Scorpion Facts
-
-
- EleanorK
- added this
A scorpion is an arthropod with eight legs.
It is a member of the Arachnida class
There are approximately 2000 species of scorpions.
They are found widely distributed south of 49° N, except New Zealand and Antarctica.
These have been around for hundreds of millions of years
Only 30 or 40 have strong enough poison to kill a person.
When food is scarce, the scorpion has an amazing ability to slow its metabolism to as little as one-third the typical rate for arthropods. This technique enables some species to use little oxygen and live on as little as a single insect per year.
Researchers have even frozen scorpions overnight, only to put them in the sun the next day and watch them thaw out and walk away.
But there is one thing scorpions have a difficult time living withoutsoil. They are burrowing animals, so in areas of permafrost or heavy grasses, where loose soil is not available, scorpions may not be able to survive.
Scientists aren't sure why, but scorpions are fluorescent under ultraviolet light.
Emperor scorpions live in the coast countries of west central Africa. They are one of the largest scorpions in the world! Although each scorpion has a venomous stinger on the tip of its tail, adults normally rely on their large claws, or palps, to capture prey.
Much like crickets, some scorpion species sing by rubbing their legs together. However, unlike crickets, it is thought that the song is used as a warning call instead of a call to attract a mate.
One species, the devil scorpion Tityus serrulatus from Brazil, reproduces by parthenogenesis, meaning the female doesn't need a male to fertilize her eggs.
The world's most dangerous scorpion lives in North Africa and the Mid-East is a species known as Androctonus.
It is a member of the Arachnida class
There are approximately 2000 species of scorpions.
They are found widely distributed south of 49° N, except New Zealand and Antarctica.
These have been around for hundreds of millions of years
Only 30 or 40 have strong enough poison to kill a person.
When food is scarce, the scorpion has an amazing ability to slow its metabolism to as little as one-third the typical rate for arthropods. This technique enables some species to use little oxygen and live on as little as a single insect per year.
Researchers have even frozen scorpions overnight, only to put them in the sun the next day and watch them thaw out and walk away.
But there is one thing scorpions have a difficult time living withoutsoil. They are burrowing animals, so in areas of permafrost or heavy grasses, where loose soil is not available, scorpions may not be able to survive.
Scientists aren't sure why, but scorpions are fluorescent under ultraviolet light.
Emperor scorpions live in the coast countries of west central Africa. They are one of the largest scorpions in the world! Although each scorpion has a venomous stinger on the tip of its tail, adults normally rely on their large claws, or palps, to capture prey.
Much like crickets, some scorpion species sing by rubbing their legs together. However, unlike crickets, it is thought that the song is used as a warning call instead of a call to attract a mate.
One species, the devil scorpion Tityus serrulatus from Brazil, reproduces by parthenogenesis, meaning the female doesn't need a male to fertilize her eggs.
The world's most dangerous scorpion lives in North Africa and the Mid-East is a species known as Androctonus.
-
- tags:
- Not News, Weird News, Animal, Animal Facts, 3 more
-
-
EleanorK
-
-
Need I say anymore???
- 4 years ago
-
EleanorK
-
-
EleanorK
-
-
Scorpions from back in the day
- 4 years ago
-
EleanorK
