Desert robust scorpion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids inland robust scorpion |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Subphylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Scorpionidae
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| Subfamily: |
Urodacinae
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| Genus: |
Urodacus
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| Species: |
U. yaschenkoi
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| Binomial name | |
| Urodacus yaschenkoi (Birula, 1903)
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The inland robust scorpion (scientific name: Urodacus yaschenkoi) is a cool creature. It's a type of scorpion that lives in the dry, central parts of Australia. This scorpion is known for being one of the largest scorpions found in Australia.
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About This Scorpion
The inland robust scorpion can grow quite big for a scorpion. It can reach up to 7 centimeters (about 2.8 inches) long! Its body is usually a mix of red, yellow, and brown. The top of its body, its tail, and its pincers (called pedipalps) are often a darker red or even reddish-black. Its belly and legs are a lighter brown-yellow.
You can tell male and female scorpions apart by their tails. Males have longer tails, while females have shorter ones.
Where It Lives
This scorpion lives across a huge area of inland Australia. You can find it from Queensland and New South Wales, all the way through South Australia and the Northern Territory, to Western Australia. It prefers dry places like sandy deserts and sand dunes.
Amazing Burrows
One of the most interesting things about the inland robust scorpion is how it builds its home. It digs a special spiral-shaped burrow in the sand. These burrows are like underground apartments!
Burrow Structure
Studies have shown that all these burrows have a similar design. They start with a sloped entrance that goes down about 8 to 10 centimeters. After that, the burrow spirals downwards with up to nine turns. At the very bottom, there's a horizontal room where the scorpion rests.
How Deep Do They Go?
The depth of the burrow depends on the scorpion's age. Younger scorpions (called 2nd instar) dig burrows that are about 15 to 20 centimeters deep. Older scorpions (like 6th instar) can dig much deeper, sometimes reaching around 100 centimeters (about 3 feet) into the sand!
How They Dig
The scorpion is a super digger! It uses its mouthparts (called chelicerae) to move sand. Then, it scrapes the sand backwards under its legs. It's amazing because a scorpion can remove sand that weighs 200 to 400 times its own body weight! They can even build a whole burrow in just 8 to 10 hours.
Lifespan
In the wild, these scorpions live for many years. If kept as pets, they can live for 10 to 15 years! You might even see them for sale in pet shops in Australia.
