An adult female Androctonus australis viewed from above.

Fat-Tailed Scorpion (Androctonus australis) — Adult female viewed from above.

Creator: HTO, [Wikimedia Commons source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Androctonus_australis_01.JPG), Public domain (worldwide). [Public-domain release](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Androctonus_australis_01.JPG#Licensing).

Licence: Public domain (worldwide)

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Species record

Fat-Tailed Scorpion

Androctonus australis

Explore the Fat-Tailed Scorpion (Androctonus australis) species record in The Ark Is Earth, including classification, habitat, distribution, conservation information, and sources.

Summary

The fat-tailed scorpion, Androctonus australis, inhabits dry areas of North Africa and parts of Asia. It shelters under stones or in natural crevices in stony and sandy terrain; its potent venom is medically important and can be dangerous to people.

Classification in this archive

  1. Kingdom: Animals
  2. Phylum: Arthropods
  3. Class: Arachnids
  4. Order: Scorpiones
  5. Family: Buthidae
  6. Genus: Androctonus

Habitat and distribution

Selected documented locations — not a complete species range.

Habitat
dry desert areas, stony soils, arid mountains and high plateaus, steep sand dunes and natural crevices
Selected regions
Africa, Asia

Conservation status

Conservation status not recorded.

Did you know?

  • Its thick tail gives it the common name “fat-tailed” scorpion.
  • It hides under stones and in natural cracks instead of digging large burrows.

More images

An adult female Androctonus australis stands with its tail raised.

Fat-Tailed Scorpion (Androctonus australis) — Adult female with tail raised.

Creator: HTO, [Wikimedia Commons source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Androctonus_australis_02.JPG), Public domain (worldwide). [Public-domain release](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Androctonus_australis_02.JPG#Licensing).

Licence: Public domain (worldwide)

View image source

Sources and attribution