Laura L. Sullivan - The Deathstalker Scorpion

The Deathstalker

Scorpion

Laura L. Sulli van

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First E dition

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Library of Congress Cataloging -in-Pu blication Data

Names: Sulliv an, Laur a L.

Title: T he deaths talker scorpion / Laur a L. Sullivan.

Description: New Y or k : Caven dish Square P ublishing, 2 . | Ser ies: T ox ic creatures | Includes i ndex. Identiers: ISBN 978 26259 60 (pbk. ) | ISBN 978 262591 (library bound) |

ISBN 978 2625779 (6 pack ) | ISBN 97 0262588 5 (ebo ok)

Subject s: LC SH: Leiurus quinquestriatus- -J uvenile lite rature. | Sco rpions-- Ju venile liter ature. Classication: LCC QL458. 72.B8 S85 201 8 | DDC 59 5.46 --dc

Editorial Di recto r: Davi d McNamara

Editor: F letcher Doyle Copy Edito r: Nathan Heidelberger Associate Art Direct or: Amy Greenan

Designer: Al an Sliwinski

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Printed in the United States o f America

CONTENT S

A Fitt ing Name ......................................

Deathstalk er Sco rpion Quick Fa cts .............

Deadly St ing ........................................

Atta cking Cance r ..................................

Tox ic Creatures Quiz ..............................

Glossary .............................................

Find Out More ......................................

Index .................................................

About the Au thor .................................

Deathstal kers a re one of the mo st deadly species o f scorpion .

CHAPTER CHAPTER CHAPTER

ONE

TWO

ONE

A Fttg Ame

A Fitting Name

t

Deathstal ker

venom

can kill children and the elderly ,

and sometimes even healthy adults.

he deathsta lker sco rpion deserv es its de adly name. It is oft en co nsidered t o be th e most dangerous kin d of scorpion in the world.

Scorpions a re arachni ds, a gro up of eigh t-l egged invert ebrates that a lso incl udes spiders , ticks , and mites. I n addition to the ir eight legs, deat hstalker s have t wo pi ncers. T hey als o hav e a long , narrow tail

tHe DeAt HStA LKeR SCORPO

that ends in a sti nger fi lled with venom. D eathsta lkers are a ye llowish- gre en color , with an exoskeleton that can look al most pla stic.

All scor pions have a simil ar body t ype, wi th eight legs, pince rs, and a stinger .

A Fttg Ame

A Ho H abia

Deathsta lker sc orpions l ive in dry desert areas. Tem peratures in their habitat c an reach more than 110 degrees Fa hrenheit (4 3 deg rees Ce lsius) . Du ring the scor ching hea t of th e day , they us ually re st underground. Th ey may dig their own burro ws, or take ov er (o r even sometimes sh are) t he burrow s of other animals.

Deathsta lker s corpio ns live in very hot, dr y dese rt r egions of the Middl e East an d Nort h Africa.

tHe DeAt HStA LKeR SCORPO

Pai n Huni n

To avoid the heat , deaths talkers hunt at night . Deathstalk ers rely on camoufl age to r emain unse en as they wait for t heir prey to co me near th em. They

A deathsta lker i n cap tivity devours a cricket. Bes ide it is it s exos keleto n, or the oute r shell scorpio ns shed whe n they gro w.

A Fttg Ame

dont act ively c hase the ir food. W hen a cric ket, centiped e, spider , or smaller sc orpion co mes near , the deathstalke r will g rab it wit h its pi ncers. T he pince rs look dangerous , but they arent very strong. I f the prey fi ghts ba ck, the deat hstalker instan tly sti ngs, inject ing deadly ve nom.

Prda or or Pr y?

Despite b eing so to xic, th e deaths talker scorpion ofte n beco mes a meal itself. Larger deathsta kers wi ll eat smalle r ones. Big cent ipedes a nd other species of scorpions also ea t deaths talkers . It is a battl e of spe ed against sp eed, ven om against venom. Someti mes the deathstalke r loses. B ats als o eat a lot of de athstalke r scorpions. T hey seem to be immu ne to th e venom. Bats will start t o eat a death stalker while be ing stung. They will even eat the venom sac .