Fattail scorpion: Difference between revisions
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== In captivity == |
== In captivity == |
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[[File:Androctonus australis 02.JPG|left|thumb|250px|''[[Androctonus australis]]'' in a terrarium with Saharan sand]] |
[[File:Androctonus australis 02.JPG|left|thumb|250px|''[[Androctonus australis]]'' in a terrarium with Saharan sand]] |
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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. Scorpions will generally try to kill and eat anything which moves and is smaller than themselves{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}. To simulate the desert environment, the enclosure used to keep the scorpion in must be kept at a temperature of between {{convert|26|and(-)|30|C|F|abbr=out}}{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}. |
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. Scorpions will generally try to kill and eat anything which moves and is smaller than themselves{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}. To simulate the desert environment, the enclosure used to keep the scorpion in must be kept at a temperature of between {{convert|26|and(-)|30|C|F|abbr=out}}{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}. |
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== References == |
== References == |
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Revision as of 15:39, 31 May 2021
| Fattail scorpion | |
|---|---|
| |
| Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, Androctonus crassicauda. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Scorpiones |
| Family: | Buthidae |
| Genus: | Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 |
| Diversity | |
| About 18 species | |
Fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion is the common name given to scorpions of the genus Androctonus, one of the most dangerous groups of scorpions species in the world.[1] They are found throughout the semi-arid and arid regions of the Middle East and Africa.[1] They are a moderate sized scorpion, attaining lengths of 10 cm (just under 4 in).[2] Their common name is derived from their distinctly fat metasoma, or tail, while the Latin name originates from Greek and means "man killer".[3] Their venom contains powerful neurotoxins and is especially potent.[1] Stings from Androctonus species are known to cause several human deaths each year.[1] Several pharmaceutical companies manufacture an antivenom for treatment of Androctonus envenomations.[4]
Geographic range
Androctonus is widespread in North and West Africa, the Middle East and eastwards to the Hindukush region. Countries where Androctonus species live include: Armenia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Togo, Palestine, Israel, India, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Bahrain and Pakistan.
Etymology
A rough English translation of the name Androctonus is "man-killer", from the Ancient Greek anḗr, andrós (ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός), meaning "man" and kteínein (κτείνειν), meaning "to kill". Crassicauda means fat-tailed, from the Latin crassus meaning "thick" or "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 tend to disagree on the number of species.
Androctonus Ehrenberg, 1828 (29 species):
- Androctonus aeneas C. L. Koch, 1839*
- Androctonus afghanus Lourenço & Qi, 2006*
- Androctonus aleksandrplotkini Lourenço & Qi, 2007*
- Androctonus amoreuxi (Audouin, 1826)
- Androctonus australis (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Androctonus baluchicus (Pocock, 1900)*
- Androctonus barbouri (Werner, 1932)*
- Androctonus bicolor Ehrenberg, 1828
- Androctonus cholistanus Kovarik & Ahmed, 2013*
- 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 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,[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. Scorpions will generally try to kill and eat anything which moves and is smaller than themselves[citation needed]. 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].
References
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Dictionary of Scientific Scorpion Names" (PDF).
- ^ "Antidotes In Depth, Jeffrey N. Bernstein" (PDF).
