# - Newie Qs : All The Species Of Centipedes Are Parthenogenics ??



## CockroachYet (May 18, 2009)

... or that parthenogenic in Centipedes its only a myth or a fake history ... and its true that the minor disturb while the female have eggs can cause that the female eat their own eggs ??   ... and that one really can´t knows what gender is an adult unless eggs are layed or not ??

- Also, i did readed two contrary opinions about that the substrate for Centipedes must be keeped dry-bone and only mantain the water-dish. But the contrary opinion says that the substrate must be keeped ever moist but not dampened even with the desertic-species.

- Thanks in advance for your commentaries.


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## Galapoheros (May 18, 2009)

I haven't read a lot about parthenogenesis within centipede species but I've heard that there are suspicions with some species.  I don't think it's been proven yet.  Anybody read documentation yet? ..that'd be interesting to read.  And my opinion is that most of the time a female eats her eggs, is because they aren't fertile and people assume they were eaten because the female was disturbed.  I've been pretty rough with females with developing plings, even moved one with a spoon that had plings with her and she didn't eat them.  So I don't think they're "that" touchy about it.  It may depend on the species though and I mostly play around with Scolopendra heros pedes.  As far as substrate and moisture is concerned, I keep desert species on drier substrate, if it's too wet they start getting unhealthy looking.  I have a subspinipes in a covered 10 gal that has water dripping down the sides all the time, it's really wet in there.  It's been in there for 2 years and it looks really nice, shiny and healthy.  I forget about that one, I need to feed it.  Besides seeing eggs, I've only been able to tell males from females by mating behavior, but they don't always want to mate.  Some people try to analyze molts too.  What kind of pede do you think it was that you found in your house that you fed your subspinipes too ...was that you?  I wonder what it was:?


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## millipeter (May 19, 2009)

There are some parthenogenetic centipede species like the lithobiidan Lamyctes emarginatus or the geophililidan Schendyla nemorensis. 
If there are parthenogenetic species in Scolopendrida most likley in small species of Cryptopidae.


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## CockroachYet (May 19, 2009)

- Hello Galapoheros, many thanks for your commentaries, really i don´t know at which Genus may belongs the centipede that i used for to feed my subspinipes, but was one of a very dark green colour both body and legs. If you know where can i see pictures and the species belonging to mexico about centipedes i will be more able for tell you which may looks most similar to it, but here in the nearest areas i was seen centipedes both of dark-red colour and dark-green colour and both are of a similar appearance although may be of different or the same species. If then i have the chance, i´ll recollecting a few specimens for cageing them and picture them for their ID here in this forum.


Galapoheros said:


> I haven't read a lot about parthenogenesis within centipede species but I've heard that there are suspicions with some species.  I don't think it's been proven yet.  Anybody read documentation yet? ..that'd be interesting to read.  And my opinion is that most of the time a female eats her eggs, is because they aren't fertile and people assume they were eaten because the female was disturbed.  I've been pretty rough with females with developing plings, even moved one with a spoon that had plings with her and she didn't eat them.  So I don't think they're "that" touchy about it.  It may depend on the species though and I mostly play around with Scolopendra heros pedes.  As far as substrate and moisture is concerned, I keep desert species on drier substrate, if it's too wet they start getting unhealthy looking.  I have a subspinipes in a covered 10 gal that has water dripping down the sides all the time, it's really wet in there.  It's been in there for 2 years and it looks really nice, shiny and healthy.  I forget about that one, I need to feed it.  Besides seeing eggs, I've only been able to tell males from females by mating behavior, but they don't always want to mate.  Some people try to analyze molts too.  What kind of pede do you think it was that you found in your house that you fed your subspinipes too ...was that you?  I wonder what it was:?


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## CockroachYet (May 19, 2009)

- Hello millipeter, thanks for your commentaries.


millipeter said:


> There are some parthenogenetic centipede species like the lithobiidan Lamyctes emarginatus or the geophililidan Schendyla nemorensis.
> If there are parthenogenetic species in Scolopendrida most likley in small species of Cryptopidae.


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## skips (May 20, 2009)

How to survive six months in a flooded soil: Strategies in Chilopoda and Symphyla from Central Amazonian floodplains.
Adis, J
Studies on Neotropical Fauna & Environment [STUD. NEOTROP. FAUNA ENVIRON.]. Vol. 27, no. 2-3, pp. 117-129. 1992.

Annual, long-term inundation of flood waters for 5-7 months has led to the development of survival strategies in terrestrial invertebrates of Central Amazonian floodplains. Strategies observed are given for terricolous and arboricolous species and include migrants and non-migrants. Subadult and advanced juvenile stages of the symphylan Ribautiella amazonica Scheller pass inundation in a dormant state inside tree roots in the flooded soil. Reproduction in this univoltine species is restricted to the non-inundation period. R. amazonica represents the terricolous non-migrating invertebrate guild with dormant stages in naturally available retreats under water during annual inundation. The undescribed parthenogenetic centipede Lamyctes sp. is found to hatch from flood-resistant eggs at the beginning of non-inundation periods. Development is fast, with the first hemi-edaphic post-larvae being captured 6-8 weeks after the floods have receded. Their surface structure does not protect the strongly elevated stigmata from lethal inundation. Lamyctes sp. represents the terricolous non-migrating invertebrate guild, with dormant egg stages under water during annual inundation. 

Just a source for what's already been said.  All chilopods are definitely not parthenogenic.  That can be looked up quickly.

Where most arthropods have a waxy cuticle outside there exoskeleton, myriopods no not.  Because they don't have a waxy cuticle they need to stay in wetter places, i.e. under logs.  Obviously for desert species where they really arent too many truely wet places they have to have some mechanism for keeping in water.  It all depends on the species.

As for sexing them.  I know in diplopods (millipedes) you can count down to the 7th segment and where males will have gonopods or nothing, females will have legs.  I'm not sure if it's the same for chilopods.


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## CockroachYet (May 21, 2009)

- Hello skips, thanks for your commentaries, its a very interesting information.



skips said:


> How to survive six months in a flooded soil: Strategies in Chilopoda and Symphyla from Central Amazonian floodplains.
> Adis, J
> Studies on Neotropical Fauna & Environment [STUD. NEOTROP. FAUNA ENVIRON.]. Vol. 27, no. 2-3, pp. 117-129. 1992.
> 
> ...


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## CockroachYet (May 21, 2009)

- ¿¿ Someone knows some w-page where i can found specific information about all the native species of centipedes that lives in mexico country ??  thanks in advance .


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## CockroachYet (May 22, 2009)

- Hello, another Q that i have is  ¿¿ what hints can you reccommending for to take these excellent pictures of close-ups of the last pair of legs of the centipedes for to know at what species may belongs each individual ??

- I talk mainly about how you do manage the centipede for to do it right, if the centipede still inside their cage or if is neccesary to take these pictures with the centipede outside of their cage, etc .

- Thanks in advance .


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