S
corpions are of the class Arachnid. They are considered to be relatives of the spiders, mites, and ticks. There are about 1,300 species of scorpions in the world.
Scorpions live in the deserts, but also they can occur in many other habitats, such as grasslands, savannas, forests, and caves. Also scorpions have been found in the Himalayas of Asia and Andes Mountains of South America. They live there under the rocks that are covered with snow at elevation over 12,000 feet. There are about 90 species in the U.S.
They have a flat, narrow body. Scorpions have mouth (chelicerae), a pair of pedipalps, and four pairs of legs. The pedipalps are used for capture and defense. Their body is divided into two main regions. They are called a cephalothorax and an abdomen. The scorpions’ bodes are covered with sensory hair. Also scorpions have a pair of median eyes and two to five pairs of lateral eyes. The abdomen consists of twelve distinct segments, and the last five refer to tail. At the end of the abdomen there is a telson, and it contains the venom gland. Long tailed scorpions can reach a length of eight inches. Such scorpions live in the South Africa.
Scorpions are nocturnal animals. They eat insects, spiders, and also other scorpions. The larger scorpions usually eat vertebrates, such as small lizards,
snakes, and also mice. Pray are located primarily by sensitive vibrations.
Sensitive hair called trichobothia that feel air vibrations, and tips of the legs have small organs that feel vibration on the ground.
Scorpions have a meeting ritual. In such ritual male is trying to lead female on a “courtship dance”. The details of courtship are a little different in different species of scorpions.
All scorpions have a long gestation period. It goes from several months to a year and a half, depending on species. The young scorpions develop as an embryo in the mother’s ovariuterus. During this time, the embryo gets food from his mother. When the young scorpions are born they live on their mother’s back for week or two after birth.. The mother scorpion makes a “birth basket”, with her folder legs. It helps to catch the baby as it is born and to help them to climb her back.
On the average, a female gives birth to about 25-35 young scorpions. The average scorpion lives about three to five years, but there are some species that live at least 10-15 years.
The venom of scorpions is used for prey capture and also for defense. Scorpion venom is the mixture of many substances, and every species has different mixture. In fact only one species in the United States and about 20 other worldwide have venom that is dangerous for humans.
One of the species that is found in the United States is Centruroides
exilicauda. It is found in Arizona. The sting of this scorpion may cause pain, numbness, frothing at the mouth, difficulties in breathing. But death is rare. The world’s most dangerous scorpions live in North Africa and the Middle East, South America, India, and Mexico.
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