#schizomids

So far i’ve found 11 of the 13 currently recognized living arachnid orders in the wild. Someday I hope to find all of them!

Hi Tumblr, i'm Zoe and I like to interview scientists about the species they find, identify, and describe.

It turns out there are new species of pretty much everything; mammals, lizards, and beetles but also flowers, deep sea worms, starfish, and even short-tailed whip-scorpions. There are so many stories behind these species too, from the ways that they are named (for Willie Nelson Songs, Warhammer 40k characters, and Icelandic presidents) to the places they are found (in remote Brazilian caves, on top of Mount Olympus, and even in their own backyards).

We also go on some fun tangents, including exploring naming conventions, a deep dive into weevils, and some bonus episodes (free on Patreon) where friends of the pod and I review cheesy horror flicks for scientific accuracy.

I want to help scientists share their work because taxonomy is important. Understanding evolutionary relationships is important. Conservation is important. There are a thousand reasons why the work of finding new species matters, and in these episodes, researchers share them all.

Short-tail Whip Scorpions (Schizomids)

Habitat & Distribution:

Tropical rainforests worldwide

Physical description:

Length: 5 millimetres (0.20 in) on average

Soft-bodied, generally brown or tan

Lacks eyes; uses its two front legs to sense predators, prey, and obstacles

Behaviour:

Lives under leaf litter or in top soil; some species live inside live ant colonies

Feeds on small invertebrates like isopods, worms, and mites

Often predated upon by caecilians, frogs, lizards, and larger whip scorpions

Key advantages:

Tail may contain an acid-like substance that is used for defense

Their small size and plain coloring makes them extremely hard to spot

See where they stand in the May Mammal Madness Tournament here!