| Scolopendra hardwickei | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Chilopoda |
| Order: | Scolopendromorpha |
| Family: | Scolopendridae |
| Genus: | Scolopendra |
| Species: | S. hardwickei |
| Binomial name | |
| Scolopendra hardwickei Newport, 1844 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Scolopendra hardwickei, the Indian tiger centipede, is a species of centipede in the family Scolopendridae. [1]
Scolopendra hardwickei can reach a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in). Antennas consist of 17 or 18 segments, of which the first 6-7 are shiny. It is a pigmented species, with exceptionally bright and contrasting coloration, alternating dark orange and deep black segments, with dark orange legs. [2] The head and antennae or also dark orange, but the first six segments of the antennae are generally of a lighter hue. [3]
This species is common in the south of the Indian peninsula and it is rarely found on the islands of Sumatra and Nicobar. [2] [4]
The bite of S. hardwickei can cause swelling and drowsiness.
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 bites, injecting their venom through pincer-like appendages known as forcipules. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs, ranging from 30 to 382. Centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs; no centipede has exactly 100. Like spiders and scorpions, centipedes are predominantly carnivorous.
Scutigera coleoptrata, also known as the house centipede, is a species of centipede that is typically yellowish-grey and has up to 15 pairs of long legs. Originating in the Mediterranean region, it has spread to other parts of the world, where it can live in human homes. It is an insectivore; it kills and eats other arthropods, such as insects and arachnids.
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.
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.
Scolopendridae is a family of large centipedes. Nearly all species in this family have four ocelli on each side of the head and only 21 pairs of legs, but there are exceptions: two scolopendrid species feature more legs, and some scolopendrid species are eyeless and blind. Three Asian members of this family, Scolopendra cataracta, Scolopendra paradoxa, and Scolopendra alcyona, are known to show amphibious behaviour. Two other species, Scolopendra hardwickei and Hemiscolopendra marginata, are known to show sexual dimorphism in the composition of their venom.
Scolopendra is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae.
Scolopendra polymorpha, the common desert centipede, tiger centipede, banded desert centipede, or Sonoran Desert centipede is a centipede species found in western North America.
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.
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.
Plutonium zwierleini, in the monotypic genus Plutonium, is one of the largest scolopendromorph centipedes in Europe, and one of the few potentially harmful to humans. Nevertheless, it has been rarely reported, only from the southern part of the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, Sardinia and Sicily.
Geophilus brevicornis is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found on the continental United States, ranging from New Orleans to Galveston and south Illinois. It's deep orange and grows up to 50 millimeters long, with a robust, almost cylindrical body, 55 leg pairs, a relatively small cephalic segment, generally smooth scuta with distinct scuto-spiscutal sutures, and mandibles each with a single rather large tooth.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Asanada agharkari is a species of small Scolopendrid centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae
Scolopendra alternans, commonly known as the Haitan giant centipede, Caribbean giant centipede, and Florida Keys centipede, is a species of large centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae. 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 died of asphyxiation while trying to eat a Scolopendra alternans, which also died.
Arthrorhabdus, from the Greek ἄρθρον, a joint, and ῥάβδος, a staff, is a genus of Scolopendrid centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae. Species are found in Mexico and the Southern United States, Australia (A. paucispinus & A. mjöbergi), and South Africa (A. formosus). Since a reapprasial in the genus in 2010, the genus only has four species. It may be polyphyletic.
The centipedes or Chilopoda are divided into the following orders.
Cormocephalus kraepelini, also known as the Margaret River centipede, is a species of centipede in the Scolopendridae family. It is endemic to Australia, and was first described in 1930 by Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems.