What color is the blood of scorpions and spiders?

What color is the blood of scorpions? This issue has the right to exist, because the answer to it for many will seem quite unexpected. The blood of all living organisms ensures the metabolism and nutrition of the cells of the body and, as we know, has a red color. All thanks to the hemoglobin contained in the erythrocytes (red blood cells), the basis of which is iron. But there are exceptions.

In this article, we will consider another unusual type of blood that is characteristic of representatives of the detachment of arthropods. For example, take a scorpion and a spider. What color the blood of these creatures - we will try to learn from this article.

Blue blood?

Is it true that scorpions and spiders have blue blood? In fact, the blood of such an unusual color does not mean that its carriers have some "high" origin.

The fact is that the blood of scorpions contains not hemoglobin, but hemocyanin - its analogue. If hemoglobin is an iron-containing substance, then hemocyanin has copper in its composition. Upon contact with air, this element begins to turn blue and, giving oxygen to the tissues, loses its color. From here one can easily conclude what color the blood has in scorpions. That is why in arthropods the blue blood flows through the veins, and on the arteries - blue.

It is known that hemoglobin is contained in red blood cells and in blood plasma. But the hemocyanin is dissolved in the blood plasma. There are mollusks that have hemocyanin and hemoglobin in their blood, sometimes one of the elements carries oxygen through the blood, and the other delivers it to the tissues.

Functions of hemocyanin

Hemocyanin, being a respiratory pigment, carries oxygen in the blood of arthropods. The substance is of great interest to scientists: depending on the size of the living organism, up to 160 of its binding sites are able to work and exist among themselves, carrying out transportation, attachment and release of oxygen atoms into the blood. This phenomenon of "teamwork" scientific luminaries can be used to create highly sensitive molecular "switches" - molecules that can exist in two or more permanent forms. In this case, between them will be possible reversible transformations with external influence - temperature change, acidity change, lighting.

Therefore, if you come across the question: "What color is the blood of scorpions?" - boldly answer - blue.

Color of blood in spiders

We have already decided on the color of the blood of scorpions, but what about spiders? The class of arachnids has colorless circulating blood - hemolymph. Why does such a liquid have no color? This is due to the fact that the hemoglobin molecule contains a copper atom. Unlike the iron atom that makes up the hemoglobin molecule, it is colorless.

In addition to transporting hormones, nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body, hemolymph also performs other, equally important functions: it is used to increase blood pressure during moulting and lengthening of the legs.

In this article, we found out what color the blood of scorpions and spiders. We hope that this information will be of interest to you.