My animal is the  Heterometrus laoticus, which is commonly known as the scorpion.  There are 20 different types of scorpions found in the United States alone.  They can vary in size from ½ an inch to 8 inches long.  But the  Heterometrus laoticus is 4.7 inches long.  Scorpions can have anywhere between 6 and 8 eyes!

 

The Scorpion is found in places such as Vietnam and Thialand and Laos.  This animal is known to be aggressive and even violent toward one another.  Many people think that the Scorpion is an insect or a bug, but it not.  The Scorpion is considered to be in a class of animals, called arachnids.  An interesting fact about the scorpion is that it has a poisonous stinger located at the tip of his tail.   But, the stinger is not fatal to humans.   Heterometrus laoticus has a black colored exoskeleton that is very shiny. 

 

This animal is known to live in tropical humid climates.  That is why they are found in countries such as Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. They like to live under logs and inside brush.  Some people have even kept these animals as pets in their homes!  When born the baby scorpions cling to their mother for several days. 

 

The Scorpion eats small insects like the cricket, flies, ants and other very little insects it can capture and digest. They will even eat small spiders. Scorpions usually are very active at nighttime and that is when they do most of their eating. 

 

In conclusion, this is a very interesting animal.  It is a very scary looking animal, as most people have the opinion they will attack.  They are very aggressive so that is not unreasonable.  However I thought that the scorpion could kill a human if they stung them.  The scorpion is a very interesting animal.

 

Author: Hunter E.

Published: 02/2013

 

Sources:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterometrus#General_characteristics

2.http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?s=6644d4f30e5442c606c020ad715ba4b3&i=27580&c=92#post18924 Added by stingray.

3. World Book, Scott Fetzer Company,  Scorpions, 1989