show/hide words to know
Arthropod: animals that typically have hard segmented outer shells that work as a skeleton (exoskeleton). This includes spiders and insects as well as other animals......more
Characteristic: a quality that make something similar or different than other things. All birds have wings which are common a characteristic.
Anatomy of a Scorpion
You might have noticed that scorpions have some of the same characteristics as a lobster or crab. Their pinchers are one of the similar features. It might not surprise you that both scorpions and lobsters are in the same group. They are both part of the Phylum Arthropoda. What might surprise you is scorpions are even more closely related to spiders. Both are part of the subgroup (Class) Arachnida. If you do some research, you will find that these animals share common characteristics, such as having eight legs. This is unlike insects that have six legs. This means that scorpions are not insects. However, insects are their favorite food.
The anatomy of a scorpion has some similar characteristics to other arthropods, such as lobsters and crabs. They also have similar features to spiders and other arachnids. Just count the number of legs and you will see how they match the number of legs found on spiders. Click image to enlarge.
Credits:
Arizona Bark Scorpion stinger by JAdams1776 via Wikimedia Commons.
Illustration released by Pearson Scott Foresman into public domain. Modified by Ask A Biologist.
View Citation
Bibliographic details:
- Article: Scorpion Anatomy
- Author(s): Christopher Putnam
- Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
- Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
- Date published: June 27, 2016
- Date accessed: April 17, 2024
- Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/scorpion-anatomy
APA Style
Christopher Putnam. (2016, June 27). Scorpion Anatomy. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved April 17, 2024 from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/scorpion-anatomy
Chicago Manual of Style
Christopher Putnam. "Scorpion Anatomy". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 27 June, 2016. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/scorpion-anatomy
Christopher Putnam. "Scorpion Anatomy". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 27 Jun 2016. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 17 Apr 2024. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/scorpion-anatomy
MLA 2017 Style
The stinger of an Arizona Bark Scorpion is not something you want experience.
Coloring Pages
and Worksheets
Puzzles
Be Part of
Ask A Biologist
By volunteering, or simply sending us feedback on the site. Scientists, teachers, writers, illustrators, and translators are all important to the program. If you are interested in helping with the website we have a Volunteers page to get the process started.
