Heterometrus laoticus

Heterometrus laoticus or Vietnam forest scorpion, is a scorpion species found in peaty areas of Vietnam and Laos. They can reach lengths of 12 cm (4.7 in). They are a communal species, but cannibalism has been known to occur, and if caught, they can be extremely violent even towards their own kind.

Heterometrus laoticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Arachnida
Order:
Scorpiones
Family:
Scorpionidae
Genus:
Heterometrus
Species:
H. laoticus
Binomial name
Heterometrus laoticus
Couzijn, 1981

Lethality

Rather than being a lethal toxin, the giant scorpion's venom is paralytic. The venom is distilled into medicines against various kinds of microorganisms. It exhibits good results in disc diffusion assay for Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, among others.

As food

The scorpion is farmed for consumption as a novelty food in Vietnam.[1][2] They are also used to make snake wine (scorpion wine).[3]

References
  1. "Crickets, scorpions on Saigonese plates". Tuoi Tre News. August 14, 2013.
  2. Best Ever Food Review Show (11 Oct 2020), BUGS are Invading Street Food in Asia!! Extreme Vietnamese Street Food!!
  3. Lachenmeier, Dirk W.; Anh, Pham Thi Hoang; Popova, Svetlana; Rehm, Jürgen (August 11, 2009). "The Quality of Alcohol Products in Vietnam and Its Implications for Public Health". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 6 (8): 2090–2101. doi:10.3390/ijerph6082090. PMC 2738875. PMID 19742208.


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