Late at night, after a rain  in Arizona’s high desert,   a dark shape creeps out from its underground  lair.

It’s as big as your palm, and it’s hungry.

And if it feels bothered… OK what just happened?

And  seriously, what is this thing?

A mutant land lobster?

I mean, it’s got claws like a scorpion… The mouth of a spider?

Antennae-like things coming out of its armpits.

A long, skinny tail like a RAT?

This surprising combo of monster body parts  is a vinegaroon, also known as a whipscorpion.

It’s in a group of animals called arachnids,  that includes scorpions and spiders.

But it doesn’t sting like a scorpion,  or hunt with a web like many spiders.

A vinegaroon has its very own style.

This tail may look dangerous,  but it’s actually a finely-tuned   sensor.

It picks up vibrations and chemicals  in the air, in this case, to stalk its prey Up front, those antennae-looking things are   actually specialized legs.

They help  the vinegaroon feel its way around.

It’s basically blind.

So it relies on  touch and smell to close in on its meal.

It will break through this cricket's tough  exoskeleton with its claws and bristly mouth.

The vinegaroon also uses these  wicked claws to excavate its burrow.

Adults and their young use the  burrows for protection from predators,   and to stay out of the scorching desert sun.

Vinegaroons and their ancestors have survived  this way for hundreds of millions of years.

So, what does it need that spray for?

Researchers observe it by gently  holding the animal with forceps.

Despite those frightening looks, this surprising  spritz is actually its strongest defense against   anything that wants to eat them –  like skunks, raccoons or coyotes.

Even with poor eyesight, the vinegaroon  sprays with incredible accuracy.

Inside, two pygidial glands, also known  as “stink glands,” hold the foul fluid.

The base of the tail is extremely flexible,  and can aim the blast in any direction.

Touché, skunk!

The instant it sprays, the gland openings  appear as two retractable nozzles.

An adult vinegaroon can shoot up to five   times before it needs to let its stink  glands fill up again.

The spray reeks.

That’s because the solution is mostly acetic acid,   the same stuff in the vinegar in your salad  dressing, except this cocktail is 16 times   stronger.

A blast of that to the face of  a larger predator is like pepper spray.

While the vinegaroon’s signature defense  is unlikely to do any lasting damage,   it will certainly leave a lasting impression.