Order: Scorpiones (Scorpionida)
Family: Scorpionidae
Genus & Species: Pandinus imperator
APPEARANCE
Emperor scorpions are one of the largest of all scorpions, but
not the longest. They grow very fast and have an average length of 4-8
inches. Their exoskeleton is a dark blue or black, and occasionally dark
brown or even greenish. The pincers are granular in texture and have a
reddish colouring. Sensory "hairs" surround the pincers, tail, and telson.
The tail, also know as the metasoma, is long and made up of six segments. It
ends in a large ball called the telson which contains the venom glands. The
telson ends in a sharp carve which serves as the sting. The thorax is made up
of four sections each with a pair of legs on the undersurface. Behind the
fourth pair of legs are ventral comb-like structures known as pectines. The
pectines are noticeably longer in the males than the females and are a good
way of distinguishing the sexes.
The emperor scorpion is a relative of the spiders and has only eight legs
despite its lobster-like appearance. Two pedipalpi (pinchers) are located near
the front of its body and are strong enough to draw blood from a human.
They are venomous but rarely sting humans and are not lethal to humans
unless they are allergic to the venom. The sting is said to feel like a bee sting.
Emperor scorpions are rather docile and can be handled, although it is not
recommended.
The emperor scorpion has a life span of eight years.
HABITAT
Emperor scorpions are found in the hot tropical forests and savannas of
Africa. Like all scorpions, they like to burrow beneath the soil and can be
found under rocks and other debris. They are located in the countries of
Togo, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and the
Congo region.
FOOD
Emperor scorpions feed on almost anything in the wild, including insects,
arachnids, mice and lizards. In captivity they are fed crickets, mealworms,
woodlice, butterworms, and pinkie mice. The young are fed crushed up
pinhead crickets.
BREEDING
Emperor scorpions reach sexual maturity around the age of four, although
in captivity it has been reached around the age of one. The gestation period
is 7-9 months. The young grow in the mother and are born alive, with an
average litter of 9-32 young. The young are white at first but become darker
after each molt.
ENEMIES
The emperor scorpion's main enemy is man. Overcollection by pet owners
has greatly reduced their numbers in Togo and Ghana. They are on the
CITES II species list as threatened.
The mothers are occasionally cannibalistic and have been known to eat a
few of their young.
RELATIVES
There are 12 000 species of scorpions found worldwide.
RESOURCES CITED
1. "Scorpion", Funk & Wagnall's Wildlife Encyclopedia, pg 1993 vol 17,
1974, BPC Pub Lmt, USA
2. www.cet.com/~wfb/spider/care.htm#emperor
3. spin.com.mx/~ernestoe/mascotas/scorp.html
4. www.acs.oakland.edu/~eabyrnes/scorpion.html
5. www.pipeline.com/~jfouskaris/escorp.html
6. www.sduk.com/mzoo/IW_8600.htm
7. iwc.org/volunteers/archives/June98/spec_pg0.htm
8. www.slip.net/~drrod/
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