Scorpions are more closely related to which of the following?

Scorpions are more closely related to ticks, mites, and spiders because they all belong to the class Arachnida within the phylum Arthropoda. This classification indicates that scorpions and these other creatures share common characteristics, such as having four pairs of legs, a two-part body structure (cephalothorax and abdomen), and being primarily terrestrial. Together, they are categorized as arachnids, which distinguishes them from earthworms, flatworms, and protozoans that belong to entirely different phyla and exhibit significantly different body structures and ecological roles.

Earthworms belong to the phylum Annelida, flatworms to the phylum Platyhelminthes, and protozoans to various groups within the kingdom Protista, none of which share the arachnid characteristics that scorpions do. Therefore, the strong taxonomic relationship between scorpions and arachnids like ticks, mites, and spiders makes this option the most accurate choice.