Black scorpion - Liberia, West Africa (ID, please)

We recently visited Liberia and almost stepped on this scorpion one night - luckily it was large enough to catch our eye before that happened (3" body plus tail length is my guess on his size).

My son is in the 1st grade and would love to know what species this is for his report to his class about his trip (he was with us).

We appreciate your help!

-The Martins

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It's a Pandinus sp. My opinion is P. imperator. Completely harmless.

Thanks for the quick reply! Glad to hear it isn't a dangerous one - we were staying at an orphanage and would hate to have a family of dangerous scorpions living around the home there. It was an intimidating looking fella - compared to the one or two I've ever seen around home in Florida. Thanks, again.

Well, it looks like a subadult due to the telson coloration. it will get around six inches. Did you bring it home with you?

Lucky you either way. I'd love to find scorpions under my feet anytime!

We figured it wouldn't make it through customs
Our son wanted to keep it, naturally. Not knowing what species it was we felt it was better left alone.

Shredder is right. Harmless to a degree...like a bee sting...don't let the little one play with it. More likely to pinch than sting. They are commonly called Emperor scorpions. They are used in movies and commercials.

Bayss wrote:

Shredder is right. Harmless to a degree...like a bee sting...don't let the little one play with it. More likely to pinch than sting. They are commonly called Emperor scorpions. They are used in movies and commercials.

Like that car commercial.

I agree with everything they are saying here. It is %100 a Pandinus imperator commonly called and emperor scorpion. It would pinch you well before it tried to sting you. The venom is less then a bee sting. and it is for sure a sub adult possibly 5i based on the color of it's telson (stinger).

You should buy one here from a pet store to remember your trip by?