Deathstalker Scorpion
OrderScorpiones
FamilyButhidae
Size4-6 cm
HabitatNorth African/Middle Eastern deserts
DietInsects, spiders, small lizards
About the Deathstalker Scorpion
The most venomous scorpion in the world. Its venom contains chlorotoxin, which is being studied as a potential brain cancer treatment - it can bind to tumor cells with remarkable precision. A synthetic version is in clinical trials. Despite the deadly venom, healthy adults usually survive stings. They glow blue-green under UV light due to proteins in their exoskeleton. They can survive a year without food. They have been around for 400 million years.