''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of large and highly venomous
Afrotropical
The Afrotropical realm is one of Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Africa south of the Sahara Desert, the majority of the Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, southern Iran and extreme southwestern Pakistan, and the island ...
scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always end ...
s, that show a preference for areas of low
rainfall
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been recorded.Larsen, Norman. Biodiversity Explorer, IZIKO. Scorpion stings and venom /ref>
Characteristics
They have thick and strong tails, with typically a rough surface to the first (proximal) and sometimes second segment, that is used to produce a warning sound when rubbed against the sting (save '' Parabuthus distridor, P. distridor''). Their thick tails are also employed in excavating their shallow burrows, as several are adapted to sandy environments. Some flatter-bodied species, however, take refuge in rock crevasses.
Due to their stings' quick-acting venom, they rely to lesser extent on their slender pinchers (chelae) to hold onto prey. Three species, '' P. schlechteri'', '' P. transvaalicus'', and '' P. villosus'' are thought to be able to spray venom from their tails. These three are also the largest buthids in the world, reaching lengths up to 140 mm and masses up to 14 g.
Other consistent features include a dorsal head covering (
carapace
A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...
tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, r ...
's upper coverings ( tergites) have only one inconspicuous middle (median) ridge. The pectine teeth nearest the body in females are enlarged and dilated ('' P. granulatus'' and '' P. kalaharicus'' excepting), and the lower tarsi (third distal segment) of the front four legs are equipped with bristle combs.Also referred to as macro
seta
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.
Animal setae
Protostomes
Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...
l combs or "sand combs". The ventrosubmedian ridges in the fourth tail segment disappear away from the body, and the ventrolateral ridges of the fifth segment include distinctly spined or lobed processes near their distal ends.
Diversity
Most of the species, some 20 of the total of 28, are endemic to southern Africa, but they range through eastern Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.
Selected species
* ''
Parabuthus brevimanus
''Parabuthus brevimanus'' is a species of scorpion from southern Africa, that ranges from southern Angola to Namibia and western South Africa, where its range extends south of the Orange River.
Habits
It is a semipsammophilous species that inhab ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus capensis
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
Parabuthus laevipes
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus liosoma
''Parabuthus liosoma'', the African black tail scorpion, is a species of scorpions belonging to the family Buthidae.
Description
''Parabuthus liosoma'' can reach a length of about . These medium-sized scorpions are yellowish to reddish-brown, wi ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus mossambicensis
''Parabuthus mossambicensis'', the orange flattail scorpion, is a species of highly venomous scorpion found in southern Africa. The scorpion is reddish brown to orange and grows up to 80mm in length.Leeming, J. 2003. Scorpions of Southern Africa. ...
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* ''
Parabuthus namibensis
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus raudus
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus schlechteri
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus stridulus
''Parabuthus'', commonly known as the thick-tailed scorpion, is a genus of large and highly venomous Afrotropical scorpions, that show a preference for areas of low rainfall. Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been rec ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus transvaalicus
''Parabuthus transvaalicus'' (known as the Transvaalicus thick-tailed scorpion, South African thick tail, or giant deathstalker) is a species of venomous scorpion from semi-arid parts of southern Africa.
Description
''Parabuthus transvaalicus'' ...
''
* ''
Parabuthus villosus
''Parabuthus villosus'', the black hairy thick-tailed scorpion, is a species of scorpion from southern Africa, where it ranges from the Northern Cape to Namibia. It is the largest species of the Buthidae, measuring up to 18 cm, and its diet ...
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Phylogenetics
Its nearest relations are the Afrotropical buthid genera '' Grosphus'' and ''
Uroplectes
''Uroplectes'' is a genus of scorpions in the family Buthidae. They are known commonly as the lesser thick-tailed scorpions. There are about 40 species distributed in the Afrotropical realm.cladogram illustrates relationships among 20 ''Parabuthus'' and these outlying genera, according to an analysis done by Lorenzo Prendini et al. 2003. Some recently described species (''P. cimrmani'', ''P. eritreaensis'', ''P. truculentus'' and ''P. zavattarii'') were not considered in the investigation, so that their positions within this system remain unresolved.