Parabuthus transvaalicus
species of arachnid
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 grows to a length of 90–110 millimetres (3.5–4.3 in), and is dark brown or black in colour, so it is also known as the Black Thick-Tailed scorpion. Its pincers are thin, but its tail is thickened, with the sting segment being as wide as the rest of the tail. It is nocturnal, resting in a shallow burrow under rocks during the day. It resembles its congener P. villosus, which is less strictly nocturnal, hairier and has a more westerly distribution.
Distribution
Parabuthus transvaalicus is found in deserts, scrublands and semi-arid regions of Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, some parts of the Namib Desert and South Africa.
Sting
Parabuthus transvaalicus is a dangerous, medically significant scorpion, which can both sting and spray its kurtoxin venom. The first droplet of venom differs from the rest, and is referred to as "pre-venom". A further potassium channel inhibitor, parabutoxin, has been isolated from the venom of P. transvaalicus.
“Parabuthus transvaalicus” enters the record as species of arachnid. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Parabuthus, transvaalicus and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Parabuthus transvaalicus” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Parabuthus, transvaalicus and species provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 21, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q139192. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Parabuthus transvaalicus”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Parabuthus transvaalicus primary sources, Parabuthus transvaalicus archive and Parabuthus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Parabuthus transvaalicus”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Parabuthus transvaalicus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.