Pandinus imperator
(C.L. Koch,
1841)
|
|
|
|
Common names:
Emperor scorpion (Kaiserskorpion,
Keiserskorpion). (The latin name may mean "Terrible
Forrest Emperor").
Distribution:
Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d'Ivoire,
Ghana, Guinea, Guina-Bissau, Nigeria, Togo (probably in
other coutries in region too)).
Habitat:
Tropical forrest and Rainforrest. Humid environment.
Lives in empty or self-made burrows up to 30 cm in
lenght.
Venom:
Mildly venomous, but painful sting. Harmless for
healthy humans. Note that they have very strong
pedipalps, which can give very painful pinches. Will
rarely sting, but young individuals and females with
scorplings can be more prone to stinging.
Selected litterature:
Gaban, D. (1997) On Pandinus imperator (C.L.
Koch) & Pandinus cavimanus (Pocock). Forum
American Tarantula Soceiety, 6(3), pp.75-78.
Casper, G.S. (1985) Prey capture and stining behavior in
the Emperor Scorpion, Pandinus imperator
(Koch)(Scorpiones, Scorpionidae). J. Arachnol., 13, pp.
277-283.
Mahsberg, D. (1990) Brood care and family cohesion in the
tropical scorpion Pandinus imperator (Koch)
(Scorpiones, Scorpionidae). Acta Zool. Fennica, 190, pp.
267-272.
Rolf, J. (1998) Pandinus imperator. Erfahrungen.
Skorpions News, 3, pp. 109-110.
On the Internet:
Dave
Gabans Emperor Page.
Care sheet for Pandinus imperator by Joe Fouskaris.
Gifttier Informationsdienst Pandinus imperator
Scott
Stockwells Scorpion de Jour.
ZWON
Emperor Scorpion fact and care sheet.
General:
The most common scorpion in captivity. It is estimated
that around 100 000 P. imperator were exported
from western africa in 1995 and 1996 (IUCN/SSC Trade
Program). To avoid overcollecting, the P. imperator
is listed on CITES (list II) together with two other
species of Pandinus .
Easy to keep in captivity and captive breeding is
possible. Good survival rate for scorplings if kept
properly.
P. imperator can attain lenghts up to 20 cm, and
weight up to 30 gram (preganant females can weight over
50 gram). Black scorpion with very powerful pedipalps
(which are very granular i texture) and cauda. Telson
redbrown in adults.
Subsociality has been reported for this species
(mother and offsprings/siblings living together). See
Mahsberg (1990).
Pandinus imperator photo by
Jan Ove Rein (C)
|