1. Desert scorpion

Urodacus yaschenkoi

8–11cm 

This large and aggressive scorpion is widespread throughout the deserts of Australia’s interior. To shelter from the sweltering daytime heat of the inland, this species constructs deep, spiral burrows up to 1m deep in sandy soils.

2. Rainforest scorpion

Hormurus waigiensis

5–8cm 

This scorpion is well adapted to the rainforests of QLD and north-eastern NSW. Its large claws help to lock its flat body into rock and log crevices away from predators, and also assist it in ambushing wandering prey.

3. Spider-hunting scorpion

Isometroides vescus

2.5–5.5cm 

This scorpion lives in Australia’s arid inland, and has likely evolved to become a specialist spider hunter. It’s thought that it shelters in the burrows of trapdoor spiders, having killed the spider beforehand.

4. Flinders Ranges scorpion

Urodacus elongatus

9–12cm 

One of Australia’s largest and most spectacular scorpion species. It’s found exclusively in the gullies of the Flinders Ranges and surrounds in SA, where it lives in shallow scrapes that it constructs under rocks.

5. Marbled scorpion

Lychas marmoreus

1.5–4cm 

This little mottled ­scorpion is currently found throughout ­southern Australia and probably represents ­several species. Mainly associated with gum ­forests, it is known to occasionally enter ­people’s houses.

6. Dwarf forest scorpion

Liocheles australasiae

2–3cm 

This species is found in Cape York, QLD, and South-East Asia. It lives in colonies 40m above the ground, under the bark of trees in rainforest canopies. Females of some populations can asexually produce clones of themselves.

7. Salt lake scorpion

Australobuthus xerolimniorum

4cm 

One of our most interesting scorpions, this species is adapted to inland SA’s harsh, barren salt lakes. At night it roams the lakes’ surfaces, where it hunts resting flies and small spiders with limited competition from other scorpions.

8. Buchar’s scorpion

Lychas buchari

5cm 

A small scorpion that may in fact be several species, it inhabits sand dunes throughout SA and WA. As it waits to ambush passing ­invertebrates, its light colouration provides camouflage in the sand and small shrubs at night.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about snakes