Emperor scorpions are eaten by many animals including birds, bats, mammals, and spiders.
Known Predators:
Emperor scorpions are one of the largest species of scorpions in the world, measuring an average of 20 cm in length. They also tend to be heavier than other scorpions, and pregnant females can weigh more than 28 g. The body of the emperor scorpion is shiny black in color with two huge pedipalps (pincers) in the front, four legs and long tail (telson) ending in a stinger. Emperor scorpions have special sensory structures called pectines behind their limbs for sensing features of the terrain. Males usually have larger pectines than females. Like other arthropods, emperor scorpions undergo multiple molts. Their venom is mild and mainly used for defensive purposes; they generally use thier huge claws to kill prey. Like other scorpions, emperor scorpions give off a fluorescent bluish green appearance under UV light.
Range mass: 28 (high) g.
Average length: 20 cm.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; venomous
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Emperor scorpions usually live 5 to 8 years in captivity. Lifespan is likely shorter in the wild.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 5 to 8 years.
Emperor scorpions are typically found in hot and humid forests. They reside in burrows and prefer to live under leaf litter, forest debris, stream banks and also in mounds of termites, their main prey. Emperor scorpions tend to live communally and are found in large numbers in regions of human habitation.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest
Other Habitat Features: estuarine
The eyesight of emperor scorpions is very poor. Their other senses are well developed, with adaptations like the use of body hairs and pectines to detect the surrounding environment and prey.
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; vibrations
Emperor scorpions are listed in Appendix II by CITES. Species listed in Appendix II are not threatened, but trade is limited to prevent endangerment by human exploitation. Emperor scorpions are collected for the pet trade and for scientific study.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii
Embryonic development of scorpions, including emperor scorpions, occurs in two ways, either apoikogenically or katoikogenically, and these methods differ in the amount of nutrition received from the mother. In apoikogenic development, ova have some yolk. Embryos use the yolk and receive some nourishment from the mother. In katoikogenic development, ova are without yolk, and embryos are nourished through a special feeding apparatus that develops early. Young embryos develop in the female ovariuterus or in specialized diverticula branching from the ovariuterus.
Most scorpions molt multiple times before becoming adults, though juveniles look like adults at all instars.
The sting of emperor scorpions is generally mild and not fatal, but a pinch from their pedipalps is known to be painful.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (bites or stings, venomous )
Emperor scorpions are popular in the pet trade, as they are timid and their venom is mild. Many are imported for the pet trade from Ghana and Togo. They are often used in movies because of their spectacular appearance. The venom of emperor scorpions is also studied, as it is abundant in interesting peptides. A molecule called scorpine has been isolated from the venom of Emperor scorpines. The scorpine molecule seems to have anti-malarial and anti-bacterial qualities.
Positive Impacts: pet trade ; research and education
Emperor scorpions eat a variety of insects and arthropods and are preyed upon by by birds, bats, spiders, and other mammals.
Ecosystem Impact: keystone species
Emperor scorpions typically eat insects and other arthropods and occasionally hunt down small vertebrates. They commonly eat termites. Adults generally do not kill their prey using their stinger but rather tear apart prey using their powerful pincers. Juveniles, however, depend on their stingers to kill prey.
Animal Foods: mammals; body fluids; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates, Eats body fluids)
Emperor scorpions, Pandinus imperator, are native to west Africa and are predominantly found in forests of Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone, Ghana and the Congo region.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian (Native )
Emperor scorpions conduct elaborate mating rituals. Usually, the male grasps the female by pedipalps and engages in a myriad of behaviors including but not limited to sexual stinging and cheliceral "kissing" before depositing the sperm. Like some other arthropods, female emperor scorpions may kill and consume the male after mating has occurred.
Mating System: monogamous
Emperor scorpions breed throughout the year. After a gestation period of on average 9 months, females give live birth to 10 to 12 young. Emperor scorpions reach sexual maturity by 4 years of age.
Breeding season: Emperor scorpions breed throughout the year.
Range number of offspring: 10 to 12.
Range gestation period: 9 (low) months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 4 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 4 years.
Key Reproductive Features: year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); viviparous
Emperor scorpions are born defenseless and rely heavily on their mother for food and protection. Newborns are carried on their mother's back until they are old enough to be on their own. Females are generally more aggressive after giving birth.
Parental Investment: female parental care ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
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. Its body is black, but like other scorpions it glows pastel green or blue under ultraviolet light. It is a popular species in the pet trade, and is protected by CITES to prevent over-collecting that might impact the species' survival.
The emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) is one of the largest species of scorpion in the world, with adults averaging about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length and a weight of 30 g.[2] However, some species of forest scorpions are fairly similar to the emperor scorpion in size, and one scorpion, Heterometrus swammerdami, holds the record for being the world's largest scorpion at 9 inches (23 cm) in length.[3] The large pincers are blackish-red and have a granular texture. The front part of the body, or prosoma, is made up of four sections, each with a pair of legs. Behind the fourth pair of legs are comb-like structures known as pectines, which tend to be longer in males than in females. The tail, known as the metasoma, is long and curves back over the body. It ends in the large receptacle containing the venom glands and is tipped with a sharp, curved stinger. Scorpion stings can be categorized as mild (similar to a bee sting) to severe to humans depending on the species. Most people are not severely affected by the emperor scorpion's sting, though some people may be allergic to scorpion stings in general.[4] Sensory hairs cover the pincers and tail, enabling the emperor scorpion to detect prey through vibrations in the air and ground.[5]
When gravid (pregnant), the body of a female expands to expose the whitish membranes connecting the segments. The emperor scorpion fluoresces greenish-blue under ultra-violet light.[6][7]
They are known for their docile behavior and almost harmless sting; they do not use their sting to defend themselves when they are adults, however, they may use it in their adolescent stages. They prefer to use their pincers to crush and dismember their prey. Their exoskeleton is very sclerotic, causing them to have a metallic greenish-black color.
Emperor scorpions are often confused with a similar genus (Heterometrus), and are one of the most famous scorpions.
Different ion channel toxins have been isolated from the venom of the emperor scorpion, including Pi1,[8] Pi2,[9][10] Pi3,[9] Pi4[11] and Pi7.[12]
The emperor scorpion is an African rainforest species,[13] 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.[7]
This species inhabits both tropical forest and open savannas. The emperor scorpion burrows beneath the soil and hides beneath rocks and debris,[5] and also often burrows in termite mounds.[14]
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.
Young female emperor scorpion kept as a pet
P. imperator is very docile and tolerant of human contact.
African emperor scorpion venom contains the toxins imperatoxin[15] and pandinotoxin.
Due to its docile nature, large size, and hardiness, P. imperator is a popular scorpion in the pet trade, which has led to such over-collecting in the wild that it is now a CITES-listed animal.[1] They feed readily on crickets and worms available to keepers, and they can live up to 8 years in captivity.
Emperor scorpions fluoresce under UV light. 
Stinger of wild Pandinus imperator in southern Ghana 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. Its body is black, but like other scorpions it glows pastel green or blue under ultraviolet light. It is a popular species in the pet trade, and is protected by CITES to prevent over-collecting that might impact the species' survival.
.jpg)
