| The world's longest scorpions (up to 210mm) are among the Rock scorpions (Family: Ischnuridae) although this distinction is due to the extremely long, thin tails that distinguish the males from short-tailed females in most of the species. They are distinguished by flattened bodies and powerful, elongated chelae. Their venom is mild and they appear reluctant to sting, even when provoked. They are found exclusively on rocky outcrops, living in the cracks between rocks. Jonathan Leeming reports that some attain a lifespan of up to 30 years, remarkable longevity for any animal! Hadogenes are very sedentary - they will stay in the same crack for up to years at a time, simply grabbing prey that wanders past This can be helpful when searching for them - over time the remnants of prey accumulate into tell-tale "trash" heaps. Due to their long lifespan, they are sensitive to disturbance and some species are threatened due to destruction of habitat. In his informal study of the Scorpions of the Pilanesburg, Leeming observes that they are so restricted to distinct rocky outcrops and mountains that even narrow valleys between populations create an insurmountable barrier that prohibits gene flow (Newlands 1985). This inability to relocate explains why they are still found in undisturbed rocky outcrops in the middle of urban areas. |
