# my new s.polymorpha?



## venom81 (Feb 1, 2011)

when out last weekend rock flipping and found some s.polymorphas. yeah there very common this time of year but the last one i found was plane color no stripes or the red head and its a bit bigger than the adult s.polymorpha since it was rare for me i took it home.


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## KyuZo (Feb 1, 2011)

dude, where did you find that? there is a debate on that particular specie.  i don't think that it's a S. polymorpha.


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## venom81 (Feb 1, 2011)

el cerro colorado tijuana  but cacoseraph also seen this guys in san diego.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 1, 2011)

NM?  There are those weird terminals, again.  What's the BL on this one?  It reminds me of this guy:


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## Inverts4life (Feb 1, 2011)

They are the same species. Adults loose the blue. What it is I don't know. People are quick to say they are polymorpha, but characteristics like the longer terminal legs say other wise. I had an adult like the first pic that was 7.5 inches. I don't know about anyone else, but I've never caught any polymorha that was that large.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 1, 2011)

Inverts, you don't still have it(I assume it is dead), do you?  I'd like to examine an adult.  Mine is too small to get good detailed pics.


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## Galapoheros (Feb 1, 2011)

Yeah I can't get myself to say they are Polys either, some people do but I don't think they've been properly ID'd yet.  You could send one to this guy, or at least send a pic and see what he says about it:  http://www.myriapoda.org/diplopoda/shelley_research.html  I think they are cool looking, sure wouldn't mind having a couple of those


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## Inverts4life (Feb 2, 2011)

Some more pics of same species...


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## venom81 (Feb 2, 2011)

yeah! thats how mine is i wonder if is just some color morph or maybe a new scolopendra sp.since my tarantulas are not eating i feed it a small hissing roach and found a mess.


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## beetleman (Feb 2, 2011)

Galapoheros said:


> Yeah I can't get myself to say they are Polys either, some people do but I don't think they've been properly ID'd yet.  You could send one to this guy, or at least send a pic and see what he says about it:  http://www.myriapoda.org/diplopoda/shelley_research.html  I think they are cool looking, sure wouldn't mind having a couple of those


ooh yeahi second that,they are really cool.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 2, 2011)

I say this very tentatively and hope nobody starts parroting until a specimen can be properly identified but...I think there is a strong chance that this is Scolopendra aztecorum:

From Turgut Kocer's English key for Scolopendra:

"Antenna with 27-33 segments in total and 15-17
sparsely hirsute. Head and usually first (second)
tergite dark-blueish colored and contrasted to the
yellowish rest of the body and light-yellowish legs.
20th legpair with 2 tarsal spines each.
Distribution: Mexico, Baja California."

That said, maybe someone with a sub/adult specimen could attempt keying it out?  I'd be happy to forward the link if anyone's interested.


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## Galapoheros (Feb 3, 2011)

I 'tentatively' say, "you nailed the hell out of it" haha, lol, just kidding but that's the direction of my senses also, that sps I think is prob what is is.  Wow, such an early sci ID, 1930's(?) and nobody on the AB posted the possibility until now.  A lesson I take to heart is to question "ego data" that's so rampant on forums, or should I say, "in life in general", the internet represents the same thing, "people".  I bring that up because some people claim to get burned by info on the internet and blame the internet, but the internet is people, the internet is not "something else", the internet is info from people.  Lol, but like you said, we still need a solid ID to be sure.


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## Inverts4life (Feb 3, 2011)

Never heard of that species before. Thats a very possible ID. I learn new things everyday. Would like to collect some more to take some detailed picture of the terminal legs, but I'm deploying to the middle east so i hope you guys get a confirmed ID on it. Will be looking forward to it.


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## KyuZo (Feb 3, 2011)

am i hitting all the right spots?


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## KyuZo (Feb 3, 2011)

here is a few more


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 3, 2011)

Man, I think we're close!  

Thanks for posting those, Jason.  I couldn't get a good count on the antennae segments, but I *thought* I counted over 30.  Can you get a more accurate count & figure out how many are "sparsely hirsute"(fuzzy)?  That, and a count of tarsal spines on leg 20?  S. polymorpha has 1, but aztecorum has 2..."g" in this picture: 

http://www.scolopendra.info/anatomy/fig_12_legs_detail.jpg

I had another possibility in mind, but the range is way south.  Then again, NM is pretty damn far from Baja.  I don't know why, but I'm just jacked up about these critters.


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## H. laoticus (Feb 4, 2011)

That is one weird looking pede.  Catch some more


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## KyuZo (Feb 4, 2011)

John, i will try to count the segments and spikes soon.  

and H. laoticus, I will try to catch some more when the rain season come back.


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## Scolopeon (Feb 17, 2011)

Unusual colouration, it's very plain but cool looking at the same time.

S.Polymorpha get to around the 5-6'' mark right?


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## neubii18 (Feb 17, 2011)

Man I really want to find a couple more of these.Hey KuyZo,you don't happen to have these at that place you told me about,do ya?I would love to go find a couple!


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## KyuZo (Feb 18, 2011)

Zonbonzovi, sorry it took me so long to get the details on the antennae, but i've been very very busy.  i finally counted them and there are 28 segments on the antennae total with 11 being the sparsely hirsute.

and asn1234, a good friend of mine pointed the location of this specie out to me.  I am not going to give out the location without his consent, sorry man.


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## zonbonzovi (Feb 25, 2011)

Hey Kyuzo...still inconclusive.  Damn.  I think I have one in premolt.  Maybe I'll be able to get a tarsal spine shot.


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