Scolopendra Gigantea? Species Identification

[jgalen0025]

I am having an 11 inch specimen being sent as we speak but I could not get a positive id on the species. Mind you, this was collected from a friend who owns land in a tropical US Territory. Recently he mentioned (to my surprise) that he was seeing 12 inch centipedes and killing them on a regular basis. He sent me a picture of one but I couldnt positively identify it with the available information on the web. I thought it was robusta but its antennae are very dark. Could it be another gigantea morph??

 

[hecklad]

Do you know which territory it was found in? It does look like a gigantea but I don't think they're found in any US territories. Alternans is a possibility though

 

[jgalen0025]

Do you know which territory it was found in? It does look like a gigantea but I don't think they're found in any US territories. Alternans is a possibility though

US Virgin Islands

 

[hecklad]

US Virgin Islands

It's most likely an alternans then. It could still possibly be a gigantea but from what I have read any gigantea found there are introduced. Either way it's a gorgeous pede and if possible I would be interested in buying one

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

I am having an 11 inch specimen being sent as we speak but I could not get a positive id on the species. Mind you, this was collected from a friend who owns land in a tropical US Territory. Recently he mentioned (to my surprise) that he was seeing 12 inch centipedes and killing them on a regular basis. He sent me a picture of one but I couldnt positively identify it with the available information on the web. I thought it was robusta but its antennae are very dark. Could it be another gigantea morph??

It honestly looks like a Hawaiian Scolopendra subspinipes to me, but hopefully someone else can chime in.

 

[mantisfan101]

Looks a lot more like alternans than gigantea to me

 

[NYAN]

It’s alternans

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

Looks a lot more like alternans than gigantea to me

It’s alternans

I stand corrected....

 

[NYAN]

I stand corrected....

I thought it was subspinipes at first also. I got a second opinion and looked at some photos.

 

[GDUB]

I am having an 11 inch specimen being sent as we speak but I could not get a positive id on the species. Mind you, this was collected from a friend who owns land in a tropical US Territory. Recently he mentioned (to my surprise) that he was seeing 12 inch centipedes and killing them on a regular basis. He sent me a picture of one but I couldnt positively identify it with the available information on the web. I thought it was robusta but its antennae are very dark. Could it be another gigantea morph??

Was wondering why your friend feels the need to kill these "on a regular basis". Yes, they are voracious predators; they also play a role in keeping pest insects under control.

 

[kermitdsk]

Of course the foto isn't perfect... But that is not Scolopendra alternans. It's Scolopendra subspinipes

 

[CHLee]

It’s subspinipes, just look at the terminal legs, for alternans when you look at them from the top there will be more spines

 

[jgalen0025]

Was wondering why your friend feels the need to kill these "on a regular basis". Yes, they are voracious predators; they also play a role in keeping pest insects under control.

If you read the post I said " to my surprise". I never said he needed to kill them or that I agree with him...
Not justifying but this is mostly a tourist area and if a vacationer found one, in one of the guest houses I can guarantee you they would not return (affecting his livelihood). This is why I was trying to get him to send them to me instead of killing them.

 

[jgalen0025]

Not that I dont believe you as I asked for the advice but this is a wild specimen caught in the Caribbean and subspinipes is an Asian centipede?

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

Of course the foto isn't perfect... But that is not Scolopendra alternans. It's Scolopendra subspinipes

It’s subspinipes, just look at the terminal legs, for alternans when you look at them from the top there will be more spines

I guess I don’t stand corrected then

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

This is why I was trying to get him to send them to me instead of killing them.

Not that I dont believe you as I asked for the advice but this is a wild specimen caught in the Caribbean and subspinipes is an Asian centipede?

Well that’s good then.

I’m almost certain that S. subspinipes has been accidentally introduced to the Caribbean Islands. You are correct in that S. subspinipes are native to Asia though.

 

[NYAN]

I’m pretty sure that S. subspinipes has been accidentally introduced to the Caribbean Islands. You are correct in that S. subspinipes are native to Asia though.

Subspinipes is distributed in all sorts of tropical areas, especially islands. I’m not at all surprised that it would be subspinipes. It doesn't look like the ones I normally see though.

 

[Andrew101]

I have a feeling it's possibly not subspinipes base on the cephalic plate shape is off along the forciuples is more tucked towards the head similarly to alternans but the terminal legs looks more like subspinipes here which is throwing me off.

 

[NYAN]

the terminal legs looks more like subspinipes

Yes, that is what I was thinking also. Alternans appear to have shorter ones.