76 SCORPIONS 



When hungry, the animal moves slowly forward supported by its 

 hind legs with claws open and extended and tail raised and point- 

 ing forwards. 'Often the scorpion will then hesitate and the final 

 act of capture seems almost accidental an act of defence rather 

 than of attack. If the prey is active, the scorpion may even with- 

 draw for a time, but it waits patiently and finally achieves its aim.' 

 Scorpions probably do not usually go to seek their food. Instead, 

 they wait for the insects that come to their lairs to hide. Some scor- 

 pions such as E. italicus and P. longimanus appear seldom, if ever, 

 to use poison to kill their prey (Cloudsley-Thompson, 1951; 

 Schultze, 1927) and the sting is used only as a defensive weapon. 

 On the other hand, S. maurus, B. occitanus and A. australis will 

 lash out with their sting at the slightest provocation, although if 

 the prey is comparatively quiet it may be devoured alive. 



Enemies 



The greatest threats to the scorpion's existence are probably 

 food shortage, drought and human activities. From ancient times 

 man has feared, maligned and hated the animals on account of their 

 poison. Nevertheless, there are other enemies which also destroy 

 them. In the tropical rain forests of Africa and America scorpions 

 are sometimes caught by raiding armies of driver ants. Although 

 many times the size of their tormentors, the scorpions rapidly suc- 

 cumb to their attacks, are overpowered and dismembered. Various 

 centipedes, spiders, Solifugae, lizards, snakes and birds have been 

 recorded as predators and African baboons have been observed 

 catching large scorpions, tearing off their tail and greedily devour- 

 ing the rest of the body. It has also been reported that certain 

 natives of Africa enjoy eating live scorpions! In addition many 

 scorpions are inveterate cannibals. Among the few parasites known 

 are various mites and nematode worms which are unlikely to be 

 very harmful. 



The pectines already mentioned are known to represent the 

 modified appendages of the ninth somite of the body ( = third 

 mesosomal segment) but their function has long remained pro- 

 blematical. They have been regarded as external respiratory organs 

 and external genitalia, and it has been claimed that the lamellae of 

 the male and female scorpion become interlocked and serve to hold 



