# Scolopendra sp. "Haiti giant"



## bengerno (Mar 5, 2007)

Hi all,

I just bought 3 of them. They are soo cool, and not too angry. I like them very much!  
Any guess what species? /I think subspinipes, but I am just a fool.  /

Low light, full body:






With flash:






First meal:






Head:






Terminal legs:






Spiracles:


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## cacoseraph (Mar 5, 2007)

typically what is sold as Haiti giant is S. alternans


there is a dif in their terminal legs from subspinipes. i want to say alternans has a lot of little spines and subspinipes doesn't. possibly on the ventral side.


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## Steven (Mar 5, 2007)

congratz with the new toys  
like caco said, prob. sc.alternans, but to be sure check the ventral side of the prefemurs of the terminals for more then 3 spines.

These can get *huge* btw  (mine outgrow some subsp.dehaani's) !


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## bistrobob85 (Mar 5, 2007)

Oh wow, i love sc.alternans!!!! Great looking beast, Imre . Seems like you've gathered quite an impressing collection, keep up the good work!!!!

 phil.


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## Hedorah99 (Mar 5, 2007)

Awesome pede. Thanx for putting yet another animal on the want list.


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## maxident213 (Mar 5, 2007)

I love my _S. alternans_, it's huge and seems a lot less spastic than my _S. subspinipes_.  It will stay completely buried for a month or two and then surface and lay around up top for a week (this means feeding time) or so before disappearing again.  It seems a lot more ground-oriented than the subspinipes as well - rarely will it ever explore the walls or the top of the cage.  Bulldozes the substrate a lot too, digging out under the water dish, digging down in the corners.  90% of the time though it's three inches down underneath a piece of cork bark.

Enjoy your new pedes, they are spectacular.


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## bengerno (Mar 6, 2007)

Steven said:


> These can get *huge* btw  (mine outgrow some subsp.dehaani's) !


Hi guys,

Thanks everything. :worship:  I will check them, and share the info, also try to make some better pics.   



Steven said:


> These can get *huge* btw  (mine outgrow some subsp.dehaani's) !


I saw some veery big ones, 3cm wide body and more than 20cm long, really massive babes.   I chose some smaller, because I want to get used to their huge size.


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## bengerno (Mar 9, 2007)

Hi,

New pics:















I cannot check the venral side, or I just seek at the wrong place. 
Is this what I should check?


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## Steven (Mar 9, 2007)

It's a _Scolopendra alternans_,... quite sure about it.  
and a very pretty one !!! :drool:


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## bengerno (Mar 10, 2007)

Steven said:


> It's a _Scolopendra alternans_,... quite sure about it.
> and a very pretty one !!! :drool:


Cheers mate,

Thanks for the ID. At least I know, I searched at the right place.


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## xenesthis (Mar 10, 2007)

*FL Keys centipede*

Steven and all:

If the "Haitian Giant" is Scolopendra alternans, what is the "Florida Keys Centipede" then? That has been called S. alternans for over a decade. It lacks the black banding of the Haitian giants and tends to more overall a pale yellow or orange in coloration.

Thanks.

Todd


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## Steven (Mar 11, 2007)

Hey Tod,
as it's maybe hard to believe,... it's the same spec. as far as i know of.
Coloration and size really don't mean much in Scolopendrid taxonomy.


When you have a New-World Scolopendra in front of ya and it lacks a ringfurrow on the 1st tergite it narrows down your choice to 3:
Sc.morsitans, Sc.subspinipes or Sc.alternans


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## Spider-Man v2.0 (Mar 11, 2007)

my hatian has a much more lime green antina and legs.. other then that thay seem prity similer


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## brachy (Mar 11, 2007)

Hi all and Bengerno

There is my very nice  Scolo .


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