Emperor Scorpion
The emperor scorpion's exoskeleton encompasses the carapace, eyes, the mouth, claws, and four pairs of walking legs. The scorpion's exoskeleton is thick and durable, providing good protection from predators. Scorpions have two eyes on the top of the cephalothorax, and usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners. The position of the eyes on the cephalothorax depends in part on the hardness or softness of the soil upon which they spend their lives.
Growth
Growth is accomplished by periodic shedding of the exoskeleton in ecdysis. A scorpion's developmental progress is measured in how many moults it has underwent, or instars. Scorpions typically require between five and seven moults to reach maturity. Moulting commences with a split in the old exoskeleton just below the edge of the carapace. When it emerges, the scorpion's new exoskeleton is soft, making the scorpion highly vulnerable to attack. The scorpion must constantly stretch while the new exoskeleton hardens to ensure that it can move when the hardening is complete. The process of hardening is called sclerotization.