''Androctonus crassicauda'', the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of dangerous

scorpion Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...

usually found in

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

and the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

Description

''Androctonus crassicauda'' is a generalist desert species, an

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

scorpion. Adults can vary in colour from a light brown to reddish to blackish-brown, to black. They can grow to over in length.

Distribution and habitat

This species is found mainly in the

Palaearctic The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa. The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...

region, in such countries as Turkey, Iran, and other southwestern Asian nations. ''A. crassicauda'' lives in the ruins of old, neglected structures, and was considered a potential hazard for troops during the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...

conflict, though it was an unaggressive species that had no reports of stings. It also occurs in margins of desert (arid, semi-arid) places and sometimes accumulated vegetation debris.

Behavior

A nocturnal scorpion, it hides in crevices and under objects during the day, and at night hunts insects and other invertebrates, or small lizards.

Venom

The venom is mainly composed of neurotoxins, cardiotoxins, and possibly myotoxins. Victims of the sting have reported local effects (intense pain, redness and swelling). Systemic effects include heart malfunctions, remote internal bleeding, visual disturbance, and respiratory problems. Deaths mostly occur with respiratory arrest, heart failure, and shock. The

LD50 In toxicology, the median lethal dose, LD50 (abbreviation for "lethal dose, 50%"), LC50 (lethal concentration, 50%) or LCt50 is a toxic unit that measures the lethal dose of a toxin, radiation, or pathogen. The value of LD50 for a substance is the ...

for this species is 0.08 mg/kg (IV) and 0.40 mg/kg (SC).

Antivenom

Antivenom Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if th ...

produced by this species has been used in Turkey to treat all scorpion stings since 1942.

References

Buthidae Animals described in 1807 Fauna of Iran Invertebrates of the Arabian Peninsula {{scorpion-stub