Whip Scorpion
Order Thelyphonida
Online Biology Dictionary
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| A whip scorpion |
A whip scorpion is any arachnid belonging to the order Thelyphonida. Also known as vinegarroons, their anatomy is generally similar to that of ordinary scorpions, but in place of a stinger-tipped tail, they have a whiplike flagellum. Whip scorpions are 25-85 mm (1-3.3 in) long and lack both silk and venom. They are nocturnally active hunters, hiding in burrows by day.
As in whip spiders, the first of the four pairs of appendages corresponding to the walking appendages of ordinary spiders, is not used in locomotion. Instead, these members function in sensation, as do the whips of amblypygids.
The name vinegarroon is derived from the fact that many whip scorpions, when threatened, emit a odorous solution containing acetic acid (vinegar).
Geographic range: Tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and the Americas (introduced in Africa).
Thelyphonida: