Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, one of the most dangerous groups of scorpion species worldwide. The genus was first described in 1828 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg.
Members of this genus are found throughout Northern Africa, the Middle East and eastwards to Northeastern India, more commonly in semi-arid and arid regions.
They are moderate sized scorpions, some attaining lengths of 10 cm (just under 4 inches). Their common name is derived from their distinctly fat metasoma, or tail, while the scientific name for the genus originates from Greek to mean "man killer". Their venom contains powerful neurotoxins, and their sting can have potent negative effects on domestic animals and people - even causing several human deaths each year. This has led several pharmaceutical companies to manufacture an antivenom for treatment of Androctonus envenomations.
Ecology The fat-tailed scorpion is nocturnal and hides in crevices during the day, which may also limit dehydration. Ongoing threats to the scorpions is through habitat loss by human development of their habitat.
Geographic range Androctonus is widespread in North and West Africa, the Middle East and eastwards to the Hindukush region. Countries where Androctonus occur include (from East to West): Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, (Mali?), Burkina Faso, Togo, Morocco, Algeria, Niger, Cameroon, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India.
Biogeographic subgroups An overview of the diversity in Saudi Arabia was given in Alqahtani & Badry, 2021
Taxonomy
The following checklist corresponds to The Scorpion Files (), counties and geographic ranges are adapted from Ythier 2021, and Ythier & Lourenço, 2022.
Genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828: Androctonus aeneas Algeria, Tunisia Androctonus afghanus Afghanistan Androctonus agrab Western Sahara Androctonus ajjer Algeria Androctonus aleksandrplotkini Mauritania Androctonus ammoneus Jordan Androctonus amoreuxi Western Sahara to Egypt (possibly Israel). Androctonus australis Morocco to Egypt Androctonus baluchicus Afghanistan, Pakistan Androctonus barbouri Morocco Androctonus bartolozzii Pakistan Androctonus bicolor Libya to Syria [possibly broader, e.g. Iraq (Jordan?, Lebanon?)] Androctonus bourdoni Morocco Androctonus burkinensis Burkina Faso Androctonus cacahuati Cameroon Androctonus cholistanus Pakistan, India Androctonus crassicauda Iran (but a broader Middle eastern range in many publications, e.g. Ythier, 2021) Androctonus dekeyseri Mauritania, Senegal Androctonus donairei Morocco Androctonus eburneus Algeria Androctonus finitimus Pakistan Androctonus gonneti Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco Androctonus hoggarensis Algeria Androctonus ishtar Iraq Androctonus kunti Turkey (Armenia?), (Iran?) Androctonus liouvillei Algeria, Morocco Androctonus maelfaiti India Androctonus maroccanus Morocco Androctonus mauritanicus Morocco Androctonus minaeus Jordan Androctonus pallidus Chad Androctonus robustus Pakistan Androctonus rostami Iran Androctonus santi Niger Androctonus sergenti Morocco Androctonus simonettai Ethiopia Androctonus sistanus Iran Androctonus sumericus Iraq Androctonus tenuissimus Egypt Androctonus tibesti Libya Androctonus tigrai Ethiopia Androctonus tihamicus Saudi Arabia Androctonus togolensis Togo Androctonus tropeai Pakistan Androctonus turkiyensis Turkey
Etymology An English translation of the name Androctonus is "man-killer", from the Ancient Greek anḗr, andrós (ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός), meaning "man" and kteínein (κτείνειν), meaning "to kill". The species name crassicauda loosely translates as "fat-tailed", from the Latin crassus meaning "fat" and cauda, meaning "tail", hence Androctonus crassicauda is "fat-tailed man-killer". Similarly, Androctonus australis has the species name australis from the Latin word for South, therefore "southern man-killer".
In captivity
Despite the risks of keeping such a dangerously venomous species in captivity, Androctonus scorpions are frequently found in the exotic animal trade, A. amoreuxi and A. australis being the most commonly available. The fat-tailed scorpion's main diet when in captivity consists of cockroaches, grasshoppers, and crickets. However, the fat-tailed scorpion is able to go months without consuming food. Scorpions will generally try to kill and eat anything which moves and is smaller than themselves. Fat-tail scorpions kill their prey by first crushing them with their pincers and then injecting them with venom from their stingers. Once the prey has been stung, it causes paralysis and allows the scorpion to consume it with ease. Interestingly, the fat-tail scorpion can only ingest liquids. To simulate the desert environment, the enclosure used to keep the scorpion in must be kept at a temperature of between .
References
Further reading
External links The Scorpion Files: Buthidae Treatment of Androctonus stings at eMedicine Treatment of Androctonus stings