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110-562: The area of Durango is 123,451.2 km or 12.3 million ha; this accounts for about 6.3% of the entire territory of Mexico. It is the fourth largest state, lying at the extreme northwest of the Central Mexican Plateau , where it meets the Sierra Madre Occidental —the highest peaks in the state. The state has an average elevation of 1,775 meters above sea level, with a mean elevation of 1,750 m in

220-507: A 17-centimeter one was found in 1963. Images of the animal appear drawn or etched into a variety of objects, but since the 1980s, the city of Durango has promoted souvenirs which have real dead scorpions encased in plastic. The arachnids are also cooked and served as a delicacy in markets such as Gomez in the capital. However, they were not traditionally eaten. Durango's soccer team is called the Scorpions. The state likes to promote itself as

330-460: A Pueblo Mágico. The most important mine is Ojuela, now famous for its hanging bridge which connects the town with the mine, separated by an extremely deep ravine. It one of the largest of its kind in the Americas. Nazas has a house that Benito Juárez slept in while he was here. Probably the best-known tourist product of the state relates to scorpions. In the 1980s, a number of entrepreneurs turned

440-467: A defensive posture. Some species stridulate to warn off predators by rubbing certain hairs, the stinger or the claws. Certain species have a preference for using either the claws or stinger as defense, depending on the size of the appendages. A few scorpions, such as Parabuthus , Centruroides margaritatus , and Hadrurus arizonensis , squirt venom in a narrow jet as far as 1 meter (3.3 ft) to warn off potential predators, possibly injuring them in

550-417: A ladder-like configuration; they contain cysts which produce spermatozoa . Both tubes end in a spermiduct , one on each side of the mesosoma. They connect to glandular symmetrical structures called paraxial organs, which end at the genital orifice. These secrete chitin -based structures which come together to form the spermatophore . The "tail" or metasoma consists of five segments and the telson , which

660-622: A large number of bird species. At higher elevations, between 600 and 1200 meters, the vegetation changes to pine forests and the climate is more temperate. This area has had the most human habitation and agriculture. When the Jesuits arrived to the Quebradas, they introduced the grazing of cattle and large-scale farming of corn, sugar cane and fruit trees. In the hotter and wetter areas, they introduced bananas, cherimoyas, guavas , zapotes, plums, avocados, oranges and other types of citrus. However,

770-529: A sclerotized plate called the tergite . Ventrally , somites 3 to 7 are armored with matching plates called sternites . The ventral side of somite 1 has a pair of genital opercula covering the gonopore . Sternite 2 forms the basal plate bearing the pectines , which function as sensory organs. The next four somites, 3 to 6, all bear pairs of spiracles . They serve as openings for the scorpion's respiratory organs, known as book lungs . The spiracle openings may be slits, circular, elliptical or oval according to

880-492: A scorpion can tolerate high osmotic pressure in its blood. Desert scorpions get most of their moisture from the food they eat but some can absorb water from the humid soil. Species that live in denser vegetation and in more moderate temperatures will drink water on plants and in puddles. A scorpion uses its stinger both for killing prey and defense. Some species make direct, quick strikes with their tails while others make slower, more circular strikes which can more easily return

990-413: A scorpion is in the back of the cephalothorax, just above the esophagus . As in other arachnids, the nervous system is highly concentrated in the cephalothorax, but has a long ventral nerve cord with segmented ganglia which may be a primitive trait. The pedipalp is a segmented, clawed appendage used for prey immobilization, defense and sensory purposes. The segments of the pedipalp (from closest to

1100-429: A shelter underneath stones a few centimeters long. Some may use burrows made by other animals including spiders, reptiles and small mammals. Other species dig their own burrows which vary in complexity and depth. Hadrurus species dig burrows as over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) deep. Digging is done using the mouth parts, claws and legs. In several species, particularly of the family Buthidae, individuals may gather in

1210-412: A sting. About 25 species (fewer than one percent ) have venom capable of killing a human, which happens frequently in the parts of the world where they live, primarily where access to medical treatment is unlikely. Scorpions appear in art, folklore, mythology, and commercial brands. Scorpion motifs are woven into kilim carpets for protection from their sting. Scorpius is the name of a constellation;

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1320-491: A variety of prey though some may be highly specialized; Isometroides vescus specializes on burrowing spiders. Prey size depends on the size of the species. Several scorpion species are sit-and-wait predators , which involves them waiting for prey at or near the entrance to their burrow. Others actively seek them out. Scorpions detect their prey with mechanoreceptive and chemoreceptive hairs on their bodies and capture them with their claws. Small animals are merely killed with

1430-616: A very low metabolic rate , and a relatively inactive lifestyle. This enables some to survive six to twelve months of starvation. Most scorpions reproduce sexually, with male and female individuals; species in some genera, such as Hottentotta and Tityus , and the species Centruroides gracilis , Liocheles australasiae , and Ananteris coineaui have been reported, not necessarily reliably, to reproduce through parthenogenesis , in which unfertilized eggs develop into living embryos . Receptive females produce pheromones which are picked up by wandering males using their pectines to comb

1540-482: A wide range of environmental conditions, and can be found on all continents except Antarctica . There are over 2,500 described species , with 22 extant (living) families recognized to date. Their taxonomy is being revised to account for 21st-century genomic studies. Scorpions primarily prey on insects and other invertebrates , but some species hunt vertebrates . They use their pincers to restrain and kill prey, or to prevent their own predation. The venomous sting

1650-796: Is a pioneer for the reintroduction of the critically endangered Mexican grey wolf . The Tecuan National Forest is in the Quebradas. As a rural state, traditional agriculture is still the main economic activity for most of the population, despite only ten percent of the land being suitable for crops, and only fifteen percent being suitable for pasture. The main crops include corn, beans, chilli peppers, apples, alfalfa, and sorghum. Fruits such as apples and pears are grown in Canatlán, Nuevo Ideal and Guatimapé; nuts in Nazas and San Juan del Rio; and membrillo, apricots and peaches in Nombre de Dios. Most agriculture

1760-485: Is a rural state. It is sparsely populated. The three main cities contain almost 65% of the total population (Durango – 35%, Gomez Palacio 20.1% and Lerdo 8.6%). The remaining 35% of the population is scattered among 37 small urban centers and 5,757 villages of less than 2,500 inhabitants. Ninety-one percent of these have less than 250 residents. The state is associated with elements of the wild frontier: banditry, Revolutionary battles, mining and drug traffic. It claims to be

1870-567: Is a syncretism of indigenous and Catholic beliefs. The most important type of ceremony is the mitote or xibtal , which centers on dance around a bonfire accompanied by one-stringed instruments. They are most common at the beginning and end of the agricultural cycle. For patron saint days, cattle are usually sacrificed for feasting, accompanied by the dance of the Matachines and violin music. The second-largest indigenous group in Durango

1980-399: Is based on Soleglad and Fet (2003), which replaced Stockwell's older, unpublished classification. Further taxonomic changes are from papers by Soleglad et al. (2005). The extant taxa to the rank of family (numbers of species in parentheses ) are: Scorpions are found on all continents except Antarctica . The diversity of scorpions is greatest in subtropical areas; it decreases toward

2090-440: Is basketry and other items made with stiff fibers. These include baskets proper, carrying nets or bags, petites, sombreros, furniture and decorative items made from ixtle, wicker, mesquite roots, reeds, pine needles, pine strips and cactus ribs. Textile work is produced all over the state, using cotton, ixtle , lechugilla and wool usually to make clothing. Cloth made with both backstrap and pedal looms are found frequently, but

2200-640: Is concentrated in the Valleys region, in particular, the municipalities of Guadalupe Victoria and Poanas. This is also the area with the highest profit agriculture. It is supported by its three main rivers: the Florida, the Alto Nazas, and the Tunal-Mezquital, which have been dammed primarily for agricultural purposes. Pastures in this area support large herds of cattle, much of which are exported to

2310-503: Is covered in forest with under five percent covered in rainforest. The state ranks second in Mexico in expanses of temperate forest land areas with 4.9 million ha. It is the country's main timber producer and the largest timber stock, estimated at 410,833,340 m. Its output accounts to between 20 and 30% of Mexico's total, producing mostly pine (73.3%) and oak. Although 18 municipalities have forestry operations, six account for just under 80% of

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2420-846: Is defined by two rivers: the Nazas and the Aguanaval . The region has two reservoirs: the Lázaro Cárdenas (Palmito) and the Francisco Zarco (Tórtolas), located between the Cuencamé and Lerdo municipalities. Animals that can be found here include coyotes , gavilanes ( sparrowhawks ), various snakes , owls , chameleons , tarantulas and scorpions . Most of the economically important natural resources come from mining, including deposits of gold , silver , iron and mercury . There are also large deposits of marble. The La Laguna

2530-538: Is flat and its climate is dry. Temperatures are cold in the winter and hot in the summer. These municipalities are classified as either part of the Chihuahua Desert or in the transition zone. The area is relatively flat with some mountain ranges and a slight incline towards the interior of the country. The area was at one time under the sea, but today the vegetation consists of scrub, nopal cactus, maguey plants, barrel cactus and other arid zone plants. It

2640-503: Is home to its biggest metro areas of Guadalajara , León , Querétaro , Morelia , Mexico City , Toluca , Cuernavaca , and Puebla . The Mesa del Norte or northern plateau averages 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) in elevation above mean sea level and extends south from the Rio Grande (Río Bravo del Norte) through the states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Durango , Zacatecas and San Luis Potosí . Various narrow, isolated ridges cross

2750-866: Is into the clades Buthida and Iurida. The Bothriuridae diverged starting before temperate Gondwana broke up into separate land masses, completed by the Jurassic . The Iuroidea and Chactoidea are both seen not to be single clades, and are shown as " paraphyletic " (with quotation marks) in this 2018 cladogram. Chaeriloidea [REDACTED] Pseudochactoidea [REDACTED] Buthoidea [REDACTED] " Iuroidea " (part) Bothriuroidea [REDACTED] " Chactoidea " (part) " Iuroidea " (part) " Chactoidea " (part) Scorpionoidea [REDACTED] Carl Linnaeus described six species of scorpion in his genus Scorpio in 1758 and 1767; three of these are now considered valid and are called Scorpio maurus , Androctonus australis , and Euscorpius carpathicus ;

2860-584: Is mostly covered by deserts and xeric shrublands , with pine-oak forests covering the surrounding mountain ranges and forming sky islands on some of the interior ranges. The Mexican Altiplano is one of six distinct physiographic sections of the Basin and Range Province , which in turn is part of the Intermontane Plateaus physiographic division. In phytogeography , the Sonoran Desert

2970-421: Is not strictly a segment. The five segments are merely body rings; they lack apparent sterna or terga, and become larger distally. These segments have keels, setae and bristles which may be used for taxonomic classification. The anus is at the distal and ventral end of the last segment, and is encircled by four anal papillae and the anal arch. The tails of some species contain light receptors. The telson includes

3080-467: Is rugged with freezing temperatures in the winter and snow in the higher elevations. There is also a rainy season in the summer. The vegetation in the Sierra region is mostly pine–oak forest , consisting of pines , oak , cedar , and strawberry trees as well as grasslands . The fauna includes deer , pumas , coyotes , foxes , badgers and wild turkeys . Fish such as bass and catfish are found in

3190-450: Is short for La Comarca de la Laguna (the region of the lake) or Comarca Lagunera (region of lakes), an arid and semi-arid region that covers a significant portion of northeastern Durango and southeastern Coahuila. The area was created by sediments from torrential river flows deposited over large valleys. These river flows also created lagoons which served to recharge underground aquifers or remain as intermittent surface waters. Originally,

3300-793: Is still done by hand, often using crude wheels and local deposits of clay. The clays vary by region including the kaolin found in Peñón Blanco and Cuencamé. Those found in the Guadiana Valley produce cream tones. Green, red and white clays are found all over the state depending on the other minerals found in the soil of the area. There are a number of notable artisans who produced glazed pieces, including José Trinidad (Trino) Núñez and Rafael del Campo. Other important artisans include Margarito Palacios, Santos Vega and Catarino González. In Gómez Palacios and Ciudad Lerdo, there are some workshops doing high-fire work. The next most-widely done work

3410-485: Is subdivided into a broad anterior portion, the mesosoma or pre-abdomen, and a narrow tail-like posterior, the metasoma or post-abdomen. External differences between the sexes are not obvious in most species. In some, the metasoma is more elongated in males than females. The cephalothorax comprises the carapace , eyes, chelicerae (mouth parts), pedipalps (which have chelae , commonly called claws or pincers) and four pairs of walking legs . Scorpions have two eyes on

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3520-615: Is the romanization of the Greek σκορπίος  – skorpíos , with no native IE etymology (cfr. Arabic ʕaqrab 'scorpion', Proto-Germanic *krabbô 'crab'). Scorpion fossils have been found in many strata , including marine Silurian and estuarine Devonian deposits, coal deposits from the Carboniferous Period and in amber . Whether the early scorpions were marine or terrestrial has been debated, and while they had book lungs like modern terrestrial species,

3630-566: Is the Huichol. Their communities are found on the edges of the state that border with Nayarit and Jalisco, where the Huichol are more numerous. The Huichol here identify with those in the other states, there is no separation. The Mexicaneros are the remnants of the indigenous brought by the Spanish from central Mexico to colonize the region. Today, only a small number survive in the communities of San Agustín de Buenaventura and San Pedro Jícaras in

3740-423: Is then sucked into the gut in liquid form. Any solid indigestible matter (such as exoskeleton fragments) is trapped by setae in the pre-oral cavity and ejected. The sucked-in food is pumped into the midgut by the pharynx , where it is further digested. The waste passes through the hindgut and out of the anus. Scorpions can consume large amounts of food during one meal. They have an efficient food storage organ and

3850-507: Is used for offense and defense. During courtship, the male and female grasp each other's pincers and dance while he tries to move her onto his sperm packet . All known species give live birth and the female cares for the young as their exoskeletons harden, transporting them on her back. The exoskeleton contains fluorescent chemicals and glows under ultraviolet light. The vast majority of species do not seriously threaten humans, and healthy adults usually do not need medical treatment after

3960-729: Is within the Sonoran Floristic Province of the Madrean Region in southwestern North America , part of the Holarctic realm of the northern Western Hemisphere . While the plateau stretches from north to south, the southern east-west arc of the Central Mexican Plateau from Jalisco to Veracruz states historically as well as today has served as the population nexus of the Mexican nation, it

4070-832: The Nazas , Florido and Tunal Rivers. Reservoirs for this purpose include the Santiaguillo, Guatimapé and Refugio Salcido. It has large areas with grass, huizache , sabinos and poplar trees . There is a shallow wetland area called the Guatimapé, or Santiguillo. It provides vital habitat for flocks of migrating birds in winter, especially cranes , geese and ducks . Around this lake, there are Mennonite communities who are noted for their cheeses and cured meats. The region also provides habitat for coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, foxes, geese and ducks. The rivers contain fish such as catfish, bass, carp and tilapia. The area also has hot springs due to tectonic activity. The best known springs are

4180-414: The grasshopper mouse and desert long-eared bat , which are also immune to their venom. In one study, 70% of the latter's droppings contained scorpion fragments. Scorpions host parasites including mites , scuttle flies , nematodes and some bacteria. The immune system of scorpions gives them resistance to infection by many types of bacteria. When threatened, a scorpion raises its claws and tail in

4290-463: The littoral zone of rivers in Romania, occupy specialized niches. Scorpions range in size from the 8.5 mm (0.33 in) Typhlochactas mitchelli of Typhlochactidae, to the 23 cm (9.1 in) Heterometrus swammerdami of Scorpionidae. The body of a scorpion is divided into two parts or tagmata : the cephalothorax or prosoma , and the abdomen or opisthosoma . The opisthosoma

4400-535: The tundra , high-altitude taiga , and mountain tops. The highest altitude reached by a scorpion is 5,500 meters (18,000 ft) in the Andes, for Orobothriurus crassimanus . As regards microhabitats , scorpions may be ground-dwelling, tree-loving , rock-loving or sand-loving . Some species, such as Vaejovis janssi , are versatile and are found in all habitats on Socorro Island , Baja California , while others such as Euscorpius carpathicus , endemic to

4510-447: The vesicle , which contains a symmetrical pair of venom glands . Externally it bears the curved stinger, the hypodermic aculeus, equipped with sensory hairs. Each of the venom glands has its own duct to convey its secretion along the aculeus from the bulb of the gland to immediately near of the tip, where each of the paired ducts has its own venom pore. An extrinsic muscle system in the tail moves it forward and propels and penetrates with

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4620-690: The "Tierra del Cine" (Land of the Movies) due to its history of the making of Hollywood western. Today, some film and TV is still shot here. Although a number of the state's indigenous ethnicities disappeared with the coming of the Spanish, there are still a significant amount residing in the state, most still speaking Uto-Azteca languages. The four main ethnicities are Tepehuans (North and South), Huichols , Tarahumaras and Mexicaneros . The Mexicaneros speak Nahuatl . The Coras and Huichols speak languages named after their groups and are fairly closely related to Nahuatl. The Tepehuano and Tarahumara languages are of

4730-798: The Basís Quebrada on the Presidio River. The sinkholes and rock formations, such as the El Espinazo del Diablo , are visible from the old highway to Mazatlan. It is one of the most representative landscapes of northwest Mexico. Cerro Gordo is the highest point in the state and is considered sacred to both the Tepehuanes and the Huichol people. This area is home to the La Michilía Biosphere Reserve , which

4840-679: The Mesa del Norte and numerous depressions also dot the region, the largest of which is the Bolsón de Mapimí . The Río Bravo del Norte and its tributary, the Río Conchos , drain portions of the northern plateau, and the Río Pánuco and its tributaries drain the southeastern corner. Both drain to the Gulf of Mexico . Much of the northern plateau comprises internal drainage basins that do not drain to

4950-546: The Pacific Ocean, impacting the local climate of the state. Las Quebradas region, located over the mountain chain and on the northwest of the state, has a humid subtropical climate . Excepting the highest elevations, the rest of the state has semi-arid and temperate climates. It is hot and dry in the East, with some temperate areas existing at higher elevations. Most of the state is mountainous and heavily forested, with

5060-580: The Pacific through the state of Sinaloa. Further south, the Acaponeta , San Pedro Mezquital , and Huaynamota rivers flow southwest through the state of Nayarit. The region, especially its ravines and canyons, is hot and humid. It receives the most rainfall in the state. There is greater diversity of flora and fauna in its rainforests compared to the desert regions of the state. Animal species include pumas, white-tailed deer, armadillos, badgers, iguanas and

5170-470: The Pima branch. Language preservation varies from communities in which the language dominates to those in which only vestiges remain. The Southern Tepehuans are the largest indigenous group in Durango. The name comes from Nahuatl and means "masters of the hills" or possibly "conquerors in battle." The Tepehuans call themselves o'dam , which means "those who inhabit." Indigenous resistance to Spanish colonization

5280-472: The Quebradas. Most forest land in the state is held by collectives called ejidos, but these have trouble competing with cheaper imported timber. Minerals were the initial draw to the area for the Spanish, the heyday for this activity was the 18th century as most of the state's historical landmarks can attest. However, mining continues to be an important economic activity. Durango is one of Mexico's leading producers of gold. There are deposits of gold and silver in

5390-722: The San Jacinto in the Silla Mountains and Peñon Blanco, which many schoolchildren in the area take trips to. Other major geographical formations in the Valleys Region include cliffs called Las Catedrales, along with those called Malpaís and La Breña, which were formed by lava flows over 250,000 hectares. The area is also home to the Cerro de Mercado which is important for its large deposit of iron . The valleys proper are flat and suitable for farming, with irrigation from

5500-525: The Semi-desert. The Semi-desert (sometimes called the Bolsón de Mapimí ) is located in the northeast of the state and includes the municipalities of Hidalgo , Mapimí (including the Silent Zone , Tlahualilo , San Pedro del Gallo , San Luis del Cordero , Nazas , Lerdo , Gómez Palacio , Cuencamé , Santa Clara , General Simón Bolívar and San Juan de Guadalupe . Most of the terrain here

5610-487: The Sierra Madre Occidental covering around two-thirds of the state. Like much of northern Mexico, the state has worked to reforest the degraded forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental. Reforesting efforts have focused on replanting native tree species, versus those used for wood production. However, the tree density in many areas is still too low, especially on the eastern slopes of

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5720-457: The Sierra Madre Occidental where tree poaching and clearing for agricultural activities is problematic. Many rivers begin in Durango, but lead into other Mexican states. Some of these rivers empty into the Pacific, or into the lake area of La Comarca, while one, the Florida, flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Ecologically, the state is divided into four regions: La Quebrada, the Sierra, the Valleys and

5830-408: The Sierra and Quebrada regions, most agriculture is subsistence for auto-consumption. Important crops include corn, beans, potatoes and oats. The Sierra is an important dairy producer, with its cheese notable in the state. In Las Quebradas, rivers are an important source of fish, especially trout and catfish. Today, forestry has great importance economically and politically. About 41% of the territory

5940-454: The Sierra region, San Dimas, Otáez and Topia. The Valleys region has deposits of gold, silver, iron and mercury. Most of the state's commerce is related to agriculture and mining. Gomez Palacio is home to most of the state's industry. There are factories which make cars, textiles, clothes, soap, oils, cookies, pasta and more. Food process, especially of chicken and dairy is important here as well. Durango's main source of income from outside

6050-550: The United States. Sheep and goats are also raised here. Despite its dry climate, another important agricultural area has been the La Laguna region. Cotton was the main commodity crop of the La Laguna from the late 19th century to the 1970s. While some cotton and other crops such as alfalfa, wheat, grapes, sorghum and corn are grown, it is limited to areas along the Nazas and Aguanaval rivers that provide irrigation. Most of

6160-446: The Valleys region and 2,450 m in the Sierra region. The city of Durango is on the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental, with an elevation of 1,857 m. Durango is landlocked, bordered by Chihuahua , Coahuila , Zacatecas , Nayarit and Sinaloa . It is divided into 39 municipalities, based on the 1917 Constitution of Mexico , and several additional divisions have been made since. The Sierra Madre Occidental blocks moisture from

6270-559: The Zape, Atotonilco and the Hervideros. The area is home to the state capital of Durango and many former haciendas that attest to the area's agricultural history. The Sierra region is in the west of the state. It includes the municipalities of Guanaceví , Tepehuanes , and parts of Santiago Papasquiaro , Topia , Canelas , Otáez , Tamazula , San Dimas , Pueblo Nuevo , Mezquital , Durango , Ocampo and San Bernardo . The terrain

6380-417: The aculeus, while an intrinsic muscle system attached to the glands pumps venom through the stinger into the intended victim. The stinger contains metalloproteins with zinc, hardening the tip. The optimal stinging angle is around 30 degrees relative to the tip. Most scorpion species are nocturnal or crepuscular , finding shelter during the day in burrows, cracks in rocks and tree bark. Many species dig

6490-606: The agricultural land is in the municipalities of Gómez Palacios, Lerdo and Tlahualilo, part of the Lagunera region. Tlahualilo is also known for the production of watermelon and other melons. The rest of the land is too dry. Livestock is another important activity raising sheep, goats, cattle and chickens. In 1936, Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas expropriated 225 profitable haciendas in the La Laguna region to create agricultural collectives called " ejidos ." However, this effort failed to significantly improve life for poor farmers in

6600-517: The animal into an unofficial symbol of state pride. Most are sold encased in acrylic and mounted on knickknacks such as ashtrays, napkin holders, keychains, earrings, wood boxes and wall mountings. These objects dominate tourist markets such as the Gomez market in Durango City. One reason for the limited economic development has been the limited transportation and other communications. The railroad

6710-467: The arrival of the train in the city of Durango. The first movie set was constructed in 1922 in the former La Trinidad hacienda just outside the city of Durango, which made three movies. In 1954, 20th century Fox filmed the movie White Feather (La Ley del Bravo) with Robert Wagner and Debra Paget . It was the first Hollywood feature to be shot in the state, followed closely by Robber's Roost (Antro de ladrones) by United Artists. The two films mark

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6820-537: The beginning of a movie industry that continues to the present day, although its heyday was in the 1960s and 1970s. The attractions for Hollywood here were the landscapes and the lighting. The first are similar to those of the Old West and the latter due to the climate. From 1954 to 1964, thirteen major productions were shot here and attracted stars such as Burt Lancaster , Audrey Hepburn , Charlton Heston , Maureen O'Hara and John Wayne who worked on films directed by

6930-495: The birthplace of Francisco Villa. For its history, Durango has been both a frontier and central Mexican entity, especially the city. During the colonial period, Durango eventually became one of the main cities of New Spain in part because it was both part of the center and periphery of the territory. One distinction the city has from other colonial cities is that it was not founded on or near a former indigenous population center. The indigenous here were (and are) distinct from those in

7040-596: The body outward) are coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia (including the fixed claw and the manus) and tarsus (moveable claw). A scorpion has darkened or granular raised linear ridges, called "keels" or "carinae" on the pedipalp segments and on other parts of the body; these are useful as taxonomic characters . Unlike those of some other arachnids, the legs have not been modified for other purposes, though they may occasionally be used for digging, and females may use them to catch emerging young. The legs are covered in proprioceptors , bristles and sensory setae . Depending on

7150-402: The center and south culturally. True to its dangerous reputation, the best-known animal of the state is the scorpion. The sting was possibly fatal in the past but the availability of antidote today makes this very rare. One reason why the creatures are so abundant is that the Sierra Madre Occidental make for perfect breeding grounds. Most scorpions range in size from one to twelve centimeters but

7260-445: The center of the state and include the municipalities of Nombre de Dios , Durango , Nuevo Ideal , Canatlán , Guadalupe Victoria , Pánuco de Coronado , Poanas , Súchil , Vicente Guerrero , Ocampo , San Bernardo , Indé , Coneto de Comonfort , El Oro , Rodeo , San Juan del Río and Peñón Blanco . The region consists principally of river valleys and plains located among small mountain ranges. The main peaks in this area include

7370-458: The chamber to refill. The 7th and last somite does not bear appendages or any other significant external structures. The mesosoma contains the heart or "dorsal vessel" which is the center of the scorpion's open circulatory system . The heart is continuous with a deep arterial system which spreads throughout the body. Sinuses return deoxygenated blood ( hemolymph ) to the heart; the blood is re-oxygenated by cardiac pores. The mesosoma also contains

7480-680: The city, including the Ganot-Peschard Museum of Archeology , which is recognized by the National Institute of Anthropology and History as a site of historical significance. In Súchil, the former hacienda of El Mortero was the home of the Count of the Valley of Súchil and is one of the state's major examples of colonial architecture. The town of Mapimí has conserved its traditional urban layout which has permitted it to become

7590-401: The claws, particularly by large-clawed species. Larger and more aggressive prey is given a sting. Scorpions, like other arachnids, digest their food externally. The chelicerae, which are very sharp, are used to pull small amounts of food off the prey item into a pre-oral cavity below the chelicerae and carapace. The digestive juices from the gut are egested onto the food, and the digested food

7700-529: The corresponding astrological sign is Scorpio . A classical myth about Scorpius tells how the giant scorpion and its enemy Orion became constellations on opposite sides of the sky. The word scorpion originated in Middle English between 1175 and 1225 AD from Old French scorpion , or from Italian scorpione , both derived from the Latin scorpio , equivalent to scorpius , which

7810-485: The difficulty of crossing the mountains to the more prosperous Valleys region limited the economy here. Las Quebradas has mineral deposits, principally silver with some gold. Most of these deposits are found in an area that extends from the Humaya River to San Diego. During the 18th century, a number of royal mines were in operation here. They have been worked intermittently since them, with the last major activity in

7920-478: The eastern portion of the southern plateau. The Central Mexican matorral covers much of the southern plateau, with the subtropical Bajío dry forests occupying the lower portions of the Lerma–Río Grande de Santiago basin. Higher altitudes are covered by pine–oak woodlands , with oak woodlands and forests at lower elevations, and mixed pine–oak and conifer forests up to the tree line of the volcanoes that surround

8030-431: The extreme changes in temperature from day to night or between seasons; Pectinibuthus birulai lives in a temperature range of −30–50 °C (−22–122 °F). Scorpions that live outside deserts prefer lower temperatures. The ability to resist cold may be related to the increase in the sugar trehalose when the temperature drops. Some species hibernate . Scorpions appear to have resistance to ionizing radiation . This

8140-600: The eyes. Some Ananteris species can shed parts of their tail to escape predators. The parts do not grow back, leaving them unable to sting and defecate, but they can still catch small prey and reproduce for at least eight months afterward. Scorpions generally prey on insects, particularly grasshoppers , crickets , termites , beetles and wasps . Other prey include spiders, solifugids , woodlice and even small vertebrates including lizards, snakes and mammals. Species with large claws may prey on earthworms and mollusks. The majority of species are opportunistic and consume

8250-595: The far north of Durango. The Coras have some presence in communities near the Northern Tepehuanos, although they are more numerous in Nayarit and Jalisco. The Northern Tepehuanos are profoundly religious but language and culture is not significantly different from those in the south. The craft items of the state are very similar to those of Zacatecas and Chihuahua. Most of the items made are utilitarian and ceremonial. They are less known compared to those of

8360-572: The late 19th and early 20th century. The deposits attracted Europeans, displacing the native Acaxes , Xiximes and other indigenous groups, whose numbers fell with the introduction of European diseases. Many of the towns in this area including Félix de Tamazula, Valle de Topia, Santa Veracruz de Topia, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Siánori, Santa María de Otáez and San José de Canelas began as mining towns. The mountains over 3,000 meters above sea level are dominated by dramatic landscapes, including waterfalls, old-growth pine forests and ravines, such as

8470-784: The late 19th century in Sheerness in England at 51°N, while Paruroctonus boreus lives as far north as Red Deer, Alberta , at 52°N. A few species are on the IUCN Red List ; Lychas braueri is classed as critically endangered (2014), Isometrus deharvengi as endangered (2016) and Chiromachus ochropus as vulnerable (2014). Scorpions are xerocoles , meaning they primarily live in deserts , but they can be found in virtually every terrestrial habitat including high-elevation mountains, caves, and intertidal zones . They are largely absent from boreal ecosystems such as

8580-526: The likes of John Huston and Sam Peckinpah . Between 1965 and 1973, John Wayne alone worked on seven films including the Sons of Katie Elder . During the 1970s a total of 86 films was shot here. Forty-three were U.S. productions; 33 were Mexican productions and nine where collaborations between the two countries. To date, over 130 films have been shot here both because of the Western-type landscapes and

8690-417: The middle and south of the country. Many craft items are still important to local cultures and identities. The most widespread and developed handcraft in the state is pottery, found in just about all of the territory. All of the indigenous groups produce pottery, almost all for utilitarian and ceremonial purposes. There is more modern and varied pottery and ceramics in southern Durango, especially in and around

8800-673: The modern clades Chactoidea and Buthoidea respectively, indicating that the crown group of modern scorpions had emerged by this time. The Scorpiones are a clade within the pulmonate Arachnida (those with book lungs). Arachnida is placed within the Chelicerata , a subphylum of Arthropoda that contains sea spiders and horseshoe crabs , alongside terrestrial animals without book lungs such as ticks and harvestmen . The extinct Eurypterida , sometimes called sea scorpions, though they were not all marine, are not scorpions; their grasping pincers were chelicerae , not homologous with

8910-691: The most basal such as Eramoscorpius were likely still aquatic. Over 100 fossil species of scorpion have been described. The oldest found as of 2021 is Dolichophonus loudonensis , which lived during the Silurian, in present-day Scotland. Gondwanascorpio from the Devonian is among the earliest-known terrestrial animals on the Gondwana supercontinent. Some Palaeozoic scorpions possessed compound eyes similar to those of eurypterids. The Triassic fossils Protochactas and Protobuthus belong to

9020-528: The most-commonly made items are knitted. Embroidery is also widespread. Mexican Plateau The Central Mexican Plateau , also known as the Mexican Altiplano ( Spanish : Altiplano mexicano ), is a large arid-to-semiarid plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico . Averaging 1,825 m (5,988 ft) above sea level, it extends from the United States border in

9130-447: The municipality of Mezquital. This is a mixed ethnic zone and they live near groups of Tepehuanos and Huichols who have traditionally been their enemies. Their presence as a community was practically unknown until the academic work of Honrad T. Preuss in the late 19th century. More recent studies of the people have been carried out by Neyra Patricia Alvarado. The Tarahumaras are mostly in the state of Chihuahua but there are communities in

9240-508: The natural light. The state is still called La Tierra del Cine (Land of the Cinema) although movie production here has waned with the decline of westerns starting in the 1980s. Many of the old sets are still standing, if not used, and some have been converted into tourist attractions, and one has been converted into a real town. Tourism is a small industry here, despite the state's natural resources and history. The government has worked to promote

9350-720: The north to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in the south, and is bounded by the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre Oriental to the west and east, respectively. A low east-west mountain range in the state of Zacatecas divides the plateau into northern and southern sections. These two sections, called the Northern Plateau ( Mesa del Norte ) and Central Plateau ( Mesa Central ), are now generally regarded by geographers as sections of one plateau. The Mexican Plateau

9460-554: The northern border as well as both coasts. As the nearest seaport, trade and travel to Mazatlan have always been important to the state. The port has been a source for luxury goods since the colonial period, generally paid for with silver mined in the state. The Interoceanic Highway now connects the state with both coasts, and cuts travel time to three hours, less than half what it was before. Newspapers of Durango include: Contacto Hoy , Diario de Durango , El Siglo de Durango , El Sol de Durango, and Victoria de Durango. Durango

9570-483: The order Scorpiones in 1837. He divided it into four families, the six-eyed scorpions "Scorpionides", the eight-eyed scorpions "Buthides", the ten-eyed scorpions "Centrurides", and the twelve-eyed scorpions "Androctonides". More recently, some twenty-two families containing over 2,500 species of scorpions have been described, with many additions and much reorganization of taxa in the 21st century. There are over 100 described taxa of fossil scorpions. This classification

9680-504: The other three are dubious names. He placed the scorpions among his "Insecta aptera" (wingless insects), a group that included Crustacea, Arachnida and Myriapoda . In 1801, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck divided up the "Insecta aptera", creating the taxon Arachnides for spiders, scorpions, and acari (mites and ticks), though it also contained the Thysanura , Myriapoda and parasites such as lice. German arachnologist Carl Ludwig Koch created

9790-621: The pincers (second appendages) of scorpions. Scorpiones is sister to the Tetrapulmonata , a terrestrial group of pulmonates containing the spiders and whip scorpions. This 2019 cladogram summarizes: Pycnogonida (sea spiders) [REDACTED] Xiphosura (horseshoe crabs) [REDACTED] † Eurypterida (sea scorpions) [REDACTED] ( ticks , harvestmen , etc) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Araneae (spiders) [REDACTED] Pedipalpi ( whip scorpions , etc) [REDACTED] Recent studies place pseudoscorpions as

9900-546: The poles and equator, though scorpions are found in the tropics. Scorpions did not occur naturally in Great Britain but were accidentally introduced by humans, and have now established a population. New Zealand , and some of the islands in Oceania , have in the past had small populations of introduced scorpions, but they were exterminated. Five colonies of Euscorpius flavicaudis have established themselves since

10010-402: The production. Most of the economy of the Sierra region revolves around forestry, including the sawmills and other wood processing facilities located there. Wood products from there are sold both in Durango and other parts of Mexico. They include plywood, furniture, shipping crates for agricultural products as well as pulp for paper. Most of this wood is pine but cedar is also cut in some areas of

10120-419: The region, often due to a lack of knowledge and technology, especially in the redistribution of water. The failure of this effort exacerbated the effects of droughts leading to crises in the 1950s and 1960s, only overcome with massive federal investment in hydraulic infrastructure, public works and industrialization. However, the effects of these works still have negative consequences for the La Laguna region. In

10230-402: The reproductive system. The female gonads are made of three or four tubes that run parallel to each other and are connected by two to four transverse anastomoses . These tubes are the sites for both oocyte formation and embryonic development. They connect to two oviducts which connect to a single atrium leading to the genital orifice. Males have two gonads made of two cylindrical tubes with

10340-514: The rivers supported habitat for native grasses, rush and ditch reed which provided habitat for various water birds and fish. The area is home to Durango's only caverns. The Rosario Caves (grutas) are located near Ciudad Lerdo , as well as the Mapimí Biosphere , noted for various plants and the desert tortoise. It is a highly protected area centering on where the states of Chihuahua, Coahuila and Durango meet. The Valleys are located in

10450-633: The rivers, along with various species of birds and reptiles. Most of the state's rivers originate in the mountains of this region. Las Quebradas is found in the far west of the state, including parts of Mezquital , Pueblo Nuevo , San Dimas , Otáez , Santiago Papasquiaro , Tamazula , Topia , Canelas and Tepehuanes . The region is subdivided by the rugged, western flank of the Sierra Madre. The terrain features deep ravines, canyons and fast-flowing rivers. The Humaya , Tamazula , Los Remedios, Piaxtla , Presidio , and Baluarte rivers flow west to

10560-550: The same shelter; bark scorpions may aggregate up to 30 individuals. In some species, families of females and young sometimes aggregate. Scorpions prefer areas where the temperature remains in the range of 11–40 °C (52–104 °F), but may survive temperatures from well below freezing to desert heat. Scorpions can withstand intense heat: Leiurus quinquestriatus , Scorpio maurus and Hadrurus arizonensis can live in temperatures of 45–50 °C (113–122 °F) if they are sufficiently hydrated. Desert species must deal with

10670-640: The sea. The Chihuahuan Desert extends across the northern portion of the northern plateau, while the Meseta Central matorral covers the central portion, and the Central Mexican matorral extends from the southern portion of the northern plateau across the southern plateau. The Mesa Central or southern plateau is higher than its northern counterpart, averaging 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation. The southern plateau contains numerous valleys originally formed by ancient lakes. It extends across

10780-478: The sister group of scorpions in the clade Panscorpiones, which together with Tetrapulmonata makes up the clade Arachnopulmonata. The internal phylogeny of the scorpions has been debated, but genomic analysis consistently places the Bothriuridae as sister to a clade consisting of Scorpionoidea and Chactoidea . The scorpions diversified between the Devonian and the early Carboniferous . The main division

10890-468: The southern and western edges. Scorpion see Taxonomy Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones . They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a stinger . The evolutionary history of scorpions goes back 435 million years . They mainly live in deserts but have adapted to

11000-408: The species, the legs may have spines and spurs. The mesosoma or preabdomen is the broad part of the opisthosoma. In the early stages of embryonic development the mesosoma consist of eight segments, but the first segment disappear before birth, so the mesosoma in scorpions actually consist of segments 2-8. These anterior seven somites (segments) of the opisthosoma are each covered dorsally by

11110-422: The species. There are thus four pairs of book lungs; each consists of some 140 to 150 thin lamellae filled with air inside a pulmonary chamber, connected on the ventral side to an atrial chamber which opens into a spiracle. Bristles hold the lamellae apart. A muscle opens the spiracle and widens the atrial chamber; dorsoventral muscles contract to compress the pulmonary chamber, forcing air out, and relax to allow

11220-443: The state capital in the municipalities of Durango, Poanas and Villa Unión. Common products include flower pots, jars, pots and cazuelas (large cooking vessels). The most decorative pottery is found in and around the city proper, with techniques such as pastillaje (laying small rolls or balls of clay over a pot before firing to make a raised design) and sgraffito , especially in the newer generations of pottery. Pottery production

11330-414: The state for tourism, but this is concentrated mostly on the capital (including the movie sets around the city), two other towns in the state and to some extent, ecotourism. There are many historic and tourist sites in the Valleys region, in particular in the city of Durango. The San Juan del Rio municipality has the house in which Francisco Villa was born. There are several important architectural sites in

11440-403: The state starting in the mid-20th century has been with the production of films. The first known filming in the state occurred when Thomas Edison sent producer James White and cameraman Fred Bleckynden here to film train rides, along with landscapes and scenes of daily life in 1897. The project produced six films, each fifty feet long and included bullfights, women washing clothes, road repair and

11550-651: The states of Aguascalientes , Jalisco , Zacatecas , Guanajuato , Querétaro , and Michoacán . Several of Mexico's most prominent cities, including Guadalajara, are located in the valleys of the southern plateau. Much of the southern plateau is drained by the Río Grande de Santiago and its tributaries, including the Río Lerma , which drain west into the Pacific Ocean . Tributaries of the Río Pánuco drain

11660-515: The stinger to a position where it can strike again. Leiurus quinquestriatus can whip its tail at a speed of up to 128 cm/s (50 in/s) in a defensive strike. Scorpions may be attacked by other arthropods like ants, spiders, solifugids and centipedes . Major predators include frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, and mammals. Meerkats are somewhat specialized in preying on scorpions, biting off their stingers and being immune to their venom. Other predators adapted for hunting scorpions include

11770-478: The top of the cephalothorax, and usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners of the cephalothorax. While unable to form sharp images, their central eyes are amongst the most light sensitive in the animal kingdom, especially in dim light, which makes it possible for nocturnal species to use starlight to navigate at night. The chelicerae are at the front and underneath the carapace. They are pincer-like and have three segments and sharp "teeth". The brain of

11880-427: Was an important development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but its benefits did not extend far past where the lines went. The state has one international airport serving the capital, which has limited flights to other major Mexican cities and to the United States. However, its geographical position is becoming a benefit, rather than a hindrance to economic development, with its proximity both to Mexico City and

11990-568: Was discovered in the early 1960s when scorpions were found to be among the few animals to survive nuclear tests at Reggane , Algeria. Desert scorpions have several adaptations for water conservation. They excrete insoluble compounds such as xanthine , guanine , and uric acid , not requiring water for their removal from the body. Guanine is the main component and maximizes the amount of nitrogen excreted. A scorpion's cuticle holds in moisture via lipids and waxes from epidermal glands, and protects against ultraviolet radiation . Even when dehydrated,

12100-560: Was particularly fierce there in the north. Eventually, Spanish might forced many to flee into the rugged mountains, where most of the indigenous communities still reside. It was this process that led to the northern and southern branches of the Tepehuan communities. Main Southern Tepehuan communities include Santa María de Ocotán, San Francisco, Teneraca, Taxicarinaga, San Bernardino de Milpillas and Lajas. The Tepehuan religion

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