Heterometrus laoticus or Vietnam forest scorpion,[citation needed] is a scorpion species found in peaty areas of Vietnam and Laos.

They are a communal species, but cannibalism has been known to occur, and if caught, they can be extremely violent even towards their own kind.

Rather than being a lethal toxin, the giant scorpion's venom is paralytic.

It exhibits good results in disc diffusion assay for Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, among others.

[citation needed] The scorpion is farmed for consumption as a novelty food in Vietnam.