# Parabuthus

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Genus of scorpions

Parabuthus A wandering male P. villosus in Namibia – unique in its size and diurnal habits[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Class: Arachnida Order: Scorpiones Family: Buthidae Genus: Parabuthus Pocock, 1890 Type species P. leiosoma[1] (Ehrenberg 1828) Diversity[1][2] Some 27 to 28 species

***Parabuthus***, commonly known as the **thick-tailed scorpion**, is a [genus](/source/Genus) of large and highly venomous [Afrotropical](/source/Afrotropical_realm) [scorpions](/source/Scorpion), that show a preference for areas of low [rainfall](/source/Rainfall).[1][3] Their stings are medically important and human fatalities have been recorded.[4]

## 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[2] sound when rubbed against the sting (save *[P. distridor](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_distridor&action=edit&redlink=1)*).[1][3] Their thick tails are also employed in excavating their shallow burrows, as several are adapted to sandy environments.[2] Some flatter-bodied species, however, take refuge in rock crevasses.[3]

Due to their stings' quick-acting venom, they rely to lesser extent on their slender pinchers (chelae) to hold onto prey.[2] Three species, *[P. schlechteri](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_schlechteri&action=edit&redlink=1)*, *[P. transvaalicus](/source/Parabuthus_transvaalicus)*, and *[P. villosus](/source/Parabuthus_villosus)* are thought to be able to spray venom from their tails. These three are also the largest [buthids](/source/Buthidae) in the world,[2] reaching lengths up to 140 mm and masses up to 14 g.[1]

Other consistent features include a dorsal head covering ([carapace](/source/Carapace)) that lacks [granular](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/granule) ridges (carinae), while the [tail](/source/Metasoma)'s upper coverings ([tergites](/source/Tergum)) have only one inconspicuous middle (median) ridge.[1] The pectine teeth nearest the body in females are enlarged and dilated (*[P. granulatus](/source/Parabuthus_granulatus)* and *[P. kalaharicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_kalaharicus&action=edit&redlink=1)* excepting), and the lower tarsi (third distal segment) of the front four legs are equipped with bristle combs.[n 1] 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](/source/Process_(anatomy)) near their distal ends.[1]

## Diversity

Most of the species, some 20[1] of the total of 28, are endemic to southern Africa,[2] but they range through eastern Africa to the Arabian Peninsula.[2]

### Selected species

- *[Parabuthus brevimanus](/source/Parabuthus_brevimanus)*

- *[Parabuthus capensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_capensis&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus granulatus](/source/Parabuthus_granulatus)*

- *[Parabuthus laevipes](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_laevipes&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus liosoma](/source/Parabuthus_liosoma)*

- *[Parabuthus mossambicensis](/source/Parabuthus_mossambicensis)*

- *[Parabuthus namibensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_namibensis&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus raudus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_raudus&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus schlechteri](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_schlechteri&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus stridulus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Parabuthus_stridulus&action=edit&redlink=1)*

- *[Parabuthus transvaalicus](/source/Parabuthus_transvaalicus)*

- *[Parabuthus villosus](/source/Parabuthus_villosus)*

## Phylogenetics

Its nearest relations are the Afrotropical buthid genera *[Grosphus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grosphus&action=edit&redlink=1)* and *[Uroplectes](/source/Uroplectes)*, which lack the distinct stridulatory surfaces.[1] The following [cladogram](/source/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.

Grosphus madagascariensis Uroplectes triangulifer P. brevimanus P. distridor P. kuanyamarum P. gracilis P. nanus P. granulatus P. kalaharicus P. namibensis P. laevifrons P. stridulus P. liosoma P. heterurus P. granimanus P. hunteri P. capensis P. muelleri P. calvus P. pallidus P. planicauda P. mossambicensis P. kraepelini P. raudus P. schlechteri P. transvaalicus P. villosus

## See also

- [Parabutoxin](/source/Parabutoxin), the potassium channel inhibitor isolated from the venom of some *Parabuthus* species

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Also referred to as macro[setal](/source/Seta) combs or "sand combs".

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-8) [***j***](#cite_ref-Prend2004_1-9) Prendini, Lorenzo (2004). ["The systematics of southern African Parabuthus"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111049/http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v32_n1/arac-032-01-0109.pdf) (PDF). *The Journal of Arachnology*. **32**: 109–186. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1636/h03-17](https://doi.org/10.1636%2Fh03-17). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [86647224](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86647224). Archived from [the original](http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_free/JoA_v32_n1/arac-032-01-0109.pdf) (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-biodiv_2-6) Norman Larsen. ["Parabuthus (burrowing thick-tailed scorpions)"](http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/arachnids/scorpions/buthidae/parabuthus.htm). biodiversityexplorer. Retrieved 3 October 2012.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Leeming_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Leeming_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Leeming_3-2) Jonathan Leeming (2003). "Southern African species". *Scorpions of Southern Africa*. Struik. pp. 49–50. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-86872-804-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-86872-804-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Larsen, Norman. Biodiversity Explorer, IZIKO. Scorpion stings and venoms [\[1\]](http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/arachnids/scorpions/stings_and_venoms.htm)

Taxon identifiers Parabuthus Wikidata: Q146377 Wikispecies: Parabuthus BioLib: 132594 BOLD: 348957 CoL: 6DRT EoL: 5009086 GBIF: 4656188 iNaturalist: 321562 IRMNG: 1343003 NCBI: 170971 Open Tree of Life: 154570

Authority control databases: National Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Parabuthus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabuthus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parabuthus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.