Scolopendra alternans

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Scolopendra alternans
Caribbean Giant Centipede imported from iNaturalist photo 47261476 on 23 September 2022.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Scolopendromorpha
Family: Scolopendridae
Genus: Scolopendra
Species:
S. alternans
Binomial name
Scolopendra alternans
Synonyms [1] [2]
Synonyms
  • Scolopendra complanataNewport, 1844
  • Scolopendra crudelisKoch, 1847
  • Scolopendra grayiiNewport, 1844
  • Scolopendra hirsutipesBollmann, 1893
  • Scolopendra incertaNewport, 1845
  • Scolopendra multispinataNewport, 1844
  • Scolopendra sagraeaGervais, 1837
  • Scolopendra testaceaWood, 1861
  • Scolopendra torquataWood, 1861

Scolopendra alternans, commonly known as the Haitian giant centipede, [3] Caribbean giant centipede, [4] and Florida Keys centipede, [lower-alpha 2] [5] is a species of large centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae. [5] [2] [6] The species was involved in widespread news coverage after an incident in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, in which a specimen of the extremely rare rim rock crown snake (Tantilla oolitica) died of asphyxiation while trying to eat a Scolopendra alternans, which also died. [7] [8] [9]

Contents

Appearance

Scolopendra alternans is a large species of centipede, and can grow up to 17–19 cm in length. [10] [1] Their colouration is generally brownish or reddish, but it varies greatly depending on location. [10] [1] Some American forms are yellow to orange in colour. [10] Morphological features also vary depending on location. [1]

Distribution

Scolopendra alternans is found in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Venezuela the Bahamas, Hispaniola, the Antilles, the British Virgin Islands, and Florida. [3] [1] [11] [2] They have also been reported as far north as Georgia. [12] [5] [4]

Notes

  1. Sources vary: some say 1813 or 1816.
  2. Not to then be confused with Scolopendra longipes , which also goes by that common name since it was resurrected from junior synonymy with S. alternans [1]

Related Research Articles

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Centipedes are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda of the subphylum Myriapoda, an arthropod group which includes millipedes and other multi-legged animals. Centipedes are elongated segmented (metameric) creatures with one pair of legs per body segment. All centipedes are venomous and can inflict painful stings, injecting their venom through pincer-like appendages known as forcipules or toxicognaths, which are actually modified legs instead of fangs. Despite the name, no centipede has exactly 100 pairs of legs; number of legs ranges from 15 pairs to 191 pairs, always an odd number.

<i>Scolopendra gigantea</i> Species of Chilopoda (centipede)

Scolopendra gigantea, also known as the Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede or Amazonian giant centipede, is a centipede in the genus Scolopendra. It is the largest centipede species in the world, with a length exceeding 30 centimetres (12 in). Specimens may have 21 or 23 segments. It is found in various places throughout South America and the extreme south Caribbean, where it preys on a wide variety of animals, including other sizable arthropods, amphibians, mammals and reptiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chinese red-headed centipede</span> Subspecies of centipede

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<i>Tantilla</i> Genus of snakes

Tantilla is a large genus of harmless New World snakes in the family Colubridae. The genus includes 66 species, which are commonly known as centipede snakes, black-headed snakes, and flathead snakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velvety free-tailed bat</span> Species of bat

The velvety free-tailed bat or Pallas's mastiff bat, is a bat species in the family Molossidae.

<i>Scolopendra subspinipes</i> Species of centipede

Scolopendra subspinipes is a species of very large centipede found throughout southeastern Asia. One of the most widespread and common species in the genus Scolopendra, it is also found on virtually all land areas around and within the Indian Ocean, all of tropical and subtropical Asia from Russia to the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia, Australia, South and Central America, the Caribbean islands, and possibly parts of the southern United States, but how much of this range is natural and how much due to human introduction is unclear. With a wide geographic range and numerous color variations, the species is known by many common names, including jungle centipede, orange-legged centipede, Hawaiian centipede, and Vietnamese centipede.

<i>Ethmostigmus rubripes</i> Species of centipede

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scolopendridae</span> Family of centipedes

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<i>Scolopendra</i> Genus of centipedes

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The rim rock crowned snake, named after the Miami Rim Rock land arrangement, is a non-venomous endangered species of snake belonging to the family Colubridae. The rim rock crowned snake is endemic to the United States throughout southern Florida. The specific name, oolitica, refers to the oolitic limestone area of Florida in which the species is found. All species of snakes that belong to the genus Tantilla, are relatively small and usually do not exceed 20 cm (8 in). The species T. oolitica was added to the IUCN Red List in 2007 as a result of loss in habitat and restricted range.

<i>Scolopendra morsitans</i> Species of centipede

Scolopendra morsitans, also known as the Tanzanian blue ringleg or red-headed centipede, is a species of centipede in the family Scolopendridae. S. morsitans is the type species for the genus Scolopendra.

<i>Scolopendra viridicornis</i>

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<i>Scolopendra cataracta</i> Species of centipede

Scolopendra cataracta is a species of centipede in the family Scolopendridae. It is the first known amphibious centipede, growing to up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length.

<i>Scolopendra dehaani</i> Centipede species

Scolopendra dehaani, common name Giant Vietnamese centipede, is a large Scolopendrid centipede found across Mainland Southeast Asia. It is also found in India, Japan, Hong Kong, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

<i>Scolopendra japonica</i> Centipede species

Scolopendra japonica, formerly classified as Scolopendra subspinipes japonica, is a species of scolopendrid centipede mostly found in Japan, although specimens have been reported in other parts of Eastern Asia such as China, Taiwan, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. They usually grow between 7.5 and 13 centimetres in length. It is known by the common names Japanese giant centipede and blue-head centipede.

<i>Scolopendra dawydoffi</i> Species of centipede

Scolopendra dawydoffi is a species of large Scolopendrid centipede found in Southeast Asia, specifically in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. It has bright reddish-orange and black colouration, and can grow up to and beyond 16 cm in length.

<i>Scolopendra galapagoensis</i> Centipede species

Scolopendra galapagoensis, also known as the Galápagos centipede and Darwin's goliath centipede, is species of very large centipede in the family Scolopendridae. It is the only representative of the genus Scolopendra on the Galapagos Islands, among twelve other species of centipede present on the Islands. It is also found on mainland South America in Ecuador and Peru, and on Cocos Island in Costa Rica.

<i>Scolopendra alcyona</i> Species of centipede

Scolopendra alcyona, known in Japanese as 琉神大百足 and in English as the Halcyon giant centipede, is a species of amphibious centipede found in the Ryukyu Archipelago of Japan and Taiwan. It is the third amphibious member of the genus Scolopendra discovered so far, and the largest species of centipede in Japan, as well as the first new centipede species discovered in Japan for 143 years.

Scolopendra arthrorhabdoides is a species of Scolopendrid centipede found in Colombia. It was described in 1912 by Henri Ribaut.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mercurio, Randy J. (May 12, 2016). "Resurrection of Scolopendra longipes Wood and Scolopendra cubensis Saussure from synonymy with Scolopendra alternans Leach (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae): an enigmatic species-group needing phylogeographic analysis, with an overview on the origin and distribution of centipedes in the Caribbean region". Zootaxa . 4111 (1): 1–20. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4111.1.1 via Internet Archive. Partially available at GBIF here.
  2. 1 2 3 "Scolopendra alternans Leach, 1815". ChiloBase. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Dunlap, Sadie (March 26, 2022). "The 10 Biggest Centipedes in the World!".
  4. 1 2 "Caribbean Giant Centipede (Scolopendra alternans)". iNaturalist. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 "Florida Keys Centipede names - Encyclopedia of Life". eol.org. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  6. Gillett-Kaufman, Jennifer (May 6, 2014). "What's the biggest bug in Florida?". UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  7. Virata, John (September 6, 2022). "Rim Rock Crowned Snake Dies Trying To Eat Giant Centipede". Reptiles Magazine. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  8. "Rare snake enters death match with venomous centipede in Key Largo. They reveal fascinating scientific discoveries". MSN. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  9. History, Florida Museum of Natural (September 28, 2022). "North America's Rarest Snake Found Dead". SciTechDaily. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 "Haiti Giant Centipede - Scolopendra alternans". Exotic Pets UK. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  11. "iDigBio Specimen Record | Scolopendra alternans leach". iDigBio Specimen Portal. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  12. "Scolopendra alternans Leach, 1813". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved October 4, 2022.