''Mastigoproctus giganteus'', the giant whip scorpion, also called the giant vinegaroon or grampus, is a species of

whip scorpion Thelyphonida is an arachnid order comprising invertebrates commonly known as whip scorpions or vinegaroons (also spelled vinegarroons and vinegarones). They are often called uropygids in the scientific community based on an alternative name for ...

s in the family

Thelyphonida Thelyphonida is an arachnid order comprising invertebrates commonly known as whip scorpions or vinegaroons (also spelled vinegarroons and vinegarones). They are often called uropygids in the scientific community based on an alternative name for ...

Description

This species can grow to be long, excluding the tail. They have six legs used for movement, two long antenniform front legs that they use to feel around for prey and detect vibrations, and two large

pedipalps Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") and ...

modified into claws that they use to crush their prey. They have a long, thin, whip-like tail, the origin of the common name whipscorpion. From the base of this tail they can spray a substance composed of 85% acetic acid in order to defend themselves. Acetic acid is the main component of

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

, so the spray smells strongly of vinegar, leading to the common name "vinegaroon". ''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' have eight eyes: two in a pair on the front of the head and three on each side of the head. These eyes are very weak, so ''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' navigates mostly by feeling with its long front legs, tail, and pedipalps.

Phylogeny

''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' is included with the

Tetrapulmonata Tetrapulmonata is a non-ranked supra-ordinal clade of arachnids. It is composed of the extant orders Thelyphonida (whip scorpions), Schizomida (short-tailed whip scorpions), Amblypygi (tail-less whip scorpions) and Araneae (spiders). It is th ...

in a clade within the pulmonate Arachnida (those with book lungs), most closely related to spiders

Araneae Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species dive ...

and stinging scorpions Scorpiones, which they feed on. It is composed of the extant orders Thelyphonida (whip scorpions), Schizomida (short-tailed whip scorpions), Amblypygi (tail-less whip scorpions) and Araneae (spiders) This 2019

cladogram A cladogram (from Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an evolutionary tree because it does not show how ancestors are related to ...

summarizes: Pedipalpi is further classified. The Schizomida and Thelyphonida likely diverged in the late Carboniferous, somewhere in the tropics of

Pangaea Pangaea or Pangea () was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It assembled from the earlier continental units of Gondwana, Euramerica and Siberia during the Carboniferous approximately 335 million y ...

Habitat

''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' lives in the southern US and in Mexico at elevations up to 6000 feet. It preys on various insects, worms, and slugs. It is an efficient predator that feeds at night on a variety of Arthropods, primarily insects such as cockroaches and crickets, as well as millipedes and other arachnids. It has even been recorded feeding on small frogs and toads. It uses its large pedipalps to hold prey, while the chelicerae tear and bite the prey. ''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' is the only species of family Thelyphonidae that occurs in the United States, including Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Vinegaroons are efficient predators of scorpions and are sometimes acquired for that purpose. Mastigoproctus giganteus may be eaten by raccoons, coatis, armadillos, skunks, bears, hogs and peccaries, ground birds such as roadrunners, lizards, and tarantulas.

Life cycle and reproduction

''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' typically lives 4 to 7 years, but the female reproduces only once, producing about 40 offspring which she protects and feeds in their early lives. Males fight each other at night in fierce battles for the privilege of mating with a female also at night. Survivability of young is improved by continual care by the mother.

Economic impact

''Mastigoproctus giganteus'' is regarded as beneficial to agriculture and human residences by controlling stinging scorpions, insects, and spider populations.

As pets

This species is sold in the exotic animal trade as

pet A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence ...

s. Non venomous they can be kept as individual adults or groups of juveniles in terrariums with places to dig and hide, fed insects twice a week especially crickets and flies. Mastigoproctus giganteus can be handled gently with care to avoid being bitten, pinched, or sprayed with acid when the

arachnid Arachnida () is a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods), in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegar ...

feels threatened.

Subspecies

* ''Mastigoproctus giganteus giganteus'' (Lucas, 1835) — Southern USA * ''Mastigoproctus giganteus excubitor'' (Girard, 1854) — University Of Florida * ''Mastigoproctus giganteus rufus mexicanus'' (Butler, 1872) — Mexico * ''Mastigoproctus giganteus giganteus'' (Lonnberg, 1879) — Florida to Arizona * ''Mastigoproctus giganteus scabrosus'' (Pocock, 1902) — Mexico * Four subspecies A, B, C, and D are under study in The American Museum of Natural History, New York City and The National Autonomous University of Mexico.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3020933 Thelyphonida Arachnids of North America Arthropods of Mexico Arthropods of the United States Animals described in 1835