What are the characteristics of Pandinus?
General characteristics
Members of Pandinus are generally large scorpions (about 120–200 mm total length), which are dark to black colored, sometimes with paler metasoma and legs. The pedipalp pincers are massive, while the metasoma is proportionally thin with a small vesicle and stinger (aculeus).
How long do Pandinus live?
6–8 years
The emperor scorpion, Pandinus imperator, is a species of scorpion native to rainforests and savannas in West Africa. It is one of the largest scorpions in the world and lives for 6–8 years.
What does Emperor Scorpion Pandinus mean?
Pandinus imperator. (C.L. Koch, 1841) Common names: Emperor scorpion (Kaiserskorpion, Keiserskorpion). (The latin name may mean “Terrible Forrest Emperor”).
In general, stings from Pandinus imperator are harmless to humans, but there is a possibility of an allergic reaction!!!A nice layer of cork bark and pieces offers perfect hiding places.If you keep several animals together, they should not be too scarce.
Common names:Emperor scorpion (Kaiserskorpion, Keiserskorpion). (The latin name may mean “Terrible Forrest Emperor”).
Distribution:Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo, Cte 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.
The emperor scorpion is an African rainforest species,but also present in savanna. It is found in a number of African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Togo, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Cameroon.
This species inhabits both tropical forest and open and india and savannas. The emperor scorpion burrows beneath the soil and hides beneath rocks and debris, and also often burrows in termite mounds.
In the wild, emperor scorpions primarily consume insects and other terrestrial invertebrates, although termites constitute a large portion of their diet. Larger vertebrates, such as rodents and lizards, are occasionally eaten. Emperor scorpions will burrow through termite mounds up to 6 feet deep in order to hunt prey. Their large claws help in tearing apart prey while their tail stinger injects venom at the same time for liquifying food. Juveniles rely on their venomous sting to paralyze prey while adults use their large claws to tear apart prey.
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.
