Emperor scorpion  (Pandinus imperator)

Species information

Videos and images

Authentication

Authenticated (19/03/09) by Dr Lorenzo Prendini, Associate Curator (Arachnids and Myriapods) and Head of Scorpion Systematics Research Group, American Museum of Natural History.
http://scorpion.amnh.org

Glossary

  • Chelicerae: pair of appendages on the ‘head’ of an arachnid (spiders, scorpions, mites, harvestmen etc). In scorpions, these are claw-like and used in feeding (not to be confused with the larger pedipalps, or ‘pincers’).
  • Gestation: the state of being pregnant (gravid); the period from conception to birth.
  • Spermatophore: gelatinous jelly cone with a sperm cap deposited by a male during courtship and picked up by the cloacal lips of the female.

References

  1. CITES (September, 2008)
    http://www.cites.org
  2. The Scorpion Files (March, 2005)
    http://www.ub.ntnu.no/scorpion-files/p_imperator.htm
  3. Animals – The Animal Information Centre (March, 2005)
    http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/animals1/scorpion/empscorp.html
  4. The Big Zoo (March, 2005)
    http://www.thebigzoo.com/Animals/Emperor_Scorpion.asp
  5. Prendini, L. (2004) On the scorpions of Gabon and neighbouring countries, with a reassessment of the synonyms attributed to Babycurus buettneri Karsch and a redescription of Babycurus melanicus Kovařík. California Academy of Sciences Memoir, 28: 235 - 267.
  6. Prendini, L. (2009) Pers. comm.
  7. Scorpion Systematics Research Group, American Museum of Natural History (November, 2008)
    http://scorpion.amnh.org/index.html
  8. Polis, G.A. and Sissom, W.D. (1990) Life History. In: Polis, G.A. (Ed) The Biology of Scorpions.Stanford University Press, Palo Alto.
  9. Mahsberg, D. (1990) Brood care and family cohesion in the tropical scorpion Pandinus imperator (Koch) (Scorpiones: Scorpionidae). Acta Zoologica Fennica, 190: 267 - 272.
  10. Casper, G.S. (1985) Prey Capture and Stinging Behavior in the Emperor Scorpion, Pandinus Imperator (Koch) (Scorpiones, Scorpionidae). Journal of Arachnology, 13 (3): 277 - 283.
  11. Prendini, L., Crowe, T.M. and Wheeler, W.C. (2003) Systematics and biogeography of the family Scorpionidae (Chelicerata: Scorpiones), with a discussion on phylogenetic methods. Invertebrate Systematics, 17: 185 - 259.
  12. Lourenço, W.R. and Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L. (1996) Recognition and distribution of the scorpions of the genus Pandinus Thorell, 1876 accorded protection by the Washington Convention. Biogeographica, 72 (3): 133 - 143.
left