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Garypus titanius
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Pseudoscorpiones
Family:	Garypidae
Genus:	Garypus
Species:	G. titanius
Binomial name
Garypus titanius Beier, 1961

Garypus titanius, the giant pseudoscorpion, is the largest species of pseudoscorpion—small, scorpion-looking creatures—in the world. Critically endangered, it is restricted to Boatswain Bird Island, a small rocky island off Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. Pseudoscorpions are venomous arachnids (a group that includes spiders, ticks, and scorpions) and are generally tiny—around 3 mm (.1 in) long. The giant pseudoscorpion, though, can grow to five times that size at 11 mm (.5 in). It lives among seabird colonies, feeding mainly at night on smaller prey such as insects. It belongs to the Garypidae family.

The giant pseudoscorpion is threatened by non-native insects and animals, such as mice. It has died out on the larger Ascension Island, a remote volcanic island and British overseas territory that was discovered in 1501.

References

1. M. Beier (1961). "Pseudoscorpione von der Insel Ascension" [Pseudoscorpions from Ascension Island]. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 13th ser. (in German). 3 (34): 593–598. doi:10.1080/00222936008651063.
2. Caren George. "Endemic Invertebrates of Ascension Island" (PDF). Ascension Island Government Conservation. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 9, 2010.
3. Schembri, Patrick J.; Baldacchino, Alfred E. (2011). Ilma, Blat u Hajja: Is-Sisien tal-Ambjent Naturali Malti (in Maltese). Malta University Press. p. 66. ISBN 978-99909-44-48-8.
4. "Pseudoscorpions". Agricultural Research Council. Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (South Africa). 2010. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
5. Wilkins, V.L., Knight, V. & Gray, A. 2019. Garypus titanius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T135739408A135745815. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T135739408A135745815.en. Accessed on 19 August 2022.
6. "Garypus titanius (Beier, 1961)". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved February 27, 2012.

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• IUCN Red List critically endangered species
• Garypus
• Arthropods described in 1861
• Fauna of Ascension Island
• Taxa named by Max Beier
• Pseudoscorpion stubs