Scorpion slugs were a type of species that lacked sentience. These creatures were native to Despayre, which was a planet located in the Outer Rim Territories. They received their name from the stinger found at the tip of their tail. This stinger contained a powerful venom that could inflict agonizing pain lasting for weeks on many humanoid species, potentially leading to death if the victim did not recover. However, the sting of a scorpion slug's was typically deadly to smaller organisms. These slugs favored habitats among desiccated evergreen foliage. Sometime between 3 BBY and 0 BBY, prisoners like Celot Ratua Dil would often utilize these branches as makeshift sleeping surfaces, regularly relocating to different branches to steer clear of the slugs. The entire population of scorpion slugs on Despayre was wiped out when the Galactic Empire's Death Star battle station obliterated the planet in 0 BBY.
The initial mention of scorpion slugs occurred in the 2007 novel titled Death Star, which was authored by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry.