The Vinegaroon Sprays Acid to Foil Its Foes | Deep Look
16,490The vinegaroon – also known as a whip scorpion – looks like a Frankenstein creation of monster body parts. But unlike true scorpions, it doesn’t use venom to defend itself from predators. Instead, it aims its tail at their face and sprays a blast of acid that reeks of – you guessed it – vinegar. Only this weaponized vinegar is 16 times stronger than what’s in your salad.
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Distant relatives of scorpions and spiders – vinegaroons have evolved a unique form of defense. If you bother them, the worst you might experience as a large mammal with eyes, would be an irritating blast of strong vinegar-smelling acid in your face.
When under threat from predators – mostly foraging night hunters like coyotes, skunks and lizards – it will spray a solution of acetic acid from two glands just above the base of its tail. This spray is made up of about 85% acetic acid (the primary component of vinegar) and about 15% caprylic acid (another slightly unpleasant-smelling acid). It is able to aim the spray in any direction with its tail, and can shoot up to 5 times before it needs to replenish the fluids.
The tail also bristles with tiny hairs that serve to help the animal sense vibrations in the air, and pick up chemical traces of other members of the species, as well as prey.
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– What’s the difference between a vinegaroon (aka whip scorpion) and a scorpion?
Although they are both arachnids, a vinegaroon is not a scorpion. Vinegaroons are sometimes referred to as whip scorpions, with a skinny whiplike tail instead of scorpions’ typical segmented tail with a stinger. Unlike true scorpions, vinegaroons don’t sting or produce venom.
– What do vinegaroons eat?
Their diets consist of a variety of small invertebrates – including millipedes, crickets, roaches, scorpions and mealworms. Vinegaroons lead solitary lives, and may even cannibalize other smaller vinegaroons.
– Where do vinegaroons live?
There are over 100 species of vinegaroons worldwide, found in tropical and subtropical areas in North America, South America, Asia and Africa. The species we feature in our episode is the Giant vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus), which lives in the southern US and Mexico. The Giant vinegaroon has recently been reclassified and subdivided further into seven separate species.
---+ Find additional resources and a transcript on KQED Science:
https://www.kqed.org/science/1978748/the-vinegaroon-sprays-acid-to-foil-its-foes
---+ More great Deep Look episodes:
Scorpions Are Predators With a Sensitive Side | Deep Look
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jtm9BdnE1U
Stinging Scorpion vs. Pain-Defying Mouse | Deep Look
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-K_YtWqMro
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—+ Photo of vinegaroon by Uno_Mas_Bajo_El_Sol/Shutterstock.com
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