Arachnomusik80
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2017
- Messages
- 2
Hello Every one, I'm new to the board and just wanted to confirm if this little guy was a p. dictator? The guy at my local pet store says he/she is, what do you guys think? 
Can you help me confirm if this is a P. Dictator?
- Thread starter Arachnomusik80
- Start date
Christianb96
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2017
- Messages
- 284
Welcome to the forum! Looks like a dictator to me! They are an awesome species with an appetite and they get fairly large
Last edited:
soldierof4cheese
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Messages
- 209
Beautiful!
soldierof4cheese
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Messages
- 209
I know my Emperors loved dining on pinky mice, especially the mothers and babies.
Moakmeister
Arachnodemon
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2016
- Messages
- 741
Get a closer picture of its head and face. The imperator has a pronounced triangle on its head that the dictator lacks. We can tell for sure if we see that.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2011
- Messages
- 492
It does appear to be P. dictator, yes.
For comparison, the following are descriptions of P. imperator and P. dictator based on my research of the existing literature, as well as personal examination of specimens of both species.
Description of Pandinus imperator: Length 120-220 mm. Base color uniformly brown to reddish black, vesicle of telson usually lighter and often red in adults and lighter in juveniles. Carapace weakly granulated with deep sagittal furrow with forked, Y-shaped furrow on each side in posterior part. Tergites almost smooth, weakly granulated in posterior and lateral areas. Sternites smooth. Pectine teeth number 15-19. Spiniform formula of tarsomere II on legs I-IV = 4/3: 4-5/3: 4-5/2-3: 4-5/2-3. Tarsomere II with 2 spines on inclined anteroventral surface. Pedipalps with dorsal surface of chela granulated, chela with 3 internal trichobothria and 9-14 ventral trichobothria. Length to depth ratio of 4th metasomal segment greater than 2.
Description of Pandinus (Pandinopsis) dictator: Length 100-180 mm. Base color uniformly blackish brown to black, vesicle of telson usually lighter and often red in adults and lighter in juveniles. Carapace strongly granulated with shallow sagittal furrow with forked, Y-shaped furrow on each side in posterior part. Tergites granulated, particularly in the posterior and lateral areas. Sternites smooth, except the last one, which is granulated. Pectine teeth number 12-15. Pedipalps with dorsal surface of chela strongly granulated, chela with 2 internal and 4 ventral trichobothria.
Note: I have yet to examine the spiniform formulas of tarsomere II for this species, and I cannot find this information in the literature I currently have access to. Once one of my specimens molts, I will be able to look at the exoskeleton under a microscope and determine this.
For comparison, the following are descriptions of P. imperator and P. dictator based on my research of the existing literature, as well as personal examination of specimens of both species.
Description of Pandinus imperator: Length 120-220 mm. Base color uniformly brown to reddish black, vesicle of telson usually lighter and often red in adults and lighter in juveniles. Carapace weakly granulated with deep sagittal furrow with forked, Y-shaped furrow on each side in posterior part. Tergites almost smooth, weakly granulated in posterior and lateral areas. Sternites smooth. Pectine teeth number 15-19. Spiniform formula of tarsomere II on legs I-IV = 4/3: 4-5/3: 4-5/2-3: 4-5/2-3. Tarsomere II with 2 spines on inclined anteroventral surface. Pedipalps with dorsal surface of chela granulated, chela with 3 internal trichobothria and 9-14 ventral trichobothria. Length to depth ratio of 4th metasomal segment greater than 2.
Description of Pandinus (Pandinopsis) dictator: Length 100-180 mm. Base color uniformly blackish brown to black, vesicle of telson usually lighter and often red in adults and lighter in juveniles. Carapace strongly granulated with shallow sagittal furrow with forked, Y-shaped furrow on each side in posterior part. Tergites granulated, particularly in the posterior and lateral areas. Sternites smooth, except the last one, which is granulated. Pectine teeth number 12-15. Pedipalps with dorsal surface of chela strongly granulated, chela with 2 internal and 4 ventral trichobothria.
Note: I have yet to examine the spiniform formulas of tarsomere II for this species, and I cannot find this information in the literature I currently have access to. Once one of my specimens molts, I will be able to look at the exoskeleton under a microscope and determine this.