Scorpions: Any of various species of relatively large land arachnid possessing two claws and an elongated tail with a stinger, capable of inflicting a harmless to life threatening sting.

General Terms

50/50 split – Splitting the offspring from a breeding loan half and half between the respective owners.

AFS – Asian Forest Scorpions, scorpions of the subfamily Heterometrinae

Breeding loan – Where the owner of a mature male “loans” the male to the owner of a female for a breeding attempt. If successful, it will result in a 50/50 split.

BL – body length – a common way of measuring a scorpion, from chelicerae to the aculeus.

CB – captive bred — Although some people use CB to mean captive born which could include juveniles from WC mothers, they use CBB (captive bred & born) to distinguish scorpions mated in captivity.

CH - captive hatched, usually means from wild caught mothers

CR – captive raised

Crix - crickets

Death curl – A dying scorpion or spider, with legs curled like a clenching fist

Dessicated - dehydrated, dried up

Dyskinetic Syndrome (DKS) - A normally fatal symptom of disease that affects tarantulas and scorpions, extremely rare. Symptoms include jerky, spastic, or wobbly movements.

DIY - do it yourself (building your own tanks, enclosures, hides, backdrops, etc.)

FS/T - for sale or trade

Genera – plural form of genus.

Gravid – a female with eggs or embryos, pregnant.

Hide – an artificial burrow or place for your scorpion to hide (wood, bark, flower pot, coconut shell etc.)

ICU - see the automod response. This is a dangerous, outdated practice.

ISO - In search of

Juvie – juvenile scorpion, see also Pullus

KK - kritter keeper

LPS – local pet store

LTC – long term captive, but originally wild caught

Nematode – A worm-like parasite that can infect tarantulas and possibly scorpions, either wild caught or fed wild caught prey. Very rare.

Pet hole – an obligate burrowing species, once they dig their burrow, the “hole” is about all you see of them

Pinhead - very small crickets, used to feed very small spiders

Post-molt - Right after molting when the exoskeleton is hardening (darkening)

Pre-molt – The timeframe (1 week to 2 months) prior to molting. Signs: fasting, darkened abdomen, sluggish behavior, etc.

Pullus – A juvenile scorpion still hung on the back of the mother

RH – relative humidity

Sexual dimorphism – when one gender has a characteristic difference from the other (color, size, etc.)

Substrate - the material that is the bottom enclosure (coconut coir, peat moss, potting soil, excavator clay etc.)

Temp - temperature

Threat display – when a scorpion rears its claws and tail in defense

Ventral sexing – Determining the sex of a scorpion by examining the pectines and genital operculum.

WC - wild caught

WTB - want to buy

X.X.X (#males.#females.#unsexed) system that denotes the number and gender of species in a collection

1.0.0 one male scorpion

0.2.0 two female scorpions

0.0.3 three unsexed scorpions

1.2.3 H. spinifer – this means a total of 6 Heterometrus spinifer: 1 male, 2 female and 3 unsexed

Anatomy/Biology

Aculeus – The pointed end of the telson from where venom is injected

Chela – The claw of a scorpion

Chelicerae – Claws like appendages around the mouth of the scorpion, used for grabbing and masticating preys

Dorsal side – Top or back of the scorpion

Exuvia/exuviae or exuvium/exuvia – The cast skin of an arthropod after a molt

Genital operculum – Plate like structure of varying shape used in reproduction

Manus - The large non-mobile segment of the chela of a scorpion, the fixed finger

Mesosoma – The 7 segments between the prosoma and the metasoma, the “Body” of the scorpion

Metasoma – The last 6 segments of the scorpion including the telson, the tail of the scorpion

Opisthosoma – Metasoma and Mesosoma combined

Palps – pedipalps - the two front leg-like appendages ending with the claws. Scorpions use them to hold prey.

Pectinal tooth – tooth like appendages covering the lenght of the pectines

Pectines – Sensorial organs unique to scorpion situated on the underside of the body

Promenade à deux – The complex behaviour preceeding reproduction in scorpions, French for “a walk for two”

Prosoma – First segment, the “head” of the scorpion

Setae – Commonly called hair, due to its appearance, seta is actually a bristle.

Spermatophore - Structure excreted on the substrate by male scorpions during mating to indirectly transfer sperm to the female

Stridulate - Some scorpions have stridulatory organs on the chelicerae, claws or tail which make a ‘hissing’ sound when rubbed together to deter predators. Sounds like velcro.

Telson – The last segment of the metasoma, made of the vesicle and the aculeus

Trichobothria – Sensorial hair like structure unique to arachnids and useful for identification

Ventral side – underside or belly of the scorpion

Vesicle – The thicker oblong part of the telson, contains the venom gland and muscles