Some details of the life of scorpions can only show us how terrible these creatures can be. In fact, most people do not like these creatures, considering them disgusting or extremely dangerous. However, the bad reputation of scorpions is absolutely not deserved. We hope that by reading 25 facts about scorpions, which we will tell below, you will understand how stunning these arthropods are.
There are approximately 1750 different species of scorpions, included in 13 modern families known to scientists.
All scorpions are poisonous, but only about 25 species have a poison that can kill a person.
Scorpions are one of the most ancient animals on Earth. Their evolutionary history dates back to the Silurian era 430 million years ago. They came from giant creatures resembling scorpions that emerged from the sea and remained unchanged morphologically.
Nevertheless, the life expectancy of scorpions is not very large. They usually live up to 8 years in the wild.
Scorpions have excellent adaptive abilities. They are found on all continents except for Antarctica.
Despite the fact that they resemble crustaceans, such as crabs and crabs, scorpions are actually more closely related to mites and spiders.
Scorpios can slow their metabolism if they can not find food. They can live without food for up to one year.
The eighth sign of the zodiac is named after this animal – Scorpio(also, this post will be of interest to you if your zodiac sign is Scorpio – Scorpio Compatibility Chart).
Scorpios are of completely different sizes – the body length of the smallest species is only about 9 millimeters, while large species can reach more than 20 centimeters in length.
Scorpions, as a rule, live in areas with a temperature of 20 to 37 degrees Celsius, but are able to withstand more extreme temperatures. The researchers even froze scorpions for the night, put them in the sun the next day and watched as they thawed and ran away.
Despite the fact that they have 6 to 12 eyes, scorpions have poor eyesight. Instead, they use their subtle sense of smell and soil vibration to find their prey.
The belief that scorpions commit suicide, stinging themselves to death, if they are surrounded by fire, is a myth. Behind them, there is no such suicidal behavior, and even if they behaved so, their poison does not have any effect on them.
Scorpions glow under the influence of certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Scientists can not pinpoint the cause of this fluorescence, but it can help scorpions detect light.
Young scorpions ride on the backs of their mothers until their first molt.
People have been fascinated by scorpions for thousands of years. These arachnids played an important role in some myths of old civilizations and in their honor the sign of the zodiac was named.
Scorpios can consume food only in liquid form, they have external digestion. Digestive juices from the intestine are excreted for food, and the digested food is then absorbed into the liquid form.
Scorpion females are usually larger than males. Sometimes a female even kills and eats a male after mating.
Being night animals, scorpions usually go out only at night. In fact, some species spend up to 97% of their lives in their burrows.
Like cockroaches, scorpions are a master of radiation reflection, which makes their chances of surviving after a nuclear strike much higher than most other animal species.
Scorpions always try to subordinate their prey mechanically with the help of their claws, saving their stings only in case of emergency, because they may take up to a week or more to develop a new portion of the poison.
The Palestinian yellow scorpion is considered the most dangerous type of scorpion. His bite is extremely painful and can kill an adult.
Scorpions are used in the pharmaceutical industry. In Pakistan, for example, farmers from the district of Tatta (Thatta) receive about $ 100 for each 40-gram scorpion. 60-gram individuals can bring at least $ 50,000. However, this trade is illegal.
In some parts of China, fried scorpions are a traditional dish. In Chinese medicine, wine with scorpions is even used as an anesthetic and antidote.
Before the scorpion reaches its adult size, it molts up to 7 times. During the first hours after molting, the scorpion is particularly vulnerable to attack, since the hardening of the new shell takes some time.
While the imperial scorpion is generally considered to be the largest species of scorpion, it is the scorpion of the species Heterometrus Swammerdami that is the record holder in terms of body length of 23 cm. This species is found in Sri Lanka and India.
