Scorpion using "tail" as lure

[Obelisk]

I saw something odd when I was feeding my H. paucidens this morning. As soon as the scorpion opened and spread out it's claws upon sensing the cricket nearby, it started moving its metasoma back and forth.

It looked to me like it was using some kind of "luring" behavior, kind of like what leopard geckos do with their tails and what pacman frogs do with their toes.

Have any of you guys noticed this behavior with your scorpions?

 

[freeman]

nope. maybe that was some kind of warning display.

 

[rasputin]

nope. maybe that was some kind of warning display.

+1 It's essentially a warning display

 

[radicaldementia]

I've seen two things sorta like what you're describing

Sometimes I've seen a scorp's tail kind of twitch when something seems to be annoying it, kinda like it's holding back from stinging.

Other times I've seen a scorp wildly flailing its whole metasoma all over the place, mainly by Hottentotta species and usually shortly before molting. My guess is its stretching in preparation for the molt, but it looks really funny.

 

[spider_mike]

I see my P. reddelli do this regularly to each other as they are housed communally.

 

[Selket]

my communal V Spinigerus did this when they were first introduced to each other, now they get along fine,and share the same hides.

But I figured it was a warning display when they did it at first. It looks pretty cool when the do it though.

 

[mattrgraham]

I am convinced that some scorpions use tail luring. I have observed several Vaejovids with similar behavior.

To my surprise, S. mesaensis, maybe the most studied species in the world, appears to use tail luring when a scorpion of a smaller size is introduced, yet I don't think anything is published on this. They lay the first 4 metasomal segments flat on the ground and point segment 5 straight up and wiggle it around... very cool behavior. Just wish I had it on video.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Hentzi]

Ive seen this behavior before the tail lays flat and the end starts wiggling, only seen this occur in a communal setup obviously

 

[Selket]

I am convinced that some scorpions use tail luring. I have observed several Vaejovids with similar behavior.

To my surprise, S. mesaensis, maybe the most studied species in the world, appears to use tail luring when a scorpion of a smaller size is introduced, yet I don't think anything is published on this. They lay the first 4 metasomal segments flat on the ground and point segment 5 straight up and wiggle it around... very cool behavior. Just wish I had it on video.

Cheers,

Matt

That does sound cool, I would love to see it. I have just seen the warning display.

 

[Aztek]

All my parabuthus transvallicus slam their metasoma really fast in short bursts when they are bothered before a molt.

 

[rasputin]

When you see the metasoma slamming down on a surface or laying flat whilst moving the 5th segment and telson...more often than not, the scorpion is taking a crap. Bare in mind that the anus is between the 5th metasomal segment and the telson. I've been observing this behavior in several of the species here lately. You can call it "crappy behavior."

As far as molting: you will witness some retractions and circular movements when in pre-molt or molt.

For mating:I have a MM S. mesaensis and 2 sub F. The male does stridulate like any other male scorpion seeking to attract a mate but the metasoma was in a normal arch with only light side to side movements common to stridulation. I'm not saying I haven't seen males straighten out their metasomas as I observe this behavior almost daily from my C. sculpturatus male but it's nothing fancy and there's no speciel movements from the metasoma but rather, his whole body shakes from side to side.

As a lure: I have never observed such behavior in and of the hundreds of scorpions that have been in my care over the years. Of course, I'm not hip with the activities of forrest scorpions such as those found in the genus Hetermetrus.

 

[Galapoheros]

Yeah, not a lure imo. A threat display and, imo, a form of communication for other scorps, depending on the species. I see it a lot with Heterometrus and Pandinus, esp. young ones. I also see it while mating, mostly from the female, slow mechanical looking movements. They not only pick up faster vibrations but they are sensitive and pick up slow movements well, as far as I can tell.

 

[Michiel]

So, let's say any given scorpionspecies uses it's mesasoma to "lure" a cricket, what does the metasomal segment represent for the cricket, a bunch of grass?

Matt, I have never seen luring behaviour (or never interpreted it like that) and I have never read about it. I think the chance is big that there are no publications about this luring behaviour, which obviously does not mean it doesn't excist. Personally I doubt it, but I don't say it is unpossible.

Cheers, Michiel

 

[skinheaddave]

I highly doubt that it is a visual lure that would work on crickets -- even other scorpions. That being said, I imagine the possibility of a vibration type lure would be worth investigation. After all, the world of scorpions isn't really run too much by sight -- it is all about mechano and chemoreception.

Matt,

Definitely worthy of investigation. If you can take a bit of a detour from any taxonomic work you're doing these days, you should look at Gaffin's lab for some ideas on piezoelectric sensors. It would be interesting to see if they produce a stereotyped wave pattern in the presence of smaller prey and if that differs from situations where it is almost certainly territorial.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Obelisk]

Ok...... so I guess it's very unlikely that it's using it as a lure.

So, let's say any given scorpionspecies uses it's mesasoma to "lure" a cricket, what does the metasomal segment represent for the cricket, a bunch of grass?

Uhhhhh.....no........there are other animals that use this type of behavior when about to strike at prey, whether the prey eats smaller creatures or eats "grass."

My guess is that it probably serves to distract the prey from the business end of the predator.

 

[Galapoheros]

I will make a vid later of my young P. imperator doing what I think your talking about. They esp. do it around others right after they catch food, it really looks like a warning to others to leave it alone, it wouldn't be visual of course but felt by air movement. Who knows what it is for sure but that's how it looks to me. Now If I can just get them hungry again, most are pretty fat.

 

[Obelisk]

I will make a vid later of my young P. imperator doing what I think your talking about. They esp. do it around others right after they catch food, it really looks like a warning to others to leave it alone, it wouldn't be visual of course but felt by air movement. Who knows what it is for sure but that's how it looks to me. Now If I can just get them hungry again, most are pretty fat.

After reading most of the comments here being about scorpions doing this in communal setups, I'd say it's most likely some sort of communication, probably felt by air movement as you say.

 

[skinheaddave]

As a "back up" warning type signal, a visual cue might actually work okay. Scorpions aren't blind and they are fairly well keyed to movement. I didn't want to give the impression that a visual cue would be useless -- just that since they don't really hunt by sight, a visual lure would probably not be particularly well received.

Cheers,
Dave