There are many scorpions in the Grand Canyon state. Venom from only one of the 30 species of Arizona scorpions, the bark scorpion, is considered life-threatening. The largest type of scorpion found in the Foothills is the desert hairy scorpion which can reach a length of 95 mm.
Scorpions belong to a phylum of joint-legged animals with external skeletons called arthropods.
This is the largest group in the animal kingdom with well over a million and a half species. The oldest known arthropods are the extinct trilobites, marine animals that flourished 550 to 450 million years ago. One type arthropod, arachnids, include spiders, mites, ticks and scorpions. All of which produce venom. Most arachnids are meat eating and partial digestion takes place outside the body when digestive enzymes are poured into prey tissue as the prey is held the animal's pincers.