Tityus serrulatus

Tityus serrulatus is a yellow scorpion native to Brazil whose venom can cause severe illness and death. It reproduces without mating and has spread into urban habitats.

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Scorpion venom: A mixture of toxins and other molecules produced by scorpions and delivered through a sting. Its neurotoxic components disrupt nerve signaling and drive severe symptoms after a sting.
Scorpion sting: An injury caused when a scorpion injects venom through its stinger. This is the direct route by which Tityus serrulatus venom reaches people.
Scorpion envenomation in Brazil: A public-health problem involving illness and deaths caused by scorpion stings across Brazil. Tityus serrulatus accounts for a large share of serious cases in the country.
Tityus: A genus of scorpions found mainly in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Tityus serrulatus is one of the genus's medically important species.
Voltage-gated sodium channel: A membrane protein that opens in response to voltage changes and allows sodium ions to cross cell membranes. Tityus serrulatus toxins alter these channels, disturbing electrical signaling in nerves.
Scorpion antivenom: An antibody preparation used to neutralize toxins in scorpion venom. Brazilian antivenom treatment is central to care for severe stings from this species.
Belo Horizonte: The capital of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and a major metropolitan area in the country's southeast. Urban populations of Tityus serrulatus have been documented in this city.
Buthidae: A large scorpion family that includes many species with medically significant venom. Its placement in Buthidae links the species to a family known for potent venoms.
Autotomy: The voluntary shedding of a body part, often as a defensive response. This species can shed its tail, but the loss impairs digestion and prevents later stinging.
Scorpionism: Poisoning caused by a scorpion sting, ranging from local pain to systemic illness. Tityus serrulatus is a major cause of medically significant scorpionism in Brazil.