Egyptian Fat-tailed Scorpion
|Geographical Range||Northern Africa|
|Habitat||Deserts and scrublands|
|Scientific Name||Androctonus australis|
|Conservation Status||Not listed by IUCN|
This is one of the most deadly scorpions in the world. Numerous deaths have been attributed to the sting from its tail. But as deadly as this animal's venom is, it also has its benefits. Scientists are using venom from scorpions like this to treat a very aggressive type of brain cancer.
The Egyptian fat-tailed scorpion hides in daylight, emerging on warm nights to find mates and food, and to defend its territory. Like other scorpions, this species has large pincers and a long tail with a stinging spine. Its prey, usually insects or spiders, are caught in the pincers and torn to pieces or crushed. The venomous stinger is used for defense and to subdue struggling prey.
The scorpion's eight legs qualify it not as an insect, but as an arachnid -- a cousin of the spider.