‘Large’ venomous creature — with babies on back — is new species in Thailand
Motherhood looks different for animals around the world.
Frog mothers lay eggs and never see their young grow, while elephants have live births, then stay with their young for more than a decade.
For one group of mothers in the forests of Doi Phu Kha National Park, their babies hang around — and use mom’s body for a free ride.
Scorpiops doiphukha, or the Doi Phu Kha scorpion, was recently discovered as a new species in Thailand’s northern mountains, according to a study published June 12 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.
“The scorpions were primarily observed hiding within rock crevices on rock walls and were exclusively found at night in ambush positions, waiting for potential prey to crawl near their hiding spots,” researchers said. “Juvenile specimens were often found outside these crevices, crawling on rock and soil walls, frequently near the refuges of adult individuals.”
These predators are about 2.5 inches long, considered “large” compared to other species in the same genus, according to the study.
Females of the species are “yellowish brown” while males are more “reddish brown,” researchers said. Their legs and telson, or the stinger on the end of the tail, are also yellowish brown, with the legs “intensely spotted.”
There is significant sexual dimorphism, or physical traits that differ between males and females, according to the study.
Males have “markedly elongated” pedpalps, the large leg-like appendages that appear like pincers on scorpions.
In an image taken by researchers, a female Doi Phu Kha scorpion was seen carrying a mass of “pre-juveniles” on her back, their bright white bodies in stark contrast to her brown body and the forest floor.
“(The new species) is endemic to the hill evergreen forests of Doi Phu Kha National Park in Nan Province, Thailand, at approximately (5,000 feet) above sea level. These forests are characterized by dense vegetation, cooler temperatures (especially during dry season), and high humidity, creating an ideal microhabitat for the species,” according to the study.
Scorpions are not insects but are arachnids like spiders, mites and ticks. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, and are most common in arid regions, according to National Geographic.
The predators use their pincers to grab prey before using their telson to stab their meal, injecting the prey with venom, National Geographic says.
Doi Phu Kha National Park is near the northern border of Thailand, just southwest of Laos.
The research team includes Eric Ythier, Ondřej Košulič, Wasin Nawanetiwong and Wilson R. Lourenço.
This story was originally published June 12, 2025 at 5:36 PM with the headline "‘Large’ venomous creature — with babies on back — is new species in Thailand."
