Deathstalker Scorpion

Science Project on Arthropods

By

Braden Benner, 6A

October 8, 2014

The Deathstalker Scorpion

Characteristics

Color

The back of the body is black, the arms and legs are pale yellow, the color appears strange because it looks like a plastic toy. Color may be different depending on where it lives.

Number of Legs

There are 4 legs on each side and 2 pinchers.

Number of Body Parts

3 – the head, abdomen and tail.

Color of Eyes

8 – two on the top of the head and 3 on each side. All eyes are black, their vision is poor so the use vibrations and sense of smell.

Where Does it Live?

The Deathstalker Scorpion lives in the Middle East (Israel, Iraq, etc.) and North Africa. They are also found in Ethiopia, Egypt, and Algeria. They adapt very easy to changes that take place in their environment.

Deathstalker Scorpions need high levels of humidity and a temperature that is at least 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit).

They are hard to keep in captivity because they are sensitive to being too dry or too cold for them. It is illegal to keep them as pets in some places because they are so lethal.

How Does it Protect Itself?

A Deathstalker Scorpion has two very large pinchers that are not very strong. They use the pinchers to hold it prey and then sting it quickly with the stinger on the end of the tail.

These scorpions are very aggressive and their venom can kill a human.

They can also camouflage themselves in their natural habitat.

How Does it Get Food? What Does it Eat?

The Deathstalker scorpion grabs its prey with their pinchers and sting them quickly. In their natural habitat they feed mainly on crickets, bugs and other small rodents and lizards.

How Big is it? How Strong is it?

A female Deathstalker Scorpion can be 10cm or 4 inches in length.

A male Deathstalker Scorpion is smaller, 7.5 or 3 inches in length.

It has very large pinchers, but they are not strong, the venom is extremely dangerous.

It is considered to be the second most dangerous creature behind only the Marbled Cone Snail.

How Long Does It Live?

The Deathstalker scorpion can live between 2 and 6 years old.

How Does it Reproduce?

The mating ritual is referred to as a dance which lasts a few minutes.

Then the female Deathstalker will decide if the male is a good mate.

She has to have between 5 and 7 molts before being able to reproduce. Molting is when she sheds her external shell to grow, length of time between

molts varies.

Two Deathstalker scorpions mate very similar to mammals.

Gestation time will range to be 4 - 6 months.

Baby scorpions are born and not hatched.

The female carries them on her back for about a month before the babies molt and go off by themselves.

There can be 30 – 60 scorpions born at a time.

When Does it sleep? How long Does it Sleep

Deathstalker scorpions do not actually sleep, but they lay resting under rocks or other shelters.

Scorpions hibernate during cold months when they don’t sleep but their metabolism slows down and they go into a dormant , they appear to be sleeping or almost look dead.

Do We Humans eat my arthropod?

NO!!!!!!!!

But, scientific research has used the venom of the Deathstalker Scorpion as a way too help find cancerous brain tumors. The toxin in the venom will actually attack the cancer cells making it easy for doctors to find them during surgery.

What is the COOLEST Thing I Learned About my Arthropod?

Lots of things…….

The female will mate with a male and then kill him after for food.

They are the second most dangerous creature in the world behind the Marbled Cone Snail.

The venom can kill an adult human, but can also be used to save their life by finding cancer in the brain.

References

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/scorpion-venom-fight-cancer-tumor-paint/story?id=21052527

http://www.ratestogo.com/blog/most-dangerous-animals/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deathstalker

http://www.scorpionworlds.com/deathstalker-scorpion/

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/deathstalker-scorpion-facts.html

http://www.techandinnovationdaily.com/2013/09/13/blaze-bioscience-scorpion-venom-cancer/