Fattail scorpion

The common name "fattail scorpion" (or fat-tailed scorpion) refers to any species within the genus Androctonus, a group considered among the most hazardous scorpions on the planet. Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg first described this genus in 1828. These scorpions are moderate in size, with some individuals reaching up to 10 centimeters (just under 4 inches) long. Their name comes from their noticeably thick metasoma, or tail, while the genus name Androctonus is Greek for "man killer."

Ecology

Their venom carries potent neurotoxins, and a sting can seriously harm both people and domestic animals, leading to several human fatalities annually. As a result, various pharmaceutical companies produce antivenom to treat envenomations from this genus. These scorpions are nocturnal, spending daylight hours hidden in crevices, a behavior that also helps them avoid dehydration. A major ongoing threat to them is habitat loss caused by human development.

Geographic range

The geographic range of Androctonus is broad, covering North and West Africa, the Middle East, and extending eastward to the Hindukush region. Specific countries where they are found 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, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

An overview of the diversity within Saudi Arabia was provided by Alqahtani & Badry in 2021. The taxonomy of the genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828, as of October 2025 according to The Scorpion Files, includes numerous species. Their country ranges are adapted from Ythier (2021) and Ythier & Lourenço (2022). The species list includes: A. aeneas (Algeria, Tunisia), A. afghanus (Afghanistan), A. agrab (Western Sahara), A. ajjer (Algeria), A. aleksandrplotkini (Mauritania), A. ammoneus (Jordan), A. amoreuxi (Western Sahara to Egypt, possibly Israel), A. australis (Morocco to Egypt), A. baluchicus (Afghanistan, Pakistan), A. barbouri (Morocco), A. bartolozzii (Pakistan), A. bicolor (Libya to Syria, possibly broader including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon), A. bourdoni (Morocco), A. burkinensis (Burkina Faso), A. cacahuati (Cameroon), A. cholistanus (Pakistan, India), A. crassicauda (Iran, with a broader Middle Eastern range noted in many publications), A. dekeyseri (Mauritania, Senegal), A. donairei (Morocco), A. eburneus (Algeria), A. finitimus (Pakistan), A. gonneti (Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco), A. hoggarensis (Algeria), A. ishtar (Iraq), A. kunti (Turkey, possibly Armenia and Iran), A. liouvillei (Algeria, Morocco), A. maelfaiti (India), A. maroccanus (Morocco), A. mauritanicus (Morocco), A. minaeus (Jordan), A. pallidus (Chad), A. robustus (Pakistan), A. rostami (Iran), A. santi (Niger), A. sergenti (Morocco), A. simonettai (Ethiopia), A. sistanus (Iran), A. sumericus (Iraq), A. tenuissimus (Egypt), A. tibesti (Libya), A. tigrai (Ethiopia), A. tihamicus (Saudi Arabia), A. togolensis (Togo), A. tropeai (Pakistan), and A. turkiyensis (Turkey).

Etymology

The name Androctonus translates from Ancient Greek as "man-killer," combining anḗr (man) and kteínein (to kill). The species name crassicauda comes from Latin, meaning "fat-tailed" (crassus for fat, cauda for tail), so Androctonus crassicauda literally means "fat-tailed man-killer." Likewise, Androctonus australis uses the Latin australis for "southern," giving "southern man-killer."

In captivity

Despite the dangers of keeping such venomous animals, Androctonus scorpions are common in the exotic pet trade, with A. amoreuxi and A. australis being the most frequently available. In captivity, their diet mainly consists of cockroaches, grasshoppers, and crickets, though they can survive for months without eating.

They typically attack and consume anything smaller than themselves that moves. They kill prey by crushing it with their pincers before injecting venom from their stinger, which paralyzes the victim and makes it easy to eat. Fattail scorpions can only ingest liquids.