Species and subspecies of endemic scorpion in Morocco: a complete description

Scorpion fauna is abundant in regions with arid and semi -arid climates, exposing these areas to a risk of poisoning, especially for children. Scorpion packaging cause thousands of deaths every year, with notable incidents in the Mena region, South America, Latin America and Central America, and India. Morocco is one of the countries most affected by this phenomenon; According to the statistics of the Moroccano Control and Pharmacovigilance Center (CAPM), approximately 8,565 bites and scorpion poisoners were registered annually between 2016 and 2022, mainly among children. A literature review was carried out to identify and catalog the endemic scorpion species in Morocco and explore the impact of climate change in its distribution. The sources included articles of scientific journals, university theses and field reports. The data collected were compiled and analyzed to create a distribution map of the endemic species. Our results identified fifty -five endemic species and subspecies in Morocco. The Buthidae family is the most widespread, with seventeen endemic species of the Buthus genus, nine of the genus Androcktonus, five of the Butheoloid genus, four of the Buthacus genus, two of the genres Ortochirus, Compsobuthus and Hottentota, and a kind of species, and a species Each of the genres Microbuthus, Cicileiurus and Saharobuthus. The Scorpionidae family includes nine endemic species and two subspecies belonging to the genus Scorpio. A high level of endemism is observed in southern Morocco, highlighting a significant concentration of these species in this region. It is likely that the ongoing climate change will expand the population and the distribution of scorpions, as well as the number of poisonings. The results underline the importance of implementing control and prevention strategies to reduce poisoning risks, particularly in the context of climate change. Therefore, developing management and prevention strategies is based on a deep understanding of the distribution of species and their habitats to improve the safety of vulnerable populations.