Species in the genus also occur in the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, southeastern Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Cape Verde Islands, and Sri Lanka (introduced).

The differences separating the closely related genus Mesobuthus from Hottentotta are very subtle, and species have been often been misassigned among the two genera.

[1] They show a typical buthid habitus with gracile pedipalp chelae and a moderately thickened metasoma.

[1] As in other buthids the venom in at least some species of Hottentotta is relatively potent and can be of medical importance to humans.

[16] Kleber et al. (1999)[17] listed envenomation by at least four other species as to cause clinically significant symptoms.

This listing is not comprehensive due to lack of data and all species of Hottentotta are potentially highly venomous to humans.