Why Scorpions Glow In Black Light.

[lucanidae]

The striped scorpions body is covered with a waxy cuticle that helps prevent dessication. The scorpion cuticle flouresces under ultraviolet light, which helps when collecting or observing them at night. (Drees & Jackman 1998)"

This dosen't tell us anything about why the scorpion flouresces, it just seems to be an overall description of the animal from a field guide.
Most terrestrial arthropods have a waxy covering that prevents water loss. This is seperate from the cuticle, which is what flouresces in scorpions.

 

[kahoy]

actually complete data is not shown on the web.

base on my instincs(i dont know the spelling) you need money to get the truth, and you will not show that to others becoz they will just get it for free.

by then better have a lot of experiments.

just got a UV now, ill be going on an experiment soon.

 

[ManicDan]

I hope no one minds me resurrecting this old thread, but I have been thinking about the UV florescence of scorpions a lot on my own, and brought the topic up in a thread and was directed to this one. I had a theory of my own, that Kugellager previously stated.

The fluoresce of the scorpions being used as camouflage in the water has been running through my head lately. After reading this thread I think that it is either the slight glow in the water to blend in, or the UV protection after they advanced onto land.

Has anyone come up with any information since this thread passed away through the forum? I think this is a great topic, and the thread is a great read, and it seems some conclusions were discussed, then it ended. Any experiments done with this in the last year or two?

 

[John Bokma]

My sigificant concern regarding that fluorescence is an adaptation for water retention is, why haven't other arthropods not developed this feature?

some pillbugs do. I have somewhere homemade photos of it.

Very interesting read by the way and thanks for the bump