Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genusAndroctonus, 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 10cm (just under 4inches). 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.
The following checklist corresponds to The Scorpion Files (As of October2025[update]), counties and geographic ranges are adapted from Ythier 2021, and Ythier & Lourenço, 2022.
An English translation of the name Androctonus is "man-killer", from the Ancient Greekanḗr, andrós (ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός), meaning "man" and kteínein (κτείνειν), meaning "to kill". The species name crassicauda loosely translates as "fat-tailed", from the Latincrassus 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".
Despite the risks of keeping such a dangerously venomous species in captivity, Androctonus scorpions are frequently found in the exotic animal trade,[where?]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 26 and 30 degrees Celsius (79–86°F)[citation needed].
↑Ehrenberg, Christian Gottfried (1828–1831), "Animalia evertebrata exclusis insectis", in Hemprich, F.W.; Ehrenberg, C.G. (eds.), Symbolae Physicae, seu Icones et descriptiones corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum [etc], vol.IV, Berlin: Officina Academica, p.unnumbered
↑Abdulaziz R. Alqahtani; Ahmed Badry (2021). "A contribution to the scorpion fauna of Saudi Arabia, with an identification key (Arachnida: Scorpiones)". King Saud University Journal: Science. 33: 1–13. doi:10.1016/j.jksus.2021.101396. WikidataQ135840660. {{Cite Q}}: Missing first/last names in Wikidata for Abdulaziz R. Alqahtani, Ahmed Badry (help)
↑Éric Ythier; Lourenço, Wilson (2022). "A new species of Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 from Western Sahara (Scorpiones: Buthidae)". Serket. 18 (3): 239–251. WikidataQ135677075. {{Cite Q}}: Missing first/last names in Wikidata for Éric Ythier (help)
↑"Androctonus". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
