| Issue |
BIO Web Conf.
Volume 215, 2026
The International Congress on Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (RENA 2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 01007 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | Biodiversity and Functioning of Natural Ecosystems | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/202621501007 | |
| Published online | 04 February 2026 | |
Field study on scorpions and scorpionism in the southeast of El Jadida, Morocco
1 Laboratory of Venoms and Toxins, Pasteur Institute of Morocco, 1 Place Louis Pasteur, Casablanca 20360, Morocco
2 Laboratory of Odontological Biomaterials and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco
3 Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry, Environment, Nutrition and Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hassan II University of Casablanca, B.P 5696, Casablanca, Morocco
* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Morocco has a rich and diverse fauna of scorpions. However, certain regions such as Boulaouane remain underdocumented despite their importance for public health. Against this backdrop, our research aims to describe the local fauna of scorpions and evaluate the potential risks of envenomation. Systematic surveys were conducted in four distinct habitats, combining nocturnal UV detection with diurnal manual collection. The collected specimens were taxonomically identified, and their distribution analyzed in relation to environmental factors.
A total of 56 specimens belonging to the families Scorpionidae and Buthidae were collected. Scorpio maurus (36%) was the most commonly reported species in the region, with limited medical significance, while Buthus occitanus (16%) and Androctonus mauritanicus (12%) were unevenly distributed but were known to be responsible for the most serious cases of envenomation, particularly in children. These results provide essential reference data for assessing localized risks, developing antivenom production strategies, and guiding public health management in Morocco.
Key words: Scorpion biodiversity / Boulaouane / Morocco / envenomation risk / Androctonus mauretanicus / Buthus occitanus / Scorpio maurus / venom variability / public health
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2026
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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