An Arizonian Scorpion - Essay Example

Their distinctive erectile and curved tail has a telson at the end which contains a string. Scorpions also have a pair ofpincers attached to the front of their heads, and their sting is venomous. Most scorpions grow to between 2 and 3 inchesin length although some can be shorter at 0.5 inches and some can be longer such as the African emperor scorpionwhich can exceed 8 inches. Their color is typically either yellow, brown, or black which helps them to camouflage andtheir bodies also contain fluorescent chemicals which make them glow under ultraviolet light. Their body temperaturescan also adjust quickly with their surroundings but they need to be warm to be active.

            Scorpions are usually found to exist in climates that are warm and dry such as in deserts although they have alsobeen found to adapt to a wide variety of climates including savannahs, rain forests, and snowy areas. They can survivedroughts or the cold by hibernating in a dormant state. There are an estimated 1,500 different species of scorpionsaround the world. Scorpions are nocturnal creatures so they tend to hide during the day in places such as under rocks, incaves, inside cracks, in their burrows, etc. and they hunt during the night. Based on their main dwelling, different typesof scorpions can be identified as sand dwellers, rock dwellers, burrowing scorpions, cave dwellers, and there are alsothe arboreal scorpions that are agile and live in buildings and on trees.

            Among the deadliest of scorpions is the Bark Scorpion that has a light brown color and is found in places suchas Arizona, California, and New Mexico where there is an abundance of scorpions, and the Deathstalker found in theMiddle East and North Africa. Scorpions are by nature predatory creatures. They employ ambush tactics and canimmobilize their prey using their pedipalps and if necessary, their venom too to consume them. The scorpions canadjust the amount of venom according to the size of the prey. An acidic spray onto the prey then dissolves their tissuesto make it easier to suck up their bodies. Their prey can include all other insects as well as other scorpions. Largerscorpions are even able to eat small vertebrates such as frogs, lizards, snakes, and mice once they subdue them.

            The social behavior of scorpions is characterized by their solitary nature but some enjoy living in familialgroups and some of them engage in colonial burrowing. Courtship involves a mating ritual wherein the male danceswith the female in a dance called the 'promenade a deluxe before mating. The eggs develop inside the bodies of thefemales and nourishment is given to the young from the yolk or in some cases directly from the mother's body.Gestation periods vary between 3 and 18 months but each brood usually contains between 25 and 35 young scorpionswhich are in some cases born two at a time. When born, the young scorpions climb onto the back of their mothers andreceive their energy from the fat stored inside them. The young become independent after about two weeks, and theyshed their own at least 5 times to mature fully. Their lifespans range from between 3 and 5 years although some livelonger up to 15 years.

Nowadays, some people keep scorpions as pets and scientific advances are increasing our knowledge of thesecreatures. Scorpions are attractive as pets because of their unusual behaviors and the characteristics that make themamazing predators. However, special care is needed to keep such pets because of their venom. DNA analyses have alsobeen conducted on scorpions and it is now believed that scorpions have existed for over 400 million years. Fossils ofscorpions have been found in several places including coal deposits dating back to the Carboniferous Period. Theirorigin is believed to have been oceanic.

This brief paper on scorpions has revealed what scorpions look like, important parts of their bodies, placeswhere they exist, their predatory, mating and, nurturing behaviors, and has mentioned their being kept as pets and givensome insight into recent scientific developments.