Androctnous Australis
The genus Androctonus, commonly known as the fat-tailed genus. A rough English translation of the name Androctonus is "man-killer", from the Greek andras (άνδρας), meaning "man" and kteinein (κτείνειν), meaning "to kill". The Latin word for South is australis, from which Androctonus australis, "southern man-killer". Androctonus australis, Also commonly known as Egyptian yellow fat tail scorpion.
History of AA
In 1758, Androctnous australis was discovered and named by Linnaeus. What was identified at the time was a scorpion with a yellow body and no black parts.
In the following decades, Androctnous australis with black parts of his body was found, but not classified as Androctnous australis, but defined as the independent species Androctnous libycus and Androctnous hector.
Until 1948-1958, the French zoologist Max Vachon merged A. libycus and A. hector into Aa according to body color, and became Androctnous australis libycus and Androctnous australis hector. Named subspecies Androctnous australis australis.
In 1973, a subspecies was defined based on protein analysis and named Androctnous australis garzoni.
In 1974, another subspecies was defined in the same way, Androctnous australis africanus.
Concerning the classification of these subspecies, there are still controversies in the following decades and even today. There were paper discussing the subspecies of garzonii and hector, both of which are made in Tunisia, comparing the number of comb teeth, the width of each section of the tail, the length ratio, the length ratio of the claw, etc. which eventually draw a small difference.
At the same time, as a species with a wide range of divisions and large individual differences, AA's body color, body type, and body proportion vary significantly with the region. The current classification may still not be rigorous enough, or even fallacy may appear.
Present, all australis, hector, and libycus were no longer classified as ssp. The name were remained in the market as a classifier for color morph, according to the classification of body color.
In the following decades, Androctnous australis with black parts of his body was found, but not classified as Androctnous australis, but defined as the independent species Androctnous libycus and Androctnous hector.
Until 1948-1958, the French zoologist Max Vachon merged A. libycus and A. hector into Aa according to body color, and became Androctnous australis libycus and Androctnous australis hector. Named subspecies Androctnous australis australis.
In 1973, a subspecies was defined based on protein analysis and named Androctnous australis garzoni.
In 1974, another subspecies was defined in the same way, Androctnous australis africanus.
Concerning the classification of these subspecies, there are still controversies in the following decades and even today. There were paper discussing the subspecies of garzonii and hector, both of which are made in Tunisia, comparing the number of comb teeth, the width of each section of the tail, the length ratio, the length ratio of the claw, etc. which eventually draw a small difference.
At the same time, as a species with a wide range of divisions and large individual differences, AA's body color, body type, and body proportion vary significantly with the region. The current classification may still not be rigorous enough, or even fallacy may appear.
Present, all australis, hector, and libycus were no longer classified as ssp. The name were remained in the market as a classifier for color morph, according to the classification of body color.
CLASSIFICATION
AAA’s body is mainly yellowish with almost no black coloration. The front end of the claws is orange.
There are not much info available for AAG. Garzoni came from the italian word which means boy (french: garcon), sometimes makes me wonder maybe the original seller try to tell the buyer its a male.
While these appear nearly identical to the popular 'Hector' morph, they differ in a very small feature of. Several small, colored granules at the base of the chelae "arm".
The main ID of this ssp was in its venom rather than the outlook.
While these appear nearly identical to the popular 'Hector' morph, they differ in a very small feature of. Several small, colored granules at the base of the chelae "arm".
The main ID of this ssp was in its venom rather than the outlook.
AAH has the obvious color difference between the claw and the rear part of it. It is usually darker, which can be brownish black, and the tail is black and yellow. Dark metasoma in segments 4&5 and dark pinchers are their feature.
AAL has a feature that the tail is black compare to AA in metasoma segments 4 and 5.
AAT were name after the place of origin and never counted as ssp. It has uniformly yellow with diminish pincers. Usually the market would class those with brownish fat tail as AAT.