Scorpions are arthropods, they have eight legs, two pedipalps, and a tail with a venom-injecting barb. Scorpions have two venom glands that produce venom used in hunting and self defense. Scorpions do not have bones instead they have an exoskeleton made of chitin, which is similar to the shell of a shrimp.

Scorpions are found all across the world. There are over 2,000 different species found on six of the seven continents. They prey on insects, arthropods and in some cases small vertebrates. Because scorpions can live in such hash environments they have adapted the ability to slow their metabolism to as little as one-third the rate for most arthropods. This enables some species to use little oxygen and live on a single insect a year. Even with lowered metabolism, the scorpion has the ability to spring quickly to the hunt when the opportunity presents itself something that many hibernating species are unable to do. Some species can have over 100 viviparous offspring, followed by the young climbing on the mother’s back for weeks until first molt and living independently. All scorpions are venomous, they use their venom to paralyze and kill their pray and in self defense. Even small young scorpions can inject you with the same amount of venom as adults.

Scorpions’ most recognizable and obvious characteristics are the exaggerated pair of claws, the long thin tail that is often curved over the back of the scorpion, and the stinger at the end of the tail that is used to inject venom.

Scorpions, like spiders, are arachnids (pronounced uh-rak-nid) and all arachnids share a well-known body characteristic; eight legs. In addition, arachnids lack wings and antennae, which can also help identify them.

Scorpions have an exoskeleton (external skeleton) made of chitin, a tough, protective, flexible molecule made of polysaccharide and nitrogen. The exoskeleton acts like our skeleton by providing support, muscle attachment sites, etc. but also aids scorpions by functioning in respiration and providing exceptional resistance to water loss scorpions, which is critical to the survival of these arachnids in arid environments they often inhabit.

Scorpions possess several key characteristics that separate these arachnids from spiders and also aid in the identification of these animals (see the labeled images above for examples of each characteristic).

Each scorpion has its’ own unique venom, thus they all have a different toxicities. This is why the Arizona Bark Scorpion is lethal and the Desert Hairy Scorpion isn’t. Even new born scorpions have venom so do not underestimate their size.

Scorpion venom is used in moderation, it takes the scorpion a lot of energy to produce. It is used for subduing prey, in self defense and in some species mating. The venom is comprised of a groups of complex molecules called a neurotoxin, these contain proteins consisting of 60-70 crossed linked amino acids. When injected the neurotoxin attacks the nerve cells of the victim causing paralysis and death.