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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 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 a 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.
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.
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.
An overview of the diversity in Saudi Arabia was given in Alqahtani & Badry, 2021
The following checklist corresponds to The Scorpion Files (As of October 2025[update]), counties and geographic ranges are adapted from Ythier 2021, and Ythier & Lourenço, 2022.
Genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828:
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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 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 a 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.
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.
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.
An overview of the diversity in Saudi Arabia was given in Alqahtani & Badry, 2021
The following checklist corresponds to The Scorpion Files (As of October 2025[update]), counties and geographic ranges are adapted from Ythier 2021, and Ythier & Lourenço, 2022.
Genus Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828:
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