Scientists knew the stingers and pincers of these arachnids generally contained metals, but a new Smithsonian-led study maps out how these components are distributed

African fattail scorpion ( Androctonus amoreuxi ) Mohamed Mousaid, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Scorpions have eight legs like a spider, claws like a lobster and an upward curling tail ending in a venomous spur like seemingly no other creature. Within their exoskeletons is another intriguing characteristic: The predators’ stingers and claws are bolstered with metals.

Most of a scorpion’s exoskeleton is made of chitin , a complex sugar that forms a tough protective covering for the animal’s body. But their claws and stingers, which face strong impact forces as they grasp and stab, must be extra sturdy—especially because adult scorpions can’t repair any lost body parts.…