Kingdom : Animalia Class : Arachnida Family : Scorpionoidea Scientific Name : Scorpiones Size : 2 - 30cm (0.8 - 12in) Weight : 10 - 100g (0.4 - 3.5oz) Top Speed : 19km/h (12mph) Life Span : 4 - 25 years Colour : Brown, Black, Yellow, Red, White Skin Type : Shell Special Features : Enormous front pincers and curved stinger tail
- Scorpions are arthropods found all around the world.
- They are arachnids and are closely related to spiders and ticks.
- Scorpions are believed to be on earth for over 400 million years and are considered to be ancient animals.
- Scorpions are most commonly found inhabiting deserts and jungles of the southern hemisphere.
- There are around 2000 species of scorpions known and found worldwide.
- Their lifespan ranges between 6 months to 25 years.
- They are quite elusive and difficult to spot in the wild because of their size.
- Scorpions are nocturnal animals that come out from their hidings in the night to hunt.
- Distinctively, they have enormous front pincers and curved stinger tail.
- The claws or pincers help the scorpion hold their prey to sting it and eat it.
- The scorpions paralyze their prey by stinging them and then eat them.
- Generally, the scorpion sting to the humans is harmless and is similar to a bee sting.
- But some of the scorpions carry enough venom in their sting to be fatal to human beings.
- They are carnivores preying on insects spiders and small rodents.
- Their natural predators include rodents birds and lizards.
- Female scorpions give birth to 4-9 live baby scorpions which immediately climb on their mother’s back.
- The baby scorpions are looked after by their mother till they are able to hunt for themselves.