distribution of scorpions.
Methods: In this descriptive study, scorpions were captured using ultra-violet (UV) light, pitfall traps and digging methods in North Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran in 2017. After being encoded, the collected scorpions were stored in plastic containers of 70% ethanol and then transferred to the medical entomology lab of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for species identification based on morphological keys. In addition, Arc GIS 9.3 software was utilized for mapping spatial distribution of scorpions.
Results: Overall, 143 scorpions were captured and identified. All of collected scorpions belonged only to Buthidae family. They were also classified into four genera (Androctonus, Mesobuthus, Odontobuthus, Orthochirus) and five species: M. eupeus (59.44%), A. crassicauda (16.78%), O. doriae (12.59), M. (Olivierus) caucasicus (9.09%), and O. farzanpayi (2.10%). Furthermore, spatial distribution of scorpions was performed in this area.
Conclusion: Regarding the diversity, high frequency and wide geographical distribution of scorpions and their long-term seasonal activity in this area, the probability of occurrence of scorpion sting is high. Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of this public health problem, health educational programs be implemented by health- care providers in the area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:00:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5210525b36264defbc12b8bb64e80723 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1735-7179 2322-2271 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:00:37Z |
| publishDate | 2019-08-01 |
| publisher | Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj.art-5210525b36264defbc12b8bb64e807232022-12-21T23:17:58ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesJournal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases1735-71792322-22712019-08-0113410.18502/jad.v13i4.22331227Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of IranFaranak Firoozfar0Abedin Saghafipour1Hassan Vatandoost2Mulood Mohammadi Bavani3Masoumeh Taherpour4Nahid Jesri5Mahmood Yazdani6Kourosh Arzamani7Vector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran, Department of Public Health, Faculty of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, IranDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, IranDepartment of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, IranDepartment of Public Health, Faculty of North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, IranRemote Sensing and GIS Center, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, IranVector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, IranVector-borne Diseases Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, IranBackground: Scorpions pose one of the most important public health and medical problems in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, especially in developing countries. This study was conducted to determine the fauna and spatial distribution of scorpions. Methods: In this descriptive study, scorpions were captured using ultra-violet (UV) light, pitfall traps and digging methods in North Khorasan Province, northeastern Iran in 2017. After being encoded, the collected scorpions were stored in plastic containers of 70% ethanol and then transferred to the medical entomology lab of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for species identification based on morphological keys. In addition, Arc GIS 9.3 software was utilized for mapping spatial distribution of scorpions. Results: Overall, 143 scorpions were captured and identified. All of collected scorpions belonged only to Buthidae family. They were also classified into four genera (Androctonus, Mesobuthus, Odontobuthus, Orthochirus) and five species: M. eupeus (59.44%), A. crassicauda (16.78%), O. doriae (12.59), M. (Olivierus) caucasicus (9.09%), and O. farzanpayi (2.10%). Furthermore, spatial distribution of scorpions was performed in this area. Conclusion: Regarding the diversity, high frequency and wide geographical distribution of scorpions and their long-term seasonal activity in this area, the probability of occurrence of scorpion sting is high. Therefore, in order to prevent the occurrence of this public health problem, health educational programs be implemented by health- care providers in the area.https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/1227ScorpionsSpatial distributioGISIran |
| spellingShingle | Faranak Firoozfar Abedin Saghafipour Hassan Vatandoost Mulood Mohammadi Bavani Masoumeh Taherpour Nahid Jesri Mahmood Yazdani Kourosh Arzamani Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran Journal of Arthropod-Borne Diseases Scorpions Spatial distributio GIS Iran |
| title | Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran |
| title_full | Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran |
| title_fullStr | Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran |
| title_short | Faunistic Composition and Spatial Distribution of Scorpions in North Khorasan Province Northeast of Iran |
| title_sort | faunistic composition and spatial distribution of scorpions in north khorasan province northeast of iran |
| topic | Scorpions Spatial distributio GIS Iran |
| url | https://jad.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jad/article/view/1227 |
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