# How Come Centipedes Know How To Swim?



## REAL (Nov 20, 2007)

When I first got my centipedes and I used dirt, I had some issues with it getting all over their face, especially when its really saturated. So one day I took one out and put him into a small cup of water really fast to give him a fast "bath"

To my surprised it actually started swimming...in an eel like way...but it was swimming! I didn't know they could do that and I was wondering why did they evolve this innate ability to begin with?

I don't know, I mean...in order for it to evolve that kind of ability it would have to be in common contact with a situation in which it would need it...but they live mostly on land, wasup with that?


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## bliss (Nov 20, 2007)

could be an escape tactic.  

  in evolutionary terms... think of "survival of the fittest"  and you may find your answer.


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## Stylopidae (Nov 20, 2007)

A lot of centipedes can be found in riverbeds near the banks...flash floods are fairly common.


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## Nich (Nov 20, 2007)

When pedes freak they undulate thier bodies like a snake......this propels them. I would not say by any means the pede knows how to swim, Im pretty sure if you put a hamster in a water dish it would get out in a hurry...


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## cacoseraph (Nov 20, 2007)

i bet centipedes are pretty close to neutral density in water. they move with sidewards undulations as Nich said. actually, they REALLY look like they are swimming when they are walking on very low friction surfaces... so i am thinking as nich said they don't know they are swimming per se. they just hit the "FORWARD" button and end up going forward


incidentily i have seen a couple few species of centipedes swim, a couple few tarantula species motor along the top of the water, and a couple few species of scorpions sink like 8 legged rocks. heh.  this was mostly with little babies crossing onto/into water barriers for photo shoots, btw


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## Latrotoxin (Nov 21, 2007)

I agree that this is not an evolved characteristic per se. The thing about centipedes is they dont "breathe" out of their mouth, but rather out of pores that are located under each leg. Left in water for any period of time, and they will drown.


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## Galapoheros (Nov 21, 2007)

Cool thoughts, something to all that I think.  I've put pedes in water and it's looked as though they try to reach the surface and expose a spiracle to the surface.  When a spiracle hits the surface, the rest of the pede starts to float, fills up with air and gets really buoyant.  There is allot of air capacity in pedes, I think more than most people would think there is.


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## Nich (Nov 21, 2007)

Thats interesting...I have some local caught polymorpha.....maybe see how they deal with the annual floods around here.


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## Galapoheros (Nov 21, 2007)

Yeah my theory as well, makes sense on the surface anyway ....no pun intended!


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## PhilK (Nov 21, 2007)

> Why do centipedes swim?


So they do not drown. Hahahaha. All those that can't swim have drowned and left the swimming ones to pass on their genes. It's evolution. Very few animals can not swim.


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## bistrobob85 (Nov 21, 2007)

Very interesting stuff... It's probably one of the reasons why 'pedes are such a success group in the ecosystem, they've conquered dry, tropical, cave, tunnels, trees and near water places... Note that they've been around for quite a few thousand years too, although i don't have the numbers . 

 phil.


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