---
title: "What the sources say about the Emperor Scorpion | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "49 claims from the Emperor Scorpion profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the Emperor Scorpion (*Pandinus imperator*)

> 49 claims from the Emperor Scorpion profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Emperor Scorpion](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/emperor-scorpion/)

## Pandinus imperator. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pandinus_imperator/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| one of the largest scorpions in the world | Emperor scorpions are one of the largest species of scorpions in the world |
| measuring an average of 20 centimeters long | measuring an average of 20 cm in length (note: Reviewer: Oregon Zoo's undated 'Length: 10 to 12 inches' (25-30 cm) dropped. The zoo page does not say what it measures, carries no date, and its status line ('Endangered per CITES Appendix II') is wrong, so it is not shown to be newer or more reliable than ADW (last updated 2011-06-19).) |
| Emperor scorpions also tend to be heavier than other scorpions | They also tend to be heavier than other scorpions |
| a pregnant female can weigh more than 28 grams | pregnant females can weigh more than 28 g |
| In captivity they usually live 5 to 8 years | Emperor scorpions usually live 5 to 8 years in captivity. |
| their lifespan in the wild is thought to be shorter | Lifespan is likely shorter in the wild. |
| They are native to West Africa | are native to west Africa |
| found mainly in the forests of Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone, Ghana and the Congo region | predominantly found in forests of Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone, Ghana and the Congo region |
| There they shelter under leaf litter, forest debris | prefer to live under leaf litter, forest debris, stream banks and also in mounds of termites, their main prey |
| in the mounds of termites, their main prey | also in mounds of termites, their main prey |
| Adults do it differently. | Adults generally do not kill their prey using their stinger but rather tear apart prey using their powerful pincers. (note: 'huge' from ADW's 'two huge pedipalps (pincers)' and 'they generally use thier huge claws to kill prey') |
| They typically eat insects and other arthropods | Emperor scorpions typically eat insects and other arthropods |
| occasionally hunt down small vertebrates too | occasionally hunt down small vertebrates |
| termites are a common meal | They commonly eat termites |
| Juveniles depend on their stinger to kill prey. | Juveniles, however, depend on their stingers to kill prey. |
| The emperor scorpion's venom is mild and mainly used for defense. | Their venom is mild and mainly used for defensive purposes; they generally use thier huge claws to kill prey. |
| To kill, an adult generally skips the stinger and tears its prey apart with its two huge pedipalps. | Adults generally do not kill their prey using their stinger but rather tear apart prey using their powerful pincers. (note: 'two huge pedipalps' from ADW's 'two huge pedipalps (pincers) in the front') |
| A sting is generally mild and not fatal, but a pinch from those pincers is known to be painful. | The sting of emperor scorpions is generally mild and not fatal, but a pinch from their pedipalps is known to be painful. |
| When threatened, an emperor scorpion usually flees rather than fights, but corner one in a small space and it turns aggressive, dropping into a defensive posture with its stinger ready | When threatened, they usually flee rather than fight, but if cornered in a small space, they turn aggressive and go into a defensive posture with their stinger ready. |
| Emperor scorpions have been observed living in colonies of up to 15 individuals | Emperor scorpions are social animals and have been observed living in colonies of up to 15 individuals. |
| cannibalism has been observed in the species and is rare | Cannibalism has been observed in this species, but it is rare. |
| Courtship is elaborate | Emperor scorpions conduct elaborate mating rituals. |
| usually the male grasps the female by her pincers and the pair go through behaviors that include stinging and cheliceral "kissing" before he deposits his sperm | 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 |
| Afterward, she may kill and eat him. | female emperor scorpions may kill and consume the male after mating has occurred |
| After a gestation that averages 9 months, she gives birth to 10 to 12 live young. | After a gestation period of on average 9 months, females give live birth to 10 to 12 young. |
| The defenseless newborns ride on her back until they are old enough to be on their own | 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 | Females are generally more aggressive after giving birth. |
| Emperor scorpions reach sexual maturity by 4 years of age. | Emperor scorpions reach sexual maturity by 4 years of age. |
| Emperor scorpions have very poor eyesight, but their other senses are well developed: they detect their surroundings and prey with body hairs and with pectines | 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. |
| pectines, sensory structures behind their legs | special sensory structures called pectines behind their limbs |
| its shiny black body gives off a fluorescent bluish-green glow, a trait shared with other scorpions | The body of the emperor scorpion is shiny black in color ... Like other scorpions, emperor scorpions give off a fluorescent bluish green appearance under UV light. |
| Its venom is also studied: it is rich in interesting peptides. | The venom of emperor scorpions is also studied, as it is abundant in interesting peptides. |
| tears prey apart with its pincers and glows blue-green under ultraviolet light | tear apart prey using their powerful pincers |
| Humid rainforest leaf litter | Emperor scorpions are typically found in hot and humid forests. They reside in burrows and prefer to live under leaf litter |
| Termites and other insects and arthropods, occasionally small vertebrates | Emperor scorpions typically eat insects and other arthropods and occasionally hunt down small vertebrates. They commonly eat termites. |
| Huge, powerful pincers generally used to tear prey apart instead of stinging it | Adults generally do not kill their prey using their stinger but rather tear apart prey using their powerful pincers. |
| a cuticle that fluoresces blue-green under ultraviolet light | give off a fluorescent bluish green appearance under UV light |
| Not Evaluated | IUCN Red List Not Evaluated (note: Confirmed against GBIF's copy of the Red List (api.gbif.org/v1/species/6894611/iucnRedListCategory, checked 2026-09-27): NOT_EVALUATED for Pandinus imperator. The API is a lookup, not cited as a source; ADW's own field is the citable text.) |
| Its body is shiny black, but under ultraviolet light it gives off a fluorescent bluish-green glow, something it has in common with other scorpions. | The body of the emperor scorpion is shiny black in color ... Like other scorpions, emperor scorpions give off a fluorescent bluish green appearance under UV light. |
| The sting is generally mild and not fatal. | The sting of emperor scorpions is generally mild and not fatal |
| a pinch from those huge pedipalps is known to be painful | a pinch from their pedipalps is known to be painful (note: 'huge' from ADW's 'two huge pedipalps (pincers)') |
| Females give live birth to 10 to 12 young, after carrying them for 9 months on average. | After a gestation period of on average 9 months, females give live birth to 10 to 12 young. |
| The young are born defenseless and rely heavily on their mother for food and protection, and they travel on her back until they are old enough to be on their own. | 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. |
| as an adult, generally skips the stinger and tears its prey apart with its powerful pincers | Adults generally do not kill their prey using their stinger but rather tear apart prey using their powerful pincers. |

## Common emperor scorpion. Oregon Zoo.

https://www.oregonzoo.org/animals/common-emperor-scorpion

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| In captivity they usually live 5 to 8 years | Lifespan: 5 to 8 years in captivity (note: Current zoo page, beside the 2011 ADW account.) |
| logs and rocks | Emperor scorpions rarely burrow, but instead hide under logs or rocks. (note: Reviewer: 'rarely burrow' dropped because ADW says they 'reside in burrows' and neither page is dated as the newer; only the shared shelters are kept.) |
| The West African rainforest heavyweight | Emperor scorpions live in the rainforests of West Africa. (note: 'heavyweight' per ADW 'tend to be heavier than other scorpions', claimed in the body) |
| logs, and termite mounds across West Africa | Emperor scorpions live in the rainforests of West Africa. ... Emperor scorpions rarely burrow, but instead hide under logs or rocks. |

## Conde et al. (2000). Scorpine, an anti‐malaria and anti‐bacterial agent purified from scorpion venom. FEBS Letters.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s0014-5793(00)01384-3

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Scientists isolated one called scorpine from emperor scorpion venom, and it showed antibacterial activity and a potent inhibitory effect on two stages in the development of *Plasmodium berghei*, a malaria parasite. | A novel peptide, scorpine, was isolated from the venom of the scorpion Pandinus imperator, with anti-bacterial activity and a potent inhibitory effect on the ookinete (ED(50) 0.7 microM) and gamete (ED(50) 10 microM) stages of Plasmodium berghei development. (note: two stages = ookinete and gamete; 'malaria parasite' from the paper's title, 'an anti-malaria ... agent') |