Fattail Scorpion

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 in the world.Hendrixson, B. E. 2006. Buthid scorpions of Saudi Arabia, with notes on other families (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Liochelidae, Scorpionidae). In W. Büttiker, F. Krupp, I. Nader & W. Schneider (eds.), Fauna of Arabia (pp. in press, ~100 pages). Basel, Switzerland: Karger Libri. The genus was first described in 1828 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg.

They are found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the Middle East and Africa. They are moderate sized scorpions, attaining lengths of 10 cm (just under 4 in). Their common name is derived from their distinctly fat metasoma, or tail, while the Latin name originates from Greek and means "man killer". Their venom contains powerful neurotoxins and is especially potent. Stings from ''Androctonus'' species are known to cause several human deaths each year. Several pharmaceutical companies manufacture an antivenom for treatment of ''Androctonus'' envenomations.

The fat-tailed scorpion is nocturnal and enjoys making nests where they hide in crevices during the day to stay moisturized. One of the main threats that the scorpions face is habitat loss.

Geographic range

''Androctonus'' is widespread in North and West Africa, the Middle East and eastwards to the Hindukush region. Countries where ''Androctonus'' species live including Egypt, Israel, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Pakistan and Morocco.

Etymology

A rough English translation of the name ''Androctonus'' is "man-killer", from the Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek ''anḗr'', ''andrós'' (wikt:ἀνήρ, ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός), meaning "man" and ''kteínein'' (wikt:κτείνω, κτείνειν), meaning "to kill". ''Crassicauda'' means fat-tailed, from the Latin ''crassus'' meaning "fat" and ''cauda'', meaning "tail". ''Androctonus crassicauda'' is widespread throughout the Middle East and its name means "fat-tailed man-killer". Similarly, the Latin word for South is ''australis'', from which ''Androctonus australis'', "southern man-killer", derives.

Taxonomy

Taxonomic reclassification is ongoing, sources tending to disagree on the number of species.

''Androctonus'' Ehrenberg, 1828 (30 species):

*''Androctonus aeneas'' C. L. Koch, 1839*
*''Androctonus afghanus'' Lourenço & Qi, 2006*
*''Androctonus aleksandrplotkini'' Lourenço & Qi, 2007*
*''Androctonus amoreuxi'' (Audouin, 1826)
*''Androctonus australis'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758)
*''Androctonus baluchicus'' (Pocock, 1900)*
*''Androctonus barbouri'' (Werner, 1932)*
*''Androctonus bicolor'' Ehrenberg, 1828
*''Androctonus cholistanus'' Kovarik & Ahmed, 2013*
*''Androctonus cacahuati'' Lourenço, 2023*
*''Androctonus crassicauda'' (Olivier, 1807)
*''Androctonus dekeyseri'' Lourenço, 2005*
*''Androctonus donairei'' Rossi, 2015*
*''Androctonus eburneus'' (Pallary, 1928)*
*''Androctonus finitimus'' (Pocock, 1897)
*''Androctonus gonneti'' Vachon, 1948*
*''Androctonus hoggarensis'' (Pallary, 1929)
*''Androctonus kunti'' Yağmur, 2023
*''Androctonus liouvillei'' (Pallary, 1924)*
*''Androctonus maelfaiti'' Lourenço, 2005*
*''Androctonus mauritanicus'' (Pocock, 1902)
*''Androctonus maroccanus'' Lourenço, Ythier & Leguin, 2009*
*''Androctonus pallidus'' Lourenço, Duhem & Cloudsley-Thompson, 2012*
*''Androctonus robustus'' Kovarik & Ahmed, 2013*
*''Androctonus santi'' Lourenço, 2015*
*''Androctonus sergenti'' Vachon, 1948
*''Androctonus simonettai'' Rossi, 2015*
*''Androctonus tenuissimus'' Teruel, Kovarik & Turiel, 2013*
*''Androctonus tigrai'' Lourenço, Rossi & Sadine 2015*
*''Androctonus togolensis'' Lourenço, 2008*
*''Androctonus tropeai'' Rossi, 2015*

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

External links

The Scorpion Files: Buthidae
at eMedicine
Treatment of Androctonus stings

{{Authority control

Buthidae
Scorpions of Africa
Taxa named by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg