Giant Asian Forest Scorpion

Heterometrus swammerdami

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Where is it found?

Forests

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Diet and foraging method

They are nocturnal, hunting at night and hiding in burrows or leaf litter during the day. Scorpions of this size prey mostly on other smaller arthropods.

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Key adaptations

All scorpions have large pincers and a stinging tail for defense, although the genus Pandinus rarely use their sting, opting to use their massive pincers instead. The hairs all over scorpions are also very sensitive, they use these to locate prey.

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Social organisation and mating system

Solitary

The scorpions interlock pincers and perform a complex "dance". The male drops spermethecae and positions the female over it.

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Did you know that...?

The Giant Asian Forest Scorpion is widely considered to be the largest scorpion in the world.

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Taxonomy

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Sources:

​"Giant forest scorpion" by Nireekshit - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giant_forest_scorpion.JPG#/media/File:Giant_forest_scorpion.JPG