How scorpion tails do the bend and twistAn image provided by Alice Günther shows a 3-D reconstruction of the scorpion’s tail, which is used for much more than stinging prey. So while a scorpion’s tail is doing the bend and twist, it is also moving solid waste toward its anus so it can defecate through its tail. In a scorpion tail, there is only the ball, meaning the round edge of the joint. The lack of a socket allows the segments of the tail to bend up and down and twist left and right, as well as to bend and twist simultaneously. The fifth, final segment in a scorpion’s tail is narrower than the rest and can only bend, not twist.

Source: Bangkok Post September 01, 2021 04:07 UTC