Giant Vinegaroon

Mastigoproctus giganteus

Where is it found?

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Typically found in moist forests but they can also be found in more arid habitats.

Diet and foraging method

Nocturnal Hunter. Long whip and front legs are sensory organs used for hunting, this species has poor vision.

Key adaptations

Three sensory organs, the tail and front two legs, compensate for the whip scorpions poor eye sight.
​Two strong chelicerae at the front are ideal for hunting prey.

Social organisation and mating system

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Solitary. This species lives in burrows most of the time and comes out at night to hunt.
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Mating is a complex ritual which lasts up to 12 hours. The male secretes and then deposits a sperm sac into the female, she keeps this to fertilize her eggs which she then retains for a few months before they hatch.
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Did you know that...?

This species of Whip Scorpion can shoot up to 85% concentrated acetic acid (vinegar) from a pore at the base of the tail. Hence the name "Vinegaroon".

Taxonomy

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Sources:

"Mastigoproctus giganteus 0004 L.D." by Acrocynus - Acrocynus. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0004_L.D..jpg#/media/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0004_L.D..jpg
"Mastigoproctus giganteus 0009 L.D" by Acrocynus - Acrocynus. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0009_L.D.jpg#/media/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0009_L.D.jpg
"Mastigoproctus giganteus 0007 L.D." by Acrocynus - Acrocynus. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0007_L.D..jpg#/media/File:Mastigoproctus_giganteus_0007_L.D..jpg