Details
Pandinus imperator
The emperor scorpion is a large scorpion of West African forest and savanna. It hunts insects at night around the ground and its burrow.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in forests and savannas of the Afrotropics. Moist soil, logs, stones, and burrows provide daytime shelter.
Length 15-20 cm; weight 25 g-30 g. A glossy black body, massive claws, and a relatively short stinger define the species. Under ultraviolet light the exoskeleton glows blue-green.
Nocturnal and mostly solitary, it hides by day in burrows or under logs. At night it walks slowly while searching for prey.
A carnivore, it captures insects, spiders, and small vertebrates. Strong claws hold prey, with the sting used when needed.
Females give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. The young ride on the mother’s back and remain protected through early molts.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
