2012. Review of Significant Trade - Cites

Pandinus imperator
Range
State
Togo
Provisional
category
Urgent
Concern
Summary
Status in Togo unclear, but apparently common. High levels of trade in
ranched and wild-sourced specimens from the country. The establishment
of quotas (e.g. 1000 wild specimens and 16 500 ranched specimens in each
of 2010 and 2011) does not appear to take into account the status of the
species and, based on importer data, they appear to have been consistently
exceeded. No management measures known and impact of trade levels
unknown. Available information indicates that exports are occurring
without a scientifically based non detriment finding, therefore categorised
as Urgent Concern.
B. Species overview
Taxonomic note: The genus Pandinus was reported to include 24 species and two subspecies
(Prendini et al., 2003). Distinguishing Pandinus species was considered to be “extraordinarily
difficult even for an expert” (CoP9 Prop. 64). P. gambiensis and P. dictator were considered to
be similar large Pandinus species from west Africa, with reliable identification only being
possible by their patterns of tarsan spines and trichobothrial hairs on their pincers or chelae
(CoP9 Prop. 64). Lourenço and Cloudsley-Thompson (1996) provided the following
distinguishing characteristics for P. imperator: “has more than 26 trichobothria on the chela.
Three of these trichobothria are present on the internal surface of the chela at the base of the
fixed finger, dispersed in a straight line and equal distance apart. Ventral surface of the tibia
with more than 30 trichobothria.” In 2003, Lourenço & Cloudsley-Thompson (1996) was
adopted as the CITES standard reference for scorpions of the genus Pandinus.
Biology: Pandinus imperator is a large scorpion that reaches lengths of up to 18 to 20 cm and
can exceed 60g in weight (Polis, 1990; Brownell and Polis, 2001). It was reported to occur in
tropical west Africa and to inhabit in woodland, savannah and rainforest habitats
(CoP9 Prop. 64; Toye, 1970; Casper, 1985; Mahsberg, 1990; Prendini, 2004).
It was reported to live colonially, in groups of up to 15 or 20 individuals, in burrows under
termite mounds and under stones or logs (CoP9 Prop. 64; Mahsberg, 1990; Lourenco and
Cloudsley-Thompson, 1999; Prendini et al., 2003; Prendini, 2004; Ineich, 2006) and to be
mainly diurnal (Toye, 1970; Hadley, 1974; Prendini, 2004).
Reproduction in scorpions was reported to involve a ritualized and complex courtship,
followed by the male depositing a spermatophore, from which the female receives a sperm
packet (Polis, 1990). Once fertilization is accomplished, embryos reportedly undergo a
viviparous development and, once born, the young climb onto the mother’s back to continue
development and moult for the first time (Polis, 1990). According to Brownell and Polis
(2001), the time from insemination to birth was typically around one year but can be up to
around three years. Lourenço (2000) gave an average embryonic development time of seven
months. Litter sizes of 19 (Brownell and Polis, 2001) and 32 (Larrouy et al. (1973, cited in
Polis, 1990; Lourenço, 2000) have been reported. Ineich (2006) noted that exporters in Togo
reported a production of 5 to 42 juveniles per female, with an average of 20. Mahsberg (1990)
highlighted the importance of family cohesion to the survival of the young and considered
the species to be an “intermediate subsocial scorpion”.
Age to maturity was reported to be at least 2.5 years and the species longevity was reported
to be more than 10 years (Brownell and Polis, 2001). Ineich (2006) stated that in captivity,
sexual maturity could be achieved in one year, that captive-bred specimens reach a
marketable size at the age of 8 to 10 months and that the adult size is reached at around
three years of age.
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