Sunday, August 23, 2009

All God's Creatures Sunday

Vinegarone

Creepy looking, isn't he? Don't worry, he's dead. Hubby pulled him out of the pool. You probably wouldn't want to shake claws with this fellow, since those are part of his mouth!

Common Name: VinegaroonScientific Name: Mastigoproctus giganteus (Lucas)Order: Uropygi
Description: Vinegaroons have heavy mouthparts (pedipalps) that are formed into pincers. The first pair of legs is long and thin and is used like antenna to feel their way around. The next three pairs of legs are used for walking. The abdomen is attached widely to the head-thorax region (cephalothorax). The tail is long and thin suggesting a whip which is where the common name, "whipscorpion," originates for the order Uropygi. The only species that occurs in Texas is Mastigoproctus giganteus (Lucas) which is a vinegaroon in the family Thelyphonidae. Our Texas species is nearly black in color. Bodies of adults are 1 1/2 to 3 inches long. It is found primarily in west Texas especially in the Trans-Pecos region, but has been reported as far north as the Panhandle and in south Texas.
Life Cycle: Eggs are carried in a sac by the female. After hatching, they ride on the female’s back similar to scorpions.
Habitat, Food Source(s), Damage: Mouthparts are for chewing. Vinegaroons are nocturnal and have poor vision, relying on sensing vibrations to locate prey. They are more commonly found in desert areas but they have also been reported in grassland, scrub, pine forests, and mountains.
Pest Status: Considered non-poisonous but they can pinch; capable of spraying a mist from scent glands at the base of the tail when disturbed. The mist produced by our species contains 85% concentrated acetic acid or vinegar, hence the name "vinegaroon."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

YUCK.

Arizona is so not the place for me. LOL!

septembermom said...

Another freaky creature to avoid. Interesting to look at though.

Karmen said...

CAPITAL OMG! And I am the bug killer at my house. Thank goodness I've not been confronted by one of those. I would just move! Like to Canada. Karmen

Dan Felstead said...

I swear!!!! You come up with some of the strangest creatures out there! I recently posted about beautiful Sedona....if these are there...I may just visit from the air in the future! I am exaggerating of course but this is really a strange one!

Dan

TheLandofLynds said...

Thank you for the vote of confidence. Its good to know I'm not alone in the world of nocturnal ponderers. : )
Yes I wil sing! ....and your little creature is pretty interesting....yikes!

pam said...

Creepy.

I prefer my bugs more friendly looking.

Janice said...

I am never coming to visit you.

Scriptor Senex said...

I'm usually into creepy crawlies but even for me that is one very creepy crawly!

Cynthia L. H. said...

Wow! I've never heard of them!!! What an education! The world is amazing.
;^-

Graham Edwards said...

I think I'll give that one a miss too thank you very much. I love New Zealand. Nothing there is poisonous as compared with Australia across the Tasman where everything is poisonous!

Flora & Fauna

Books I have known & loved

  • Life of Pi
  • A Hundred Years of Solitude
  • Kite Runner
  • The Way the Crow Flies
  • Fall on Your Knees
  • Poisonwood Bible
  • East of Eden
  • Shantaram
  • I Know This Much is True

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