''Smeringurus mesaensis'', also known as the dune scorpion or giant sand scorpion, is a species of scorpion in the family

Vaejovidae Vaejovidae is a family (biology), family of scorpions, currently comprising 25 genera and over 230 species, found in North America. The species of the family are found from western Guatemala, throughout Mexico, and in the United States, mostly we ...

. It is common in the deserts of the southwestern United States.

Description

The dune scorpion is approximately 72 mm in length and 2.0 g in mass.

Behaviour and ecology

''Smeringurus mesaensis'' is

fossorial A fossorial animal () is one that is adapted to digging and which lives primarily (but not solely) underground. Examples of fossorial vertebrates are Mole (animal), moles, badgers, naked mole-rats, meerkats, armadillos, wombats, and mole salamand ...

and solitary, though young will aggregate shortly after dispersing from their mother. Females of this species are typically larger than males, with males traveling to find females during mating season. They are nocturnal creatures, active between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., accounting for their daytime invisibility.

References

Vaejovidae Animals described in 1957 {{scorpion-stub