Fun Arabian Fat Tailed Scorpion Facts For Kids

Scorpions are definitely not the sort of animals you can try and hold in your hands when you see one in the wild. Have you heard of this scorpion whose genus name Androctonus translates from Greek to ‘man-killer’? It doesn’t exactly sound like a friendly wild insect!This scorpion in the genus Androctonus has the common name fat-tail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion due to its distinctly large and wide ’tail’. However, even though this organ is often called and mistaken for a tail, it is actually called a metasoma. The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) is considered amongst the most dangerous scorpions in the world, alongside other species in the same genus like the Androctonus australis and the Andrctonus maroccanus. The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) has an extremely potent venom that is known to cause several human deaths a year.This scorpion species is found in arid to semi-arid regions of the Middle East and northern Africa. Their habitat consists of old and abandoned human structures, which made them some of the most deadly creatures during the Persian Gulf War in the Middle East. The Arabian fat-tail scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) is an average-sized scorpion, with its tail (metasoma) being the only major differentiator from other (harmless) scorpions. The Arabian fat tail scorpion ranges from brown to black in color and is thus it is also sometimes called the black fat-tailed scorpion.In case you go on to enjoy these Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) facts, make sure to check out our facts pages on the emperor scorpion and the deathstalker scorpion too.‍

Fun Arabian Fat-tailed Scorpion Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, mites, ticks, spiders, lizards, and other scorpions

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100

How much do they weigh? 0.02-0.2 oz (0.5-5 g)

How long are they? 4 in (10.2 cm)

How tall are they? 39.4 in (100 cm)

What do they look like? Black with a large tail

Skin Type Hard exoskeleton

What were their main threats? Owls, Centipedes, Tarantulas

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? Grass Plains And Tundra Regions

Locations North Africa And The Middle East

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Androctonus

Class Arachnida

Family Buthidae

Arabian Fat-Tailed Scorpion Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion?The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) is a type of scorpion.What class of animal does an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion belong to?This fat-tailed Arabian scorpion is classified as class Arachnida and phylum Arthropoda, meaning they are not insects but arachnids with close ties to spiders and ticks. How many Arabian fat-tailed scorpions are there in the world?While the exact number of Arabian fat-tailed scorpions in the world is not known, they are considered to have a stable population across arid and semi-arid regions of north Africa and the Middle East.Where does an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion live?A typical Arabian fat-tailed scorpion habitat can be found in the Middle Eastern nations of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and also in the north African nations of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. It is considered to be an Old World scorpion. This is a term used to refer to any animal that is endemic to Africa, Asia, or Europe. It is not to say that these continents are any older than the others, but simply that it was only a few hundred years ago that the Americas (the so-called New World) were ‘discovered’.What is an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion’s habitat?Arabian fat-tailed scorpions are able to adapt to quite a large selection of geographical habitats in dry and high-temperature climates as long as there is a large enough insect and small vertebrate population available to sustain them. Their ability to adapt to a wide range of habitats has led to them being referred to as a ‘generalist’ desert inhabitant, meaning they are technically capable of living in virtually any arid or semi-arid region in the world.Who do Arabian fat-tailed scorpions live with?Just like other scorpions in the same phylum, subphylum, class, order, family, and genus, the dangerous Arabian fat-tailed species is largely solitary in nature, seen in pairs only during the mating season. The reason behind this is believed to be its desire to hunt without competition from other scorpions of the same species in a region.How long does an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion live?The average lifespan of the Arab fat-tailed scorpion is around three to eight years. Though this is the average lifespan of the species, some individuals from similar species have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity!How do they reproduce?Arab fat-tailed scorpions reproduce sexually. A female can have babies a full year after mating. Scorpions do not lay eggs like other non-mammalian animals but are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live offspring. Baby scorpions have a soft body and are carried on the back of their mother for protection until they develop their exoskeleton and are ready to hunt independently.What is their conservation status?Arabian fat-tailed scorpions are Not Evaluated on the Internation Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species but they are commonly considered to have a stable population under no immediate threats. Their arid habitat is also not under any imminent threat since it is of little use for humans.Arabian Fat-Tailed Scorpion Fun FactsWhat do Arabian fat-tailed scorpions look like?The Arab fat-tailed scorpion ranges from light brown to black in color, and is most easily identified by its large and wide tail organ, called the metasoma. Their pincers are as large as most other species of scorpion, and the rest of their body looks largely similar to other relatively harmless species of the scorpion, like the striped bark scorpion and the emperor scorpion. As such, the metasoma is critical in identifying and thus avoiding this lethal species.How cute are they?Scorpions are not exactly the cutest animals to look at, and considering the extremely potent venom that the Arab fat tail produces, it is quite hard to find them cute in any true sense of the word. However, cuteness is subjective, after all, and there’s a lot of people out there who not only find scorpions in general cute but also keep them as pets!How do they communicate?Nearly all species of scorpion are solitary enough to never have to communicate with another adult all their lives except just before mating. For this purpose, they are known to use pheromones and vibrations to convey information to prospective mates about their sex and availability. In rare instances, the male will also perform a short dance before mating to attract the female.How big is an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion?This species of scorpion grows to around 4 in (10.2 cm) in length as an adult, meaning they are almost twice the size of the average bark scorpion and almost 13 times the size of a pseudoscorpion!How fast can Arabian fat-tailed scorpions move?While the exact sprinting speed of this scorpion species has not been measured, it is known that most scorpions can hit speeds of around 12 mph (19.3 kph)!How much does an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion weigh?The Arab fat-tail scorpion weighs around 0.02-0.2 oz (0.5-5 g) in adulthood.What are their male and female names of the species?Both males and females of this species can be referred to by the same name.What would you call a baby Arabian fat-tailed scorpion?Baby scorpions are called scorplings, meaning the young of this species can be called Arab fat tail scorplings.What do they eat?Scorpions will hunt, kill, and eat nearly anything of a smaller size than them. Their diet includes earthworms, millipedes, insect larvae, beetles, mites, ticks, spiders, lizards, rats, and many, many other animals.Are they harmful?Considering the fact that Arabian fat-tailed scorpion venom contains a variety of different lethal toxins, they are extremely harmful to humans and should be avoided at all costs.Would they make a good pet?Though it may be hard to imagine keeping a deadly animal as a pet, other species in the man-killer genus of Androctonus are quite popular in the exotic pet trade! They are most often fed cockroaches and lizards in captivity.Did you know…The largest scorpion species in the world is the giant forest scorpion, which can measure up to 9 in (23 cm) in length, almost twice the size of the largest Arab fat-tail scorpions! Thankfully, this massive scorpion species is not nearly as deadly as the Arab fat tail scorpion.How deadly is the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion?It is perhaps best to first declare the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion deadly. Its venom is known to contain cardiotoxins and neurotoxins, meaning it can affect both the heart and the brain. Deaths due to its stings are usually a result of the failure of the respiratory system or complete heart failure.Can scorpion venom kill a human?Yes, there are a variety of scorpions that produce venom potent enough to kill a human within a few hours if left untreated. Often, an anti-venom produced by the same species of scorpion is used as a treatment to reduce the immediate and long-term effects of the venom.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these grasshopper facts and common wasp facts for kids.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Arabian fat tailed scorpion coloring pages.

What type of animal is an Arabian fat-tailed scorpion?

The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion (Androctonus crassicauda) is a type of scorpion.

Fun Arabian Fat-tailed Scorpion Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, mites, ticks, spiders, lizards, and other scorpions

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100

How much do they weigh? 0.02-0.2 oz (0.5-5 g)

How long are they? 4 in (10.2 cm)

How tall are they? 39.4 in (100 cm)

What do they look like? Black with a large tail

Skin Type Hard exoskeleton

What were their main threats? Owls, Centipedes, Tarantulas

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? Grass Plains And Tundra Regions

Locations North Africa And The Middle East

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Androctonus

Class Arachnida

Family Buthidae

Fun Arabian Fat-tailed Scorpion Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, mites, ticks, spiders, lizards, and other scorpions

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100

How much do they weigh? 0.02-0.2 oz (0.5-5 g)

How long are they? 4 in (10.2 cm)

How tall are they? 39.4 in (100 cm)

What do they look like? Black with a large tail

Skin Type Hard exoskeleton

What were their main threats? Owls, Centipedes, Tarantulas

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? Grass Plains And Tundra Regions

Locations North Africa And The Middle East

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Androctonus

Class Arachnida

Family Buthidae

Fun Arabian Fat-tailed Scorpion Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, mites, ticks, spiders, lizards, and other scorpions

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100

How much do they weigh? 0.02-0.2 oz (0.5-5 g)

How long are they? 4 in (10.2 cm)

How tall are they? 39.4 in (100 cm)

What do they look like? Black with a large tail

Skin Type Hard exoskeleton

What were their main threats? Owls, Centipedes, Tarantulas

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? Grass Plains And Tundra Regions

Locations North Africa And The Middle East

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Androctonus

Class Arachnida

Family Buthidae