Editing Scorpion (section)

{{short description|Predatory order of arachnids}}
{{About |the arthropod}}
{{hatnote|"Scorpion tail" and "scorpion's tail" redirect here. For other uses, see [[Scorpion tail (disambiguation)]].}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Automatic taxobox
 | name              = Scorpions
 | display_parents   = 2
 | taxon             = Scorpiones
 | image = Scorpion_Photograph_By_Shantanu_Kuveskar.jpg
 | image_caption = ''[[Hottentotta tamulus]]'' from [[Mangaon]], [[Maharashtra]], India
 | fossil_range      = {{Fossil range |435|0}}<small>[[Early Silurian]] – [[Holocene|present]]</small>
 | authority         = [[C. L. Koch]], 1837
 | subdivision_ranks = Families
 | subdivision       = ''see'' [[#Taxonomy|Taxonomy]]
| range_map          = Scorpiones distribution.png
| range_map_caption  = Native range of Scorpiones
}}
'''Scorpions''' are [[predatory]] [[arachnid]]s of the [[Order (biology)|order]] '''Scorpiones'''. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of [[Chela (organ)|grasping pincers]] and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always ending with a [[stinger]]. The evolutionary history of scorpions goes back [[Silurian|435 million years]]. They mainly live in [[desert]]s but have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions, and can be found on all continents except [[Antarctica]]. There are over 2,500 described [[species]], with 22 extant (living) families recognized to date. Their [[Taxonomy (biology)|taxonomy]] is being revised to account for 21st-century [[genomic]] studies.

Scorpions primarily prey on [[insect]]s and other [[invertebrate]]s, but some species hunt [[vertebrate]]s. They use their pincers to restrain and kill prey, or to prevent their own predation. The [[Scorpion sting|venomous sting]] is used for offense and defense. During courtship, the male and female grasp each other's pincers and dance while he tries to move her onto his [[sperm packet]]. All known species give [[viviparous|live birth]] and the female cares for the young as their [[exoskeleton]]s harden, transporting them on her back. The exoskeleton contains [[fluorescent]] chemicals and glows under [[ultraviolet]] light.

The vast majority of species do not seriously threaten humans, and healthy adults usually do not need medical treatment after a sting. About 25 species (fewer than one [[percent]]) have venom capable of killing a human, which happens frequently in the parts of the world where they live, primarily where access to medical treatment is unlikely.

Scorpions appear in art, folklore, mythology, and commercial brands. [[Scorpion motif]]s are woven into [[kilim]] carpets for protection from their sting. [[Scorpius]] is the name of a constellation; the corresponding [[Scorpio (astrology)|astrological sign is Scorpio]]. A classical myth about Scorpius tells how the giant scorpion and its enemy [[Orion (mythology)|Orion]] became constellations on opposite sides of the sky.