Fattail scorpion

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Fat-tailed scorpion

Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, Androctonus crassicauda

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Scorpiones
Family:	Buthidae
Genus:	Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828

Species

13 species, see article.

Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, which is one of the most dangerous groups of scorpion species in the world. They are found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the Middle-East and Africa. They are a moderate sized scorpion, attaining lengths of 10 cm (just under 4 in). Their name is derived from their distinctly fat metasoma, or tail. Their venom contains powerful neurotoxins and is especially potent. Stings from Androctonus species are known to cause several human deaths each year. The German pharmaceutical company Twyford manufactures an antivenin for treatment of Androctonus and two closely related genera, Buthus, and Leiurus, envenomations.^[1]

1 Geographic range
2 Etymology
3 Taxonomy
4 In captivity
5 References

[edit] Geographic range

Androctonus is widespread in the Middle East and North Africa. Countries where Androctonus species live include: Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, South Eastern Turkey.

[edit] Etymology

A rough English translation of the name Androctonus is "man-killer", from the Greek andros, meaning "man" and kteinein (κτείνειν), meaning "kill". Crassicauda means fat-tailed, from the Latin crass meaning "fat" and caudal, meaning "tail". Androctonus crassicauda is wide-spread 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.

[edit] Taxonomy

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

Androctonus amoreuxi (Audouin, 1826)
Androctonus australis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Androctonus baluchicus (Pocock, 1900)
Androctonus bicolor (Ehrenberg, 1828)
Androctonus crassicauda (Olivier, 1807)
Androctonus dekeyseri (Lourenço, 2005)
Androctonus finitimus (Pocock, 1897)
Androctonus gonneti (Vachon, 1948)
Androctonus hoggarensis (Pallary, 1929)
Androctonus liouvillei (Pallary, 1924)
Androctonus maelfaiti (Lourenço, 2005)
Androctonus mauritanicus (Pocock, 1902)
Androctonus sergenti (Vachon, 1948)

[edit] In captivity

Despite the inherent risks with keeping such a dangerously venomous species in captivity, Androctonus are frequently found in the exotic animal trade, A. amoreuxi and A. bicolor being the most commonly available. Great care must be taken when considering such a species for a pet because a sting could have very serious consequences.