🦂 Heterometrus cyaneus
Common Name: Asian Forest Scorpion
Region: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Appearance: Glossy black body with a subtle blue sheen and reddish-brown stinger tip.
Size: 12–15 cm long
Habitat: Tropical rainforests; shelters under logs, stones, and leaf litter
Behavior: Nocturnal and terrestrial; navigates with sensitive hairs on pedipalps and pectines
Feeding: Carnivorous—feeds on insects and spiders
Taxonomy: Family Scorpionidae | Genus Heterometrus
Reproduction: Males deposit a sperm packet; females collect it using abdominal organs
Notes: Despite fearsome appearance, venom is mild