Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Buthidae Members: NC Records

Centruroides vittatus - Striped Bark Scorpion

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Taxonomy
Order: SCORPIONESFamily: Buthidae                                                                                 
Comments: One of 47 species in this completely New World genus (Fet and Graeme, 2000; Valdez-Cruz et al., 2004). Four species occur in North America north of Mexico - three in the East -- and two have been recorded in North Carolina.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Shelley (1994)
Comments: This is the largest scorpion that has been recorded in North Carolina. The dorsal surface is dark brown with conspicuous pale stripes on the abdomen (Shelley, 1994). These stripes distinguish this species from Vaejovis carolinianus and the presence of a dark triangle at the anterior margin of the cephalothorax (apex pointing rearward) separates it from the smaller Centruroides hentzi. Additionally, the chelicerae are unpigmented in this species but reticulated with brown markings in hentzi (see key and illustrations in Shelley, 1994).
Total Length: 4.0-6.0 cm (Shelley, 1994)Adult ID: identifiable by photo
Structural Features: This species and C. hentzi both possess a subaculear tubercle located on the telson (terminal segment) below the stinger. This tubercle is missing in Vaejovis carolinianus (Shelley, 1994).
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Records come only from the eastern Piedmont and Coastal Plain but probably represent individuals accidentally imported on mesquite firewood and could show up anywhere in the state.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Observations of this species are all from buildings or developed areas, particularly near restaurants that make use of mesquite logs for grilling (Shelley, 1994).
Observation Methods: All North Carolina observations represent random encounters with accidentally introduced individuals. As a poisonous species, it should be collected carefully. Although capable of producing a painful sting, it is apparently not dangerous to humans, at least those that do not have allergic reactions to the venom (Shelley, 1994).
Abundance/Frequency: All observations made in North Carolina have been of single individuals (Shelley, 1994)
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: GNR [SNA]
State Protection: Arachnids are not protected by state laws in North Carolina and as an introduced species, it is not of any conservation concern.
Comments: This species is a widespread, resident species west of the Mississippi River but populations in the East all probably represent accidental introductions. In some areas, however, these introductions have developed into disjunct populations and there is at least some chance that the same could happen in North Carolina (Shelley, 1994). In its established range, this species occurs as far north as Illinois, suggesting that it could easily survive in at least some areas of North Carolina.