Scorpion Facts

About the scorpion

Scorpions go back about 430 million years to the Silurian Period. More than 2,500 species have been described in 22 living families. Deserts are their main home, but they have adapted to many conditions and live on every continent except Antarctica. They mostly hunt insects and other invertebrates, holding or killing prey with their pincers, and their venomous sting serves for both attack and defense.

Courtship looks like a dance, with the pair gripping pincers while the male guides the female toward his sperm packet. Every known species gives birth to live young, which ride on the mother's back while their exoskeletons harden. Most stings are not serious for healthy adults, but about 25 species carry venom strong enough to kill a person.

Did you know?

• A scorpion's exoskeleton glows under ultraviolet light.
• Scorpion designs are woven into kilim carpets as protection against stings.
• Scorpius, a constellation, is named after the scorpion.