Pandinus dictator details

[Galapoheros]

Two of the Pandinus dictators are on their way to being dust again. So since I don't have to fight with them now, I decided to get any doubt out of my head that they are dictators. I knew they weren't imperators, but are they really dictators? When the news popped up they had been imported, I assumed they were identified by somebody that knew but, you know how that goes, we all make mistakes so I decided to use my computer scope and compare to pdfs that are out there. They are dictators after all, you can go to the dictator diagram in the pdf I attached and take a look, compare them to the pics I took. It's more interesting to see actual pictures instead of only drawings.



http://www.european-arachnology.org/wdp/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/AM49_47-54_Rossi.pdf

Dorsal shots of different individuals:

Here is a dorsal shot of Pandinus imperator, I think it's the fastest and easiest way to tell them apart:

 

[Collin Clary]

Take anything from Andrea Rossi's papers with a grain of salt when it comes to classification. He often describes species based on characteristics that are well within the realms of intraspecific variation. (Among a lot of other things.)

That being said, the method for distinguishing Pandinus dictator from other species is accurate.

As it so happens when they were first imported I looked at several dead specimens and exuviae under a microscope, and did confirm them to be true P. dictator. In addition to the differences in granulation, trichobothria count, and macrosculpture of the carapace, the pectine tooth counts are different and the chela are slightly differently shaped. I also suspect that the spination formulas of tarsomere II differ between the two species, but unfortunately being at college I don't have time at the moment to determine them for P. dictator.

Great pictures. The trichobothria stand out even better under ultraviolet light.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Your pics help me confirm even more i have true imperator. I'm happy knowing! Thanks!

 

[Crom]

Great pics and info

 

[Crom]

Sorry for the crappy pic. Here is a scorpion I bought as a Cameroon Emporer Scorpion. It almost looks like a cross between imperator and dictator based off the carapace formations and maybe slightly more granulation than the imperator example posted. Possibly a new imperator locality not before imported until recent. Imperator isnt technically known to be native to Cameroon, but it is cited at least right along the north border where they havent been collected in earlier years, so its possible a distinct population or subspecies exists in that region. I may get some more just in case

 

[Galapoheros]

"Possibly a new imperator locality not before imported until recent." Out of all the possibilities, I'd go with that one. I'd definitely buy more also at least until I saw I had a breeding pair. You'll have to do a trichobothria count sooner or later to see what's going on there. But yeah I know it's hard to do when they are alive and moving around.

 

[Veno Manus]

Thanks for posting this great info!!!