Emperor Scorpion
Pandinus imperator
Least ConcernFast Facts
About
The emperor scorpion is one of the largest scorpions in the world, a glossy black giant of the West African rainforest floor. Despite its intimidating size and massive pincers, its venom is relatively mild and it relies mainly on its powerful claws to subdue prey.
Its docile temperament and impressive appearance have made it a popular and widely kept pet.
Behaviour
Emperor scorpions shelter in burrows and beneath debris by day, emerging at night to hunt. Large individuals seize and crush prey with their claws, resorting to the sting only when necessary.
They are unusually sociable for scorpions and can be kept in groups; the female carries her pale newborn young on her back until their first moult.
Did you know?
- The emperor scorpion glows a vivid blue-green under ultraviolet light
- Despite its size its sting is relatively mild, often likened to a bee sting
- Mothers carry their tiny white young on their backs for protection
- They are among the most social of all scorpions, tolerating others of their kind
Distribution
Tropical rainforests and savannahs of West Africa
