# Identify this critter please
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 1, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482 "2004-12-01T13:30:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/1 "2004-12-01T13:30:17Z")
I killed this in my bathroom this morning. At first glance it looks like a spider, but upon closer inspection I suspect that it is some kind non-spider arthropod. It seems to have pincers though that could be an illusion.
I took a bunch of pictures and this was the best I could get. The digital camera had a hard time focusing on something so small.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/2 "2004-12-01T13:40:10Z")
Your link does not work for me.
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### Author:  [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/3 "2004-12-01T13:43:48Z")
Possibly a whipscorpion of some kind. (You need to fix the slashes in your link.)
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### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/4 "2004-12-01T13:52:45Z")
Yep, I’ll second the whip scorpion…thats a baby…If you see more than 4 of those little guys, you got yourself an infestation. At least that’s what our Orkin man in AZ said to us when we found them…
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### Author:  [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/5 "2004-12-01T14:24:12Z")
Also known as a “Vinagaroon”. Here’s some further [info](http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/arachnids/whipscorpion/Vinegarroon.shtml).
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/6 "2004-12-01T14:39:17Z")
> [@TwoTrouts](#):
>
> Also known as a “Vinagaroon”. Here’s some further [info](http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/arachnids/whipscorpion/Vinegarroon.shtml).
What a cool little critter! How big do they get? The one that **LaterComer** killed was quite small. Here’s a [fix to his/her link](http://www.people.iup.edu/donspade/weirdspider.jpg).
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/7 "2004-12-01T14:50:28Z")
I couldn’t see the ‘whip’ tail in the OP’s picture - could it be a [pseudoscorpion](http://www.augsburg.edu/home/biology/photoofmonth/pseudoscorpion-dime.jpg)?
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### Author:  [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/8 "2004-12-01T14:56:11Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> I couldn’t see the ‘whip’ tail in the OP’s picture - could it be a [pseudoscorpion](http://www.augsburg.edu/home/biology/photoofmonth/pseudoscorpion-dime.jpg)?
Y’know, you are absolutely correct! From that photo, it is most likely a [pseudoscorpion.](http://biol.org/Pseudoscorpion.htm)
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### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/9 "2004-12-01T15:02:54Z")
> [@TwoTrouts](#):
>
> Also known as a “Vinagaroon”. Here’s some further [info](http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/arachnids/whipscorpion/Vinegarroon.shtml).
These are excellent with a some olive oil, arugula and spinach leaf.
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### Author:  [@stiffly\_stifferson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stiffly_stifferson)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/10 "2004-12-01T15:31:18Z")
we were clearing out a woodpile in my backyard years ago and found one. We put it in a mason jar, and a cricket there just to see what would happen. Putting the jar in the BBQ grill to keep it dark and cool, an hour later there was a fizzy mess where the cricket used to be.
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### Author:  [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/11 "2004-12-01T15:41:41Z")
Thanks for the info. I think it looks more like the pseodoscorpion and also the page about vinegarroons states that they live in the southwest and I live in Pennsylvania.
I should also point out that the body is very flattened and the pictures of pseudoscorpions look thicker, though I’d suppose there are different species.
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### Author:  [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/12 "2004-12-01T15:44:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> I couldn’t see the ‘whip’ tail in the OP’s picture - could it be a [pseudoscorpion](http://www.augsburg.edu/home/biology/photoofmonth/pseudoscorpion-dime.jpg)?
I see that Mangetout’s picture is also flattened. Thanks.
Sorry about the problems with the link. It worked fine for me on preview. Really it did.
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### Author:  [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/13 "2004-12-01T15:49:48Z")
> [@LateComer](#):
>
> I see that Mangetout’s picture is also flattened. Thanks.
>
> Sorry about the problems with the link. It worked fine for me on preview. Really it did.
It worked fine for me, too.
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### Author:  [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/14 "2004-12-01T16:01:47Z")
It seems I shouldn’t be concerned about having these in my house, they’re pretty common and [even beneficial](http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/pseudoscorpion.htm), feeding on other bugs. I just wonder how much they can eat at that size.
It also seems that [they even have their own newsletter!](http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/srs/prg03.html)
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### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/15 "2004-12-01T17:14:09Z")
> [@LateComer](#):
>
> It also seems that [they even have their own newsletter!](http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/srs/prg03.html)
Wow, they have there own internet access.
**Mangetout** did you know that from AD&D monster manuals? I saw it and though pseudoscorpion, about 4 HD non poisonous but good AC.
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### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-critter-please/277482/16 "2004-12-01T17:24:51Z")
[A sandking, obviously!](http://graphics.stepwise.com/EMB/EMB_SS_Sandkings01-Large.jpg)