Blue Centipedes

Inverts4life

Arachnopeon
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Apr 26, 2010
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I had a post with these pedes awhile back. I found them east of San diego. I had trouble getting an ID on them. When I was at the San diego super show I asked Ken the bug guy about them. He said that they were S. polymorpha, but he still seemed unsure. Kinda wanted to know what you guys think. The pics dont do justice of the blue on the pedes. They are one of my favs now. I will be going to AZ during monsoon season so hopefully can get some S, heros. I will post pics next month. Thanks.
 
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zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Any chance you can get a closer pic of the undersides of the terminal legs(the last 2)?
 

Anubis77

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I've come across blue centipedes too, but the head is usually a bright orange. I've been told they're Scolopendra viridis and Scolopendra polymorpha.



I lean towards Scolopendra polymorpha, but that's just based on pictures of both species. I'm not sure and would like to find out as well.
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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smooth antenna segments can indicate polymorpha vs. viridis, but since antenna can be regenerated and sometimes regens do not go 100% according to spec they are not 100% bulletproof for ID'ing

i sort of recall <=6-7 is viridis and >=6-7 is polymorpha. there is only supposed to be an overlap of one, but i can't remember if it is 6 or 7 =P
 

zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Seemed as good a place as any to add some more photos & banter about these beautiful centipedes...

This is what I think of when I hear of blue polymorphas; blue accented, toxic yellow with red at the ends



A variation on Anubis' beast above


Similar to one Caco posted awhile back, search Nuprin




This one, though...




...confuses me. I think someone mentioned the atypical, slender terminal legs in another thread? The spines on the prefemur are, to my eye, more evenly distributed than other polymorpha. Some of you here have had a closer look at these...what did you think?
 

pouchedrat

Arachnolord
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Aug 17, 2008
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I think I want it, that's what I think. lol.. sorry, no help.
 

Reptiloso

Arachnopeon
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Jan 3, 2011
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I saw 2 of these near my house about a week ago, might they be common in puerto Rico?
Edit: of the blue ones
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
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Jan 21, 2010
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very interesting stuff, guys. is the locale on these CA, both northern and southern? i am talking to a guy who says he's collected blue pedes in CA, but i have yet to see pictures. i ask because i might end up acquiring some as well.
 
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nhaverland413

Arachnosquire
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zonbonzovi

Creeping beneath you
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Tentatively we'll call them polymorpha, but i have reservations about that. I'll wait until I have a better lens or they grow larger to say for sure;)
 
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