They vary in color from yellow through brown to black, usually with darker or lighter areas.

The leg color is typically much lighter than the rest of the body.

Sources disagree on how many species are within the genus, but they number around 60: O. glabrifrons, O. wahlbergii, and O. boehmi are readily available in the exotic pet trade.

They are generally hardy captives, but tend to have a nervous disposition and if set up properly with deep substrate, they are rarely seen, as they burrow and hide most of the time.

In southern Africa, thick-clawed scorpions belonging to the families Scorpionidae, Bothriuridae, and Ischnuridae, are generally assumed to be harmless.