Irony (Tailless whip scorpion)

[BarelyBreathing]

[bushsnake]

Awesome...i think you got a male and he looks like hes in good shape.!...got all his parts

[BarelyBreathing]

Thanks. I've had him for about two years now. How can you tell he's a male?

[bushsnake]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

Thanks. I've had him for about two years now. How can you tell he's a male?

Like the other guy said by the length of the pedipalps. If you keep a pair together with verticle surfaces to climb they will breed...the babies are to darn cute....wanna check out a cool bug? Look into velvet worms youll be blown away

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by bushsnake

Like the other guy said by the length of the pedipalps. If you keep a pair together with verticle surfaces to climb they will breed...the babies are to darn cute....wanna check out a cool bug? Look into velvet worms youll be blown away

Thanks. Velvet worms, huh? What are they? They are quite weird. How do I get them?

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

I love your crazy amounts of arachnid knowledge. Thanks for posting this.

Beautiful vinegaroon, by the way.

Thanks. Glad someone appreciates it -- most people I know just figure I'm "weird" .

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

Beautiful vinegaroon, by the way.

Unfortunately, she is no longer with me. They typically only live 5 yrs. For those living down south, they should be fairly easy to find as they are common throughout the tropics and subtropics -- where conditions are humid/moist and temps are warm.

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

Thanks. Velvet worms, huh? What are they? They are quite weird. How do I get them?

They are -- surprise surprise -- not worms at all nor are they even close relatives (something I seem to be saying a lot). Whereas your amblypygid is of a separate Class than scorpions, these guys have their own Phylum -- Phylum Protracheata (or Onychophora ... don't know which name is currently considered "correct"). This Phylum is thought to be closest in relation to the Phylum Arthropoda. Very cool critters! Only down side is they are nocturnal, as I recall.


Here's a neat video for you:
The Velvet Worm - YouTube

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

They are -- surprise surprise -- not worms at all nor are they even close relatives (something I seem to be saying a lot). Whereas your amblypygid is of a separate Class than scorpions, these guys have their own Phylum -- Phylum Protracheata (or Onychophora ... don't know which name is currently considered "correct"). This Phylum is thought to be closest in relation to the Phylum Arthropoda. Very cool critters! Only down side is they are nocturnal, as I recall.


Here's a neat video for you:
The Velvet Worm - YouTube

I love it! I am loading the video right now. Thanks!

[Kingsnakechris]

What happen to his tail?

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by BarelyBreathing

Thanks. I've had him for about two years now. How can you tell he's a male?

If you had a group of the amblypygids it would be easier to tell. Typically the pedipalps (the claw appendages) in males are substantially longer than in females. Considering the length of your specimen's pedipalps, it could indeed be a male.

Originally Posted by Kingsnakechris

What happen to his tail?

Absolutely nothing. Despite the common name (and it is the common name not for the species but for the Order), these are not scorpions at all ... nor even terribly closely related. Though they are of the Class Arachnida (as are scorpions, spiders, solifugids, mites and a host of other 'critters') they belong to their own distinct Order (as, for that matter, does each of the ones mentioned above).

Originally Posted by Kingsnakechris

Really?! Just goes to show how much I know about the species LOL. I just always assumed whip scorpions had that long, scary looking tail.

"Whip scorpion" is another completely erroneous name. It is the common name for the Order Thelyphonida (used to be known as the Order Uropygi). As with amblypygids, uropygids are not scorpions nor all that closely related. Members of this Order do have a whip like tail but no telson (stinger). Instead, when threatened, they fling droplets of vinegar from their tail ... hence their other common name -- "vinegaroons".

Here are a couple pictures of a female uropygid (aka "whip scorpion", aka "vinegaroon") I had several year ago. Unfortunately they are not long lived creatures like my tarantulas.

[Kingsnakechris]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

If you had a group of the amblypygids it would be easier to tell. Typically the pedipalps (the claw appendages) in males are substantially longer than in females. Considering the length of your specimen's pedipalps, it could indeed be a male.



Absolutely nothing. Despite the common name, these are not scorpions at all ... nor even terribly closely related. Though they are of the Class Arachnida (as are scorpions, spiders, solifugids, mites and a host of other 'critters') they belong to their own distinct Order (as, for that matter, does each of the ones mentioned above).

That's crazy, the name implies a totally different species

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by Kingsnakechris

That's crazy, the name implies a totally different species

Hence the critical flaw of "common names", and why it is best to use the correct name -- the scientific one.

Btw, in your statement above, "species" is actually not the correct word. (Not trying to be ornery, just trying for clarity. ) Scorpions are not a "species". They are an entire Order comprised of a number of Families, each of which in turn is made up of a number of Genera (the plural of Genus), each of which is then made up of a large number of Species. To refer to all scorpions as a species would be on par with saying that all snakes are a species.

[Kingsnakechris]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

Hence the critical flaw of "common names", and why it is best to use the correct name -- the scientific one.

Btw, in your statement above, "species" is actually not the correct word. (Not trying to be ornery, just trying for clarity. ) Scorpions are not a "species". They are an entire Order comprised of a number of Families, each of which in turn is made up of a number of Genera (the plural of Genus), each of which is then made up of a large number of Species. To refer to all scorpions as a species would be on par with saying that all snakes are a species.

Well I stand corrected. Thats very ingeresting, looks like I have some homework to do lol

[BryanB]

Their where more than one of these at the white plains expo this past weekend. I held one and had no idea what it was so thanks for the info.

[BarelyBreathing]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

If you had a group of the amblypygids it would be easier to tell. Typically the pedipalps (the claw appendages) in males are substantially longer than in females. Considering the length of your specimen's pedipalps, it could indeed be a male.



Absolutely nothing. Despite the common name (and it is the common name not for the species but for the Order), these are not scorpions at all ... nor even terribly closely related. Though they are of the Class Arachnida (as are scorpions, spiders, solifugids, mites and a host of other 'critters') they belong to their own distinct Order (as, for that matter, does each of the ones mentioned above).



"Whip scorpion" is another completely erroneous name. It is the common name for the Order Thelyphonida (used to be known as the Order Uropygi). As with amblypygids, uropygids are not scorpions nor all that closely related. Members of this Order do have a whip like tail but no telson (stinger). Instead, when threatened, they fling droplets of vinegar from their tail ... hence their other common name -- "vinegaroons".

Here are a couple pictures of a female uropygid (aka "whip scorpion", aka "vinegaroon") I had several year ago. Unfortunately they are not long lived creatures like my tarantulas.

I love your crazy amounts of arachnid knowledge. Thanks for posting this.

Beautiful vinegaroon, by the way.

[Kavyrie]

Where did you get him? These guys are my favorite scorpions, I'd love to have one some day!