Isolation and characterization of bacterial community in the gut of the Androctonus crassicuda, Hottentota schach and Mesobuthus epeus scorpions

Scorpions (order: Scorpiones) are widely distributed predatory arachnids and highly resistant to environmental conditions. Some factors such as microorganisms of internal cavity of scorpions may affect their biology. In addition, microbial communities of gut effect on immunity system and nutrition in arthropoda. However, few data are availablefor the microbiota diversity of scorpion gut. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the microbial diversity of scorpions related to the Buthidae family which is considered as the most important scorpions from south-west of Iran by chemical test and sequence analysis of 16S rRNA gene. To this aim, both gram positive and negative bacteria were detected from the gut of Androctonus crassicuda, Hottentota schach and Mesobuthus epeus. The staphylococcus saprophyticus, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus firmus, Corynebacterium variabilis, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pantoe aagglomerans, Serrati aureilytica, staphylococcus gallinarum were isolated from the gut of scorpion. The isolated bacteria may have symbiotic or pathogenic relationships with scorpions. The present study was first considered the gut of buthide scorpion of Iran and can provide a reference for future studies on the digestive system microbiota from other scorpions by determining the role of these bacteria in the biology of scorpion.