Asian Forest Scorpion - Heterometrus longimanus

Habitat:
Found under logs and other debris. Terrestrial but will burrow to some extent.
Range:
Tropical rain forest of Southeast Asia
Activity Cycle:
Nocturnal
Features:
Dark brown to black in color. Scorpions have pincers, eight legs and a long tail with a stinger at the tip. Males have broader pincers and longer tails than females. They have two eyes in the center of their head and two to five along the margin on each side.
Size:
3.5-5 inches in size
Social Structure:
Solitary
Life Expectancy:
7-8 years
Diet:
Crickets, insects and spiders
Reproduction:
In courtship the male leads the female back and forth with his pincers. He then deposits a package of spermatozoa on the ground and pulls the female over it. She picks up the capsule with an organ on her abdomen. Young ride on the mother's back until they molt for the first time. They then become independent and live a solitary life.
Interesting Facts:
  • They do not see well and depend on touch, using the stiff hairs on their pincers and pectines, a pair of comb-like structures underneath the last two legs.
  • Scorpion venom is a neurotoxin used to paralyze prey.
Peoria Zoo

Peoria Zoo