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Emperor Scorpion

Pandinus imperator

Largest scorpion on Earth. Looks terrifying. Sting is roughly a bee's. Carries her babies.

Curated and rated by Sheriff Six-Legs and The Wild Pest field team · Six Legs Score™ (71/100, Curious tier) · Published Apr 25, 2026 · Updated Apr 28, 2026 · Released CC BY 4.0

71Six Legs
Six Legs Score™
71 / 100

Largest scorpion on Earth — 23 cm. Lives in West African rainforests in family groups, with mothers carrying their young on their backs for the first month. Despite the size and intimidating appearance, the venom is so mild that emperor scorpions are common pets. Their large pincers do most of the work; the sting is a backup.

An emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator), large jet-black body with massive pincers and curled tail.
Emperor ScorpionWikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Size
Up to 23 cm
Lifespan
5-8 years
Range
West African lowland rainforest
Diet
Insects, other arthropods, occasionally small vertebrates
Found in
Burrows under logs, in termite mounds, under leaf litter

Field guide

Pandinus imperator is the largest scorpion on Earth, with adult females reaching 23 cm including the tail. Native to the lowland rainforests of West Africa (Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso), she lives in burrows under fallen trees and in termite mounds. Despite the intimidating appearance — jet-black armor, massive pincers, raised tail — the venom is mild and rarely causes more than minor swelling in healthy adult humans. Her oversized pincers do most of the prey-capture work; the sting is a defensive backup. Emperor scorpions show extensive maternal care. Females give birth to 10-30 live young (no eggs) and carry them on their backs for the first month while they harden their exoskeletons. Family groups stay together longer than most other scorpions. Like all scorpions, emperors fluoresce blue-green under ultraviolet light. The species is heavily exploited in the captive pet trade and is now listed under CITES Appendix II to regulate international trade.

5 wild facts on file

The emperor scorpion is the largest scorpion on Earth — adult females reach 23 cm.

MuseumSmithsonian National ZooShare →

Despite the imposing size, emperor scorpion venom is mild — a sting is roughly comparable to a honey bee's.

JournalToxicon journalShare →

Emperor scorpion mothers carry 10-30 live young on their backs for the first month after birth.

JournalJournal of ArachnologyShare →

Like all scorpions, emperors glow vivid blue-green under UV light — a property biologists still actively debate the function of.

MuseumSmithsonian National ZooShare →

Emperor scorpions are among the most popular invertebrate pets — heavily traded enough to require CITES Appendix II protection.

AgencyCITES Appendix IIShare →
Cultural file

The emperor scorpion is the most-photographed scorpion in zoos worldwide due to her gentle disposition and dramatic appearance — she's a perennial children's zoo program favorite. The species figures prominently in the costume and props of the 2002 film *The Scorpion King*. CITES protection was added in 1994 due to over-collection for the pet trade.

Sources

MuseumSmithsonian National Zoo — Emperor ScorpionAgencyCITES Appendix II Listing1994
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