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Crawling insects

Scorpions

Characteristics:
Scorpions are an order of poisonous arthropods of the arachnid class.
There are approximately 1300 species of scorpions in the world, marked by a lengthened body and a segmented tail that ends with a sting from which the poison is injected.

Like arachnids, scorpions have organs close to the mouth called chelicerae, a pair of pedipalpi and four pairs of legs. The pedipalpi, in the shape of pincers, are mainly used to capture the prey and for defence, but are also covered with different types of sensorial hairs. The body is divided up into two main zones – the cephalothorax and the abdomen. The cephalothorax is covered by a carapace (or head shell) that usually has a pair of median eyes and from 2 to 5 pairs of lateral eyes in the peripheral areas of the head (some cave scorpions do not have eyes).

The unique feature of scorpions is that they become luminescent if exposed to certain ultraviolet frequencies.

Scorpions are commonly thought of as desert animals, but actually live in many other surroundings, like grasslands and savannas, caduceus forests, rainforests and caves.

Scorpions have been found under snow-covered rocks at more than 3000 metres above sea level in the south American Andes and in the Himalayas in Asia.

Scorpions are nocturnal predators that feed on a variety of insects, spiders, invertebrates and other scorpions. The larger scorpions sometimes feed on vertebrates like small lizards, snakes and mice. The prey is mainly identified by perceiving the vibrations. The pedipalpi have a series of sensorial hairs that feel the vibrations of the air. The tips of the legs have small sensorial organs that perceive the vibrations of the ground.

We should also remember that some species of scorpion living in the desert, are irritated and back down before strong smells, and prevalently that of coffee.

Scorpion poison is mainly used to capture prey and consists of complex mixtures of neurotoxins (toxins that block the function of the nervous system) mainly formed of proteins and sodium cations and potassium (molecules). Each species has its own unique blend.

Scorpion poison mainly aims to block activity in other arthropods and, consequently, is usually innocuous to humans, with a sting causing only localised effects (pain, swelling, and sensations of exhaustion). Some scorpions, however, and mainly those belonging to the Buthidae family (like the Chinese golden scorpion) can be very dangerous to man. The Leiurus quinquestriatus is one of the most dangerous species, possessing the most powerful poison of the family, and the members of the genus Parabuthus, Tityus and Androctonus. These scorpions have been responsible for many deaths, although generally speaking these animals are not able to inoculate sufficient poison to kill a healthy adult, and most deaths occur amongst children, the elderly or sick. Unless disturbed, scorpions are generally timid, and only use their sting to kill their prey. They usually look to flee from danger, or remain immobile. We do not exactly know whether they conserve their poison, but it is often only used if they are not able to limit their prey with the two claws. Many genre of scorpions (such as Pandinus and Hadogenes) rarely use their poison, trusting instead in their powerful pedipalpi.