Kinds Of Scorpions
Explore the kinds of scorpions! Scorpions belong to the arthropod species. They have eight legs, two pedipalps and a tail, also known as a metasoma; with a venom-injecting barb. All kinds of scorpions are venomous. They are built with two venom-producing glands that they use in hunting or in self defense; when trying to protect themselves from being attacked. Their venom paralyzes and kills their prey. Young, small kinds of scorpions can also inject with the same amount of venom as the adults. The effects a scorpion sting can have, varies in humans. Some experience no more than a sort of numbness after being stung, whereas more sensitive people sometimes die as a result of being injected and poisoned by the venom.
Scorpions do not have bones. They have an exoskeleton instead, which is made of chitin Chitin is a flexible, tough and protective molecule made of nitrogen and polysaccharide. These arthropods give birth to viviparous young, and some kinds of scorpions can produce over one hundred offspring.
There more than two thousand different kinds of scorpions to be found all over the world; on six of the seven continents. They eat insects and other arthropods. In some cases they eat small vertebrates too. Because scorpions can live in such harsh environments, they have adapted the ability to slow their metabolism down considerably. This enables them to consume little oxygen and some kinds of scorpions can live on only one single insect a year!
There are over forty-five kinds of scorpions living in Arizona. The Bark Scorpion, also known as Centruroides exilicauda, is the commonest scorpion to be found in the vicinity of Phoenix; and it is the most venomous. The Bark Scorpion’s sting is often fatal to the elderly, young children and people who have an allergy to the venom; although there have been no reported scorpion related deaths in Arizona in recent years – since the 1960_s.
Another of the most lethal kinds of scorpions to humans is the African Androctonus australis, also known as the fat-tailed scorpion. Its venom kills humans because the scorpion tends to inject so much into its prey. It is found in Africa and the Middle East.
Some scorpion species living in the desert, like the desert hairy scorpion (Hadrurus hirsutus), are sometimes adopted and kept as pets. These are fairly aggressive kinds of scorpions who emit painful stings.
Albino Scorpions have no eyes. These kinds of scorpions are usually found in caves or nearby. Blue Scorpions can be found throughout nearly all the regions of the world; except Europe.
Deathstalker Scorpions are also referred to as ‘Gold Scorpions’, whilst Black Scorpions are referred to as ‘Asian Forest Scorpions’, as they can be found in tropical Asian regions.
Red Scorpions are extremely dangerous. Red Claw Scorpions’ sting can kill small humans and children. Emperor Scorpions are one of the earth’s oldest species.
Lesser Brown Scorpions live in tropical areas all over the world; but they can be found in the highest concentration in Hawaii. Sand Scorpions are partial to the climate and the dry desert sands of the Southwest United States.