Imperator? Dictator? Or something else...?

[Crom]

I recently purchased 2 sub adult/adult female "Cameroon Emporer Scorpions" from a local pet shop that carries a large variety of inverts (I have found some EXTREMELY rare mislabeled Ts there before). I bought them because their carapace matched what ive seen of dictators moreso than imperators, with the more bulbous nodules located behing the eyes just before the abdominal plating, opposed to the typical triangular indentation of Imperator, and from what ive researched Imperator isn't described as being found in Cameroon, only dictator. Upon close inspection of the ventral trichobothria they seem to match up much more so to Imperator, with ever so slight differences in claw shape, and lack the claw "lines" on the face of the pedipalps. Ive attached a carapce shot of one of my specimens and another of a friends Imperator. I'm wondering if there is an undescribed slightly distinct locale of Pandinus imperator in Cameroon, or possibly an interspecies/hybridized group locale new to description...? Any thoughts or input is welcomed, and if anyone else has these Cameroon Emporer Scorpions (especially males) please chime in...!

 

[Terrena Laxamentum]

Cameroon has been closed for a while now, as far as I know. That being said, that looks like P. imperator.

 

[Crom]

Cameroon has been closed for a while now, as far as I know. That being said, that looks like P. imperator.

Pretty sure you're right. These "Cameroon Emporer Scorpions" were sitting in this pet shoo for at least 2-3 years or so, since around the time The illegal shiment of Pandinus dictator found its way here from Cameroon. This was another aspect that had me curious as to what they are. Definitely leaning towards some locality type or subspecies of imperator, there are clear visible differences in the carapace from other imperator, as my pics show

 

[Terrena Laxamentum]

I could believe a locale or even a hybrid. P. imperator and P. dictator do share a small portion of range.