Soil type and temperature reveal where the world's deadliest scorpions live

A hidden public health crisis measured in millions of stings per year

More than 2 million people are stung by scorpions each year. For most, the encounter means pain and localized swelling. For others - especially children and older adults - scorpion venom delivers a systemic assault that can be lethal within hours. Globally, scorpion stings kill an estimated 3,000 children annually, a toll that receives little of the international attention directed at other vector-borne diseases.

Central Morocco sits near the center of this crisis. It is one of the most severe global hotspots for scorpion envenomation, and it served as the study site for new research from an international team at the University of Galway and University Ibn Zohr in Agadir. Their analysis, published in Environmental Research Communications, identifies the specific environmental conditions that determine where the most dangerous species concentrate - findings that could guide prevention efforts across the tropical and subtropical belt where scorpion stings pose the greatest risk.

Mapping danger with soil and temperature data

The research team used a combination of systematic field observations and a computer-mapping technique called Maximum Entropy modeling, which predicts species distributions based on known occurrence locations and environmental variables. The approach is widely used in conservation biology, but applying it to medically significant arachnids for public health purposes represents a relatively new application.

The analysis revealed a striking organizing principle: soil type largely determines where most scorpion species are found. For certain species, temperature - both average values and seasonal range - plays an additional structuring role. These variables are available globally from satellite and remote sensing databases, meaning the modeling approach is not limited to regions where detailed field data already exist.

Not all scorpions behave alike, the study found. Some species show broad, adaptable distributions spread across varied habitat conditions. Others have extremely restricted predicted ranges, suggesting narrow habitat requirements and concentrated risk zones. For these highly localized species, the modeling approach can identify specific geographic areas where envenomation risk is highest and where targeted intervention would have the greatest impact.

From maps to medicine

"The findings could save lives. By pinpointing where dangerous scorpions are most likely to appear, health authorities can target awareness campaigns, train frontline medical staff, and focus community prevention in high-risk areas, especially protecting children," said Dr. Michel Dugon, Head of the Venom Systems Lab at the University of Galway and senior author of the study. "The approach can be applied wherever scorpions pose a threat, from Brazil to the Middle East and India."

The medical challenge the study is trying to address is partly one of identification. When scorpion sting patients arrive at emergency departments, medical teams frequently cannot determine which species was responsible. Antivenoms exist for a range of species, but they are not interchangeable - administering an antivenom designed for one species against the venom of another provides little protection. Knowing which species are present in a given area, and where their distributions overlap with human settlements, is a prerequisite for stocking the right treatments in the right locations.

Fouad Salhi, doctoral researcher at the University Ibn Zohr and first author of the study, emphasized the real-world goals: "This research shows how biodiversity data can inform public health policies. By combining long-term fieldwork with ecological modelling, we were able to identify where dangerous scorpions are most likely to occur. We aim to have real-world impact - supporting prevention strategies, improving medical preparedness, and ultimately contributing to the reduction of the burden of scorpion stings, both in Morocco and beyond."

Extending the method beyond Morocco

Central Morocco provided a useful test case because of the quality of field data available - the result of systematic sampling conducted by researchers from both universities, including University of Galway undergraduate zoology students who travel to Morocco annually as part of their degree program. But the method's value lies precisely in its applicability to regions where that kind of detailed ground-level data does not yet exist.

Using only globally available environmental datasets - soil classification maps, temperature records, and other habitat variables accessible from public databases - the team demonstrated that high-risk zones can be identified without requiring exhaustive local specimen surveys. This is significant for tropical regions where scorpion sting burden is high but ecological data on species distributions remains sparse.

Dugon acknowledged the broader gaps in knowledge the research is working against: "Overall, we know very little about the ecology of scorpions, their venom and the best way to treat scorpion stings. Our international collaborative efforts aim to develop new tools for the prevention, diagnostic and treatment of scorpion stings globally. This requires multidisciplinary teams including public health specialists, clinicians, zoologists and members of local communities."