Difference between Scorpion and Alacran

Scorpion and alacran are basically the same animal.

The terms scorpion and alacran are often confused with each other, the reason lying in its usage in Latin America. How are a scorpion and alacran different?

The scorpion is a predatory arachnid from the order Scorpiones. Scorpions are characterized by their eight legs, grasping pedipalps (pincers), and a segmented and often curved tail. Scorpions are feared because of their venomous stingers, located on their tails. The word comes from latin scorpio and is usually used to refer to the non-poisonous variety in Latin America, while it is a general term for the order in the United States.

The alacran is an old term that comes from the Arabic word al'aqrá. Alacran is a broad word that refers to different species in Latin America, usually reserved for the poisonous varieties. In some areas in Spain, it is also used to refer to bugs or insects that have similar characteristics. Some sources cite the alacran as a particular kind of scorpion - specifically, those who come from the family Typhlochactidae which serves as the only subfamily of the Alacraninae. This family of scorpions is endemic to eastern Mexico.

	Scorpion	Alacran
Definition	A predatory arachnid with eight legs, pincers, and a narrow, segmented tail that is usually curved and may be equipped with a poisonous stinger.	A term for particular types of arachnids, possibly refers to a variety of scorpions found in east of Mexico
Etymology	From the Latin word scorpio	From the Arabic word al'aqrá
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Chelicerata	Chelicerata
Class	Arachnida	Arachnida
Order	Scorpiones	Scorpiones
Family	Numerous superfamilies including Buthidae, Iuridae, and Scorpionidae	Most likely the Typhlochactidae family
Subfamily	Numerous subfamilies	Alacraninae, Typhlochactinae
Usage of the word	Refers to the order of predatory arachnids; used with a lot of species that carry the characteristics of the order	In Latin America, it is used as  a broad term for species that carry similar characteristics as the scorpion known in the US; in Spain it is also used to refer to some bugs or crickets

Venn Diagram