# stunning Scolopendra laeta



## richoman3 (Mar 15, 2015)

Photo speaks for itself.

SE NSW

Epic, my new fave specimen I've kept!, never seen anything like it before!




https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7624/16818188941_2e44758f33_c.jpg Scolopendra laeta[/url] by Nick Volpe, on Flickr

Reactions: Like 14


----------



## CrawlinChaos (Mar 15, 2015)

So....while I certainly agree that the that's a beautiful specimen and an incredibly unique coloration....is it just me or do those antennae look just like a mustache? All he needs now is a top hap, a black cape and a devious plot, lol.

Reactions: Like 3


----------



## oldmanofthesea (Mar 15, 2015)

Awesome looking pede!  Congratulations. ron


----------



## richoman3 (Mar 16, 2015)

CrawlinChaos said:


> So....while I certainly agree that the that's a beautiful specimen and an incredibly unique coloration....is it just me or do those antennae look just like a mustache? All he needs now is a top hap, a black cape and a devious plot, lol.


hehe a few people have said that!

cheers!


----------



## Protectyaaaneck (Mar 16, 2015)

Wow, that's amazing!!!


----------



## -=}GA']['OR{=- (Mar 16, 2015)

wOw! is right! What a great looking pede! That red on the tergites looks like hellfire!


----------



## TheInv4sion (Mar 19, 2015)

richoman3 said:


> Photo speaks for itself.
> 
> SE NSW
> 
> ...


I've been searching for these! WHere did you get yours?


----------



## Najakeeper (Mar 20, 2015)

That thing is insane. Wow!


----------



## Chainsaw Reptiles (Mar 20, 2015)

richoman3 said:


> Photo speaks for itself.
> 
> SE NSW
> 
> ...




MMK Im Jelly Gimme It. xD Hes Beautiful I Need One Of Them Now ._.


----------



## LeFanDesBugs (Mar 21, 2015)

Hey!Awesome species...I so would like getting one of these!
But I let the super-breeders (xD) do the work to make them available...
I love dark pedes since I saw an Ethmostigmus rubripes spinosus.Why aren't they available???? :'(
That's so bad..


----------



## Ripa (Mar 21, 2015)

Would love to have one of these but would figured they'd get into the mid three-figures, huh?


----------



## TheHonestPirate (Mar 21, 2015)

Beautiful. That red coloring is so bright especially with te jet black contrast.


----------



## richoman3 (Mar 24, 2015)

Scolopendra laeta are an extremely variable species,
so much they were split into 5 distinct colour forms.
This one doesn't fit any, never seen anything like it before.
They're a pretty common species, very widespread across Australia and usually have a black longitudinal line with red on the sides of them.
This is the only one I've ever seen and I've been keeping Australian ledes for years, from a very isolated spot, these will never be available to the hobby


----------



## pannaking22 (Mar 24, 2015)

Dang, that's a crazy pede! Beautiful coloration. Interesting that there's so much variation as well. Australia's version of S. polymorpha, perhaps?


----------



## Ripa (Mar 24, 2015)

richoman3 said:


> Scolopendra laeta are an extremely variable species,
> so much they were split into 5 distinct colour forms.
> This one doesn't fit any, never seen anything like it before.
> They're a pretty common species, very widespread across Australia and usually have a black longitudinal line with red on the sides of them.
> This is the only one I've ever seen and I've been keeping Australian ledes for years, from a very isolated spot, these will never be available to the hobby


Well, _P. metallica_ is from a very isolated reserve forest in India, and is not a rarity in the tarantula hobby any longer due to captive breeding. I wonder how captive breeding might work for these guys?


----------



## richoman3 (Mar 25, 2015)

Ripa said:


> Well, _P. metallica_ is from a very isolated reserve forest in India, and is not a rarity in the tarantula hobby any longer due to captive breeding. I wonder how captive breeding might work for these guys?


What I meant by impossible is that no one in Australia really cares enough to breed centipedes, it could be done, but getting to this site is hard, and they only max out too 50mm so pedelings would be very hard to raise as they would be tiny. Also they need to be kept cool, below 20c.
I just can't see it happening, but who knows...

Scolopendra morsitans, Scolopendra laeta and Ethmostigmus rubripes and Cormocephalus aurantiipes all vary an EXTROADINARY amount here in Australia over their wide distribution.


----------



## Ripa (Mar 25, 2015)

richoman3 said:


> What I meant by impossible is that no one in Australia really cares enough to breed centipedes, it could be done, but getting to this site is hard, and they only max out too 50mm so pedelings would be very hard to raise as they would be tiny. Also they need to be kept cool, below 20c.
> I just can't see it happening, but who knows...
> 
> Scolopendra morsitans, Scolopendra laeta and Ethmostigmus rubripes and Cormocephalus aurantiipes all vary an EXTROADINARY amount here in Australia over their wide distribution.


I see what you mean. Well, one of these guys would be something I'd put on my wishlist after getting some kind of velvet worm species (which is hard enough to acquire the US so who knows when that day will come...). If it never makes it into the hobby, it's not the end of the world. Them and velvet worms could both use the same win cooler haha (of course, in separate enclosures). I could have a cold room setup with them and cool-water leeches!


----------



## Staehilomyces (Mar 13, 2016)

richoman3 said:


> What I meant by impossible is that no one in Australia really cares enough to breed centipedes, it could be done, but getting to this site is hard, and they only max out too 50mm so pedelings would be very hard to raise as they would be tiny. Also they need to be kept cool, below 20c.
> I just can't see it happening, but who knows...
> 
> Scolopendra morsitans, Scolopendra laeta and Ethmostigmus rubripes and Cormocephalus aurantiipes all vary an EXTROADINARY amount here in Australia over their wide distribution.


That is an awesome 'pede - certainly gives Hardwickei a run for its money!

Just a question: What does Cormocephalus aurantiipes look like? It's just that when I was at Bunya Mountains, I found scores of small (up to 10cm) centipedes with dark bodies, red heads, and yellow legs hiding in a pile of firewood, along with a large amount of navy blue millipedes. Initially I thought they were baby E. rubripes, but now I think that they are Cormocephalus species. Could I see a photo if you have one? In addition, how big do Cormocephalus get?
Also, as for the temperature requirements of Laeta pedelings, would it really be necessary to keep them at temperatures that cold? Surely they can burrow? I would love to see such a species enter the hobby - I personally plan to get as may species in the hobby as possible once I get me head around breeding these things, and the same goes for onychoporans.


----------

