Spiders That Look Like Scorpions A Close Comparison
Scorpions and spiders belong to the same class of invertebrates known as arachnids. With eight legs and formidable pedipalps, it’s no wonder that some spiders closely resemble scorpions. While scorpions can inflict painful stings with their venomous tails, these scorpion-like spiders are harmless. Let’s take a close look at these fascinating arachnids that mimic scorpions.
What Makes Scorpions Dangerous
True scorpions belong to the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, two pedipalps (mouthparts), and a segmented tail that arches over their back and ends in a venomous stinger. Scorpions use their pincers and stinger to capture prey like insects, spiders, and lizards. When threatened, they can also inflict painful stings on humans.
Some of the most venomous scorpion species include the deathstalker, Arizona bark scorpion, and fat-tailed scorpion. Scorpion stings cause immediate pain, numbness, swelling, and tingling. While the stings from most species are comparable to bee stings, the most toxic scorpions can cause serious health issues like respiratory failure.
Why Scorpion-Like Spiders Are Harmless
Some arachnids merely look like scorpions. These include whip scorpions, wind scorpions, and tailed spiders. Unlike true scorpions, these creatures do not have venomous stingers. Let’s explore some of the most common scorpion mimics:
Whip Scorpions
Whip scorpions have eight legs like true scorpions. However, they belong to the order Thelyphonida, not Scorpiones. The first pair of legs are thin sensory organs, while the remaining six legs are for walking. Whip scorpions also have large pedipalps but no stinger. There are over 150 whip scorpion species. Most live in tropical areas and only grow 2-3 inches long. They rarely bite in self-defense.
Wind Scorpions
Wind scorpions belong to the order Solifugae. They inhabit warm deserts and grasslands worldwide. Wind scorpions are arachnids but not true scorpions or spiders. They have massive pedipalps for grabbing prey like insects, lizards, and rodents. Their abdomen ends in a blunt tail with no stinger. Of the over 1,000 species, most are less than 6 inches long. They can move at speeds up to 10 mph but are not harmful to humans.
Tailed Spiders
Only the female tailed spiders in the genus Arachnura have a tail-like abdominal extension. They belong to the orb-weaver spider family Araneidae. There are around 10 species native to Asia, Africa and Australia. The tail cannot sting and is used to mimic scorpions. These spiders have elaborate webs but small bodies under 0.5 inches long. Bites are extremely rare and mild.
Other Scorpion Mimics
A few other scorpion look-alikes include:
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Scorpion spiders in the genus Platyoides, found in Africa. They grow under 1 inch long and hide under bark.
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Camel spiders in the order Solifugae, named for their humped appearance. They inhabit deserts worldwide and can run 10 mph.
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Tailless whip scorpions like the Florida species Phrynus marginemaculatus. They have flattened bodies over 3 inches long.
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False scorpions in the order Pseudoscorpiones. They are tiny arachnids with large pedipalps that hunt small invertebrates.
Identifying Safe Spiders
While these scorpion mimics appear intimidating, they are not dangerous. Here are some tips for identifying harmless spiders:
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Look for lack of a thin, segmented tail with a stinger on the end. This indicates the spider is not a true scorpion.
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Check for special adaptations like sensory legs, thick pedipalps, or flattened bodies optimized for their habitat. Scorpion mimics are specialized arachnids, not generalist predators like true scorpions.
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Consider size. Harmless scorpion mimics are typically small, growing under 1 inch long. The most dangerous scorpions can grow over 6 inches long.
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Research native species. If you live far from the desert, encounters with venomous scorpions are very unlikely.
With proper identification, there’s no need to fear spiders that resemble scorpions. Although intimidating in appearance, these remarkable creatures are not hazardous. Their specialized adaptations allow them to thrive alongside true scorpions throughout arid and tropical habitats.
Are pseudoscorpions dangerous? Pseudoscorpions look fierce but are harmless to people
- Pseudoscorpions are harmless to people and pets.
- They cannot bite or sting.
- The poison gland used for feeding is NOT harmful to humans or pets.
- They are not destructive to food, clothes or property.
What do pseudoscorpions eat?
Pseudoscorpions feed on many types of small insects and other arthropods, including springtails, psocids (barklice and booklice), thrips, small beetle larvae, files, ants and mites.
- Many aggressively stalk their prey while others prefer to hide and ambush insects.
- They have poor vision and use sensory hairs on their pincers to find prey.
- When a small insect brushes against these sensory hairs, the pseudoscorpion seizes the insect.
- Poison glands in the pseudoscorpion pincers help to paralyze prey.
- They inject saliva into the victim and then feed on the liquefied contents.
Pseudoscorpions usually live two to three years. There may be one or two generations in a year.
Would you keep a Tailless Whip Scorpion? ️ #spider #bug #bugs #terrarium #invertebrate
FAQ
What spiders look like scorpions?
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These are small arachnids that look like tiny scorpions, but they lack the stinging tail characteristic of true scorpions. They are harmless and often found outdoors under leaf litter or mulch.
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Solifugae (Camel Spiders/Wind Scorpions):These are another group of arachnids that are often mistaken for scorpions, but they are neither true scorpions nor true spiders. They are known for their large size and fast movement, with some species reaching up to 6 inches in length.
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This arachnid, belonging to the order Thelyphonida, also resembles a scorpion, with its elongated body, formidable pincers, and whip-like tail.
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These spiders, such as Arachnura higginsi, are known for having tails that resemble those of scorpions, but they are not related to scorpions and are completely harmless.
Are scorpion spiders poisonous?
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Not Spiders:Solifugids are arachnids, like spiders and scorpions, but they belong to a different order (Solifugae) and are not true spiders.
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No Venom:Solifugids lack venom glands and therefore cannot inject venom.
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Powerful Jaws:While they don’t have venom, their powerful jaws can deliver a painful bite if they feel threatened.
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Harmless to Humans:Despite their intimidating appearance, solifugids are generally considered harmless to humans.
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These are another type of arachnid that are often mistaken for scorpions, but they are also not poisonous and are harmless to humans. They also lack venom and instead have a defensive gland that releases a vinegar-like substance.
Is sun spider harmful?
Sun spiders are not venomous, since they have no venom glands. They are generally considered beneficial since they feed on ticks, mites and other pest arthropods. There is no need to kill them!
Do camel spiders live in the US?
They are desert-dwelling opportunistic carnivores that hunt nocturnally and flee from the sun during they day. Although camel spiders sightings are most often reported in the Middle East, they are also species native to the Southwest United States and Mexico.
Do spiders resemble scorpions?
Spiders and scorpions share certain physical features and behaviors that can lead to confusion between the two arachnid groups. Some spider species have evolved to closely resemble scorpions, either as a form of mimicry or due to convergent evolution.
What does a scorpion spider look like?
The front leg pairs are enlarged to resemble a scorpion and the rest are brown. The head and thorax are black with white markings on the margins. The long abdomen with front legs mimicking the scorpion is the reason behind the spider species classification. It can be dangerous to humans or pets when threatened.
What does a scorpion mimicry Spider look like?
The scorpion mimicry spider has a flat and broad carapace for easy identification. The tube-like abdomen looks like the tail of a scorpion with enlarged front legs. The front leg’s protrusion resembles the pincers of a scorpion. This spider species belongs to the Eremobatidae family and it is highly distributed in North America.
Are spiders and scorpions related?
Spiders and scorpions are related; they are both arthropods in the class Arachnida in the subphylum Chelicerata. They are both arachnids with eight legs and eight eyes. Both are predominantly nocturnal and have a diet made mostly of insects and other arachnids. They do not seek each other out to fight.
What is the difference between a sun spider and a scorpion?
Although they may appear similar, there are key differences between sun scorpions (another name for sun spiders) and true scorpions: Venom: Scorpions possess venomous stingers on their tails, while sun spiders do not have venom glands.
Is a camel spider a scorpion?
Camel spiders are not actually spiders and come from the Solifugae family, common in the southwest of North America including Texas, Arizona, and California. Camel spiders are also known as wind scorpions, sun spiders, or solifuges with over one thousand species. They are not really spiders or scorpions.