Scorpion

Scorpions have eight legs like their relatives, a pair of grasping claws and a segmented tail. They are related to spiders, mites and ticks. They are members of the class Arachnida and are extremely tough insects. They use the poisonous tip of their tail called a telson to kill their prey. They also use their tail to warn off enemies. Scorpions have been around for millions of years and are thought to be the first animals to move from water to land. There are over 2,000 species of scorpion and they can be found on all continents, except Antarctica. Scorpions have the amazing ability to slow their metabolism and if food is scarce they can survive on a single insect per year. They are burrowing animals and like areas that are rich in soil. They live in the deserts but can also be found in Brazilian forests and even the Himalayas. Predators of the scorpion include birds, owls and baboons. Scorpions are nocturnal animals which means that they are most active at night. They feed on small arthropods but larger scorpions have been known to eat lizards and even mice. The largest species of scorpion is about 25 cm long. The smallest species are about 3 cm long. Did you know that scorpions glow under ultraviolet light? They can also survive after being put in a freezer overnight! Brrrrr!

Quick facts
Diet: Life span: Size: Carnivore 3 to 8 years 3 to 21 cm

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Name: Date:

Subject: KS 2 - Themes Sheet: Scorpion Read the information sheet about scorpions on the previous page and then answer the questions.

a) Scorpions are members of the class Arachnida. Can you think of another animal in this class? __________________ b) 'Nocturnal' means most active during the night. Is this true or false? _______________ c) Antarctica is a continent. Name two other continents. _________________________________________________________________________ d) Underline the correct answer. The largest species of scorpion is: 1. 50 cm long 3. 10 cm long 2. 25 cm long 4. 42 cm long

e) If a scorpion eats 9 insects per year, how many will it eat in 13 years? _______________ f ) Are lizards vertebrates or invertebrates? __________________ g) What happens to scorpions when they are put under an ultraviolet light? _________________________________________________________________________ h) Unscramble the following word: t o r a h p d o r __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ i) What is the name of the poisonous tip on a scorpion's tail? _____________________ j) Can you think of another poisonous animal? _____________________
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