Animal Fact Sheet
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Hairy Desert Scorpion
Hadrurus arizonesis
What does it look
like?
The Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion is the largest scorpion in North
America, reaching a length of 6 inches. Their bodies are brown,
with yellowish pinchers and legs. Their common name comes from the
brown hairs that cover their bodies. They have a long tail that
is tipped with a bulb-like poison gland and stinger as well as large
pinchers and four pairs of legs.
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| Where
in the world?
These scorpions live in desert regions of California and Arizona
and extreme southern Utah and Nevada.
What are some behaviors?
The desert hairy scorpion will hide under rocks during the heat
of the day, coming out at night to hunt. They use sensory hairs
on their body to detect prey, and use their strong pinchers to overpower
prey. Their venom is not significantly dangerous to humans. All
scorpions will glow when held under a black light; this is due to
their exoskeleton. The desert hairy scorpion appears blue-green
when exposed to UV light.
What about offspring?
After a complex courtship “dance”, the male will guide
the female over his deposited sperm packet. The female will take
the packet into her body where it is fertilized. After a long gestation
period (up to a year), the female gives birth to as many as 20 live
young. They quickly climb up onto the mother’s back where
they undergo a molt. After a week or two, the young scorpions will
climb down and disperse.
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What does it eat?
Desert hairy scorpions eat primarily insects and other arachnids.
Is it threatened
or endangered?
No, population numbers seem stable as a whole. In some areas this
is seen as a pest species, an unwanted visitor.
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