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Parabuthus capensis
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> Superfamily: Buthoidea > Family: Buthidae >
Parabuthus
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Parabuthus capensis. Saldanha Bay,
Western Cape. [image N. Larsen ©] |
Parabuthus capensis is 70 to 100 mm in length and a
yellowish-brown colour although a black variety also occurs. It occurs just
north of the Cape Peninsula northwards into southern Namibia and extending
eastwards into the Eastern Cape becoming less common with this eastward
distribution. In the Western Cape this scorpion is the common buthid but does
not occurs on the Cape Peninsula. It inhabits hard packed sandy and gritty soil
where burrows are found at the base of shrubs, grass tufts and stones. As with
many scorpions, the juveniles are more attractively marked. Often stated to be
lethal but this has never been substantiated with medical records although the
sting will require medical treatment as with all buthid scorpions.
Text by Norman Larsen
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