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Species: Scorpio maurus
Common name: Large-clawed / Israeli gold scorpion
Native range: North Africa and the Middle East
Temperature: 26–30°C; room temperature also suits it well
Humidity: Low — dry (sandy-loam) substrate, one damp area
Adult size: Reaches about 7 cm in length
Lifestyle: Fossorial (burrower)
Speed: Moderate
Venom potency: Mild (not dangerous to humans)
Temperament: Secretive, defends with its pincers
Recommended for: Intermediate keepers
Notes: Desert scorpion (Scorpionidae); not listed under CITES
Scorpio maurus
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Description
Scorpio maurus
Scorpio maurus — the "large-clawed scorpion", also known as the Israeli gold scorpion — ranges from Morocco across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula all the way to Iran. It is a desert digger with a brown back and distinctive **golden pincers** that are both its signature and its main tool.
It is a nocturnal, profoundly fossorial species — in the wild it excavates deep burrows in dry ground and spends almost its entire life beneath the surface. It is secretive; when threatened it defends itself with its massive pincers rather than venom, which — despite containing a neurotoxin (maurotoxin) — remains harmless to humans. Watching Scorpio maurus means watching an engineer of the desert.
In the terrarium, recreate its home: a **deep layer of dry, sandy-loam substrate** that holds the shape of a tunnel, plus one regularly misted corner and a shallow water dish. Dry is the key — excess moisture harms desert species. Room temperature is sufficient, though it enjoys warmth.
This is one for the keeper who wants something from an ecosystem other than the humid forest — dry, economical in movement, yet full of character. Scorpio maurus brings a piece of the desert into the collection.