Science

n2doc

(47,953 posts) Thu Oct 24, 2013, 08:58 PM Oct 2013

Mouse feels no pain as it devours stinging scorpion

By Monte Morin
October 24, 2013, 4:12 p.m.
A venomous bark scorpion, its stinger poised to strike, confronts a furry, little grasshopper mouse somewhere in the desert. A deadly melee is about to begin and you won't believe who wins.

Even though the bark scorpion possesses one of the most painful -- and potentially lethal -- stings in the animal kingdom, he's about to become lunch for a twitchy little rodent.

Thanks to evolution, the grasshopper mouse no longer feels the intense burning, and subsequent throbbing, that humans or other mice feel when injected with scorpion venom -- pain that would stop most predators dead in their tracks.

In fact, after several stings to the face, a grasshopper mouse stops briefly to groom itself, then resumes its savage attack before feasting on the overwhelmed scorpion.

more

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-mouse-scorpion-pain-20131024,0,1371682.story

4 replies

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Highlight:

Mouse feels no pain as it devours stinging scorpion (Original Post) n2doc Oct 2013 OP

there are way worse stings than a bark scorpion Kali Oct 2013 #1

Think that's badass? MannyGoldstein Oct 2013 #2

The bark scorpion has one of the most painful stings in the animal kingdom... Vashta Nerada Oct 2013 #3

And the mouse was able to swim to the other side of the river, much to the scorpions chagrin. Javaman Oct 2013 #4

Kali

(55,008 posts)

1. there are way worse stings than a bark scorpion

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Thu Oct 24, 2013, 09:12 PM

Oct 2013

but the grasshopper mouse is a badass anyway...do you know they howl?

MannyGoldstein

(34,589 posts)

2. Think that's badass?

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Thu Oct 24, 2013, 09:32 PM

Oct 2013

Vashta Nerada

(3,922 posts)

3. The bark scorpion has one of the most painful stings in the animal kingdom...

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Thu Oct 24, 2013, 10:54 PM

Oct 2013

but the grasshopper mouse doesn't give a shit. It'll just eat the scorpion right up.

Om nom nom...

Javaman

(62,530 posts)

4. And the mouse was able to swim to the other side of the river, much to the scorpions chagrin.

Reply to n2doc (Original post)

Fri Oct 25, 2013, 08:33 AM

Oct 2013

Later interviewed and angry scorpion was quoted as saying, "sure, stinging the mouse was completely within my nature, but damn, that doesn't mean I don't get a certain amount of satisfaction from eit though! That mouse will now be seeing me in court!"

Calls to the tea party office for comment after the scorpion stole their hyperbole went unanswered.

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