Morphology and histology of venom gland of Scorpio maurus kruglovi (birula, 1910)‎ (scorpionidae : scorpiones)‎

Abstract EN

The venom apparatus of Scorpio maurus kruglovi (Birula,1910) collected from Latifawa (Erbil city, Kurdistan/Iraq) were examined morphologically and histologically.

The results showed that they are composed of a bulbous vesicle and a curved stinger, both situated in the last segment of the metasoma.

The vesicle bears numerous sensory hairs or setae but the stinger bears no hairs.

Cross sections of the vesicles showed two similar venom glands separated by bundles of striated muscles, covered with a thick cuticle and lined with extensively simply folded secretory epithelium.

There are two layers of cuboidal cells between cuticle and glandular epithelium surrounding the wide lumen.

The venom-producing cells are apocrine type, filled with coarse granules.