# Scolopendra galapagoensis



## Alonso99

Hi Does anyone have any info on these pedes? And are they available in the trade?


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## MrDeranged

Haven't ever heard of them.  Sorry dude.

Scott


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## Alonso99

*Scott*

This is the so called Galapagos island giant centipede, gets pretty big like a Peruvian.  Anyone know more about them>


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## zoobugs

Even if they exist, everything from the Galapagos Islands is protected from collection.


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## Alonso99

Why would it not exist.
http://home.mcyork.com/galapagos/normal/default.htm?image=bigcenti.jpg


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## Cooper

I found a site that said it had reliable reports of ones over 25".....


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## Henry Kane

Can you share a link?

Atrax


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## Static_69

reports of ones over 25 inches???
I sorta find that hard to believe.





Risto


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## tabor

i dont know Risto... they do have those turtles down there that get huge and live forever. Kinda like in that one movie 'Neverending Story' when the main character thinks he's on a mountain but hes really on a huge turtle that talks and is allergic to humans. What im trying to say is: based on what ive learned from a movie where the main character has a flying dog as a friend and a thing i saw on animal planet about those huge turtles... a two foot centipede could totally happen, theres all kinds of wierd stuff oging on down there man...


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## tabor

*uhhhhhh*

wait actually... i was thinking about it, a 25" pede would have to eat a lot of cricket-sized bugs to survive. it doesnt seem practical that a pede would evolve to get that large for no good reason. what benefit would a 25" pede have over a 12" pede? it would just have to spend more time hunting for food. and since it doesnt seem practical that something that big would subside entirely upon crickets and small rodents, it would hve to go for bigger prey. 

This bigger prey wouldnt be as easy to kill as the crickets and mice and probably has a higher chance of tearing the pede up when the pede starts to nibble on his leg. When you think about it the pede really doesnt have a good defense system, just its bite... which is effective against smaller things, but imagine if one of these bigger pedes went after a chicken or something, my moneys on the chicken even if it will die later after killing the pede from the bite. so i kinda think theres a size limit on pedes based on the whole source of food thing.. and the chickens.

but yeah i dont know,its 3:30 in the morning and ive never had a biology class, but damnit that seems to make sense.


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## Steven

wasn't that the scientific correct name for the species known as Scolopendra gigantea robusta (wich was incorrect cause it's not a subspecie from gigantea's) :? 

i thought it was "Mister Internet" who has told that,.....


greetz


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## Cooper

Hre is the link



http://www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm

keep going down until you see it

David Cooper


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## Static_69

this is from cooper's link, this little section is from the description area of "Scolopendra galapagoensis."

"Rumored to be the largest centipede on earth! I've heard of a authentic report from a scientist of 25" !!!"


He's _heard_ an authentic report...God only knows how many times the story was passed through other people and changed before it finally got to him.



Risto


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## Cooper

well you never know......

it's not as if people have studied it extensively. 
Even so, it is cool to imagine a two foot centipede......



David Cooper


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## Kugellager

I'd be willing to bet that it was actually 25cm and somehow got mis-translated or changed from the original size...before you know it you have a 25" pede instead of e 25cm one. Now 25cm would be about 10" which would not be difficult to believe at all and seems well within the realm of believability.

John
];')


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## Cooper

That is a good suggestion, but I guess we will have to wait to know for sure.......

David Cooper


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## Steven

> I'd be willing to bet that it was actually 25cm and somehow got mis-translated or changed from the original size...before you know it you have a 25" pede instead of e 25cm one. Now 25cm would be about 10" which would not be difficult to believe at all and seems well within the realm of believability


i would go with that mistake  
25" is a bit to much of pede madness to believe 
25 cm is more common i guess 

Then again i looked at his leggs and they seem to be banded, if it's correct that the galapagoenis is a other name for Scolopendra gigantea robusta, i've never seen a gigantea species that has banded leggs, can someone clear this one out :? :? :?


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## Cooper

Still........

Look at the reeds and grass and stuff in the picture, this thing just looks immense, but whatever, I think it is very unlikely that it is 25". But still, that would be cool!  I have no clue about the banded legs though:?  Anyhoo, nobody will really be able to prove that website right or wrong unless they get a permit and all that and go look for the thing.

You first 

David Cooper


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## Poecilotheria

I think its likely for a pede to be that big. Out there, everythings evolved from when it came out to the islands, so they must've evolved to catch bigger food. I know there are a ton of small birds out there, besides iguanas, and tortoises, I'm not sure what else is out there but there has to be something. About 4-5 different kinds of land organisims in one place, even if its an island sounds pretty unlikely.
Steve


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## Phillip

*Although you can't rule out possibility...*

I find it kind of hard to believe with as much study as has been done on the Galapagos species that they have somehow not noticed a 2 foot pede for all this time.      Sorry but I have to go with the screwed up conversion being the most likely. With all the biologists who have done studies of one or more animals there someone would have noticed one of these monsters by now if they were there I believe.

Phil


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## Cooper

Very good point, but still.......


David Cooper


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## Mister Internet

> _Originally posted by gongyles _
> *Then again i looked at his leggs and they seem to be banded, if it's correct that the galapagoenis is a other name for Scolopendra gigantea robusta, i've never seen a gigantea species that has banded leggs, can someone clear this one out :? :? :?  *


Again, there's no such species as Scolopendra gigantea robusta... the pede in the pic looks more like an S. viridicornis, but I've recently become almost apathetic about identification through coloring and markings.  It's hard to know what it is for sure...

That 25" pede business is B.S. as far as I'm concerned... considering the source, I'm leery of any "inside information" claimed to be had.


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## Mister Internet

> _Originally posted by Cooper _
> *Very good point, but still.......
> 
> 
> David Cooper *



Well, you're talking to people who have been around for awhile... just saying "but still" a bunch of times doesn't make this scenario any more believable.  Just because some guy says some scientist told him he has heard of a 25" centipede doesn't make much more than a pipe dream.  A picture or at least a name would have gone a long way, but I wrote that claim off a long time ago.


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## Cooper

Okay, Okay. You win. Their goes the thought of one day seeing a two foot pede. I think that the inches/centimetres mixup was probably what happened. Sorry for causing such an interesting debate.

David Cooper


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## ChoJinn

*whoa whoa whoa*

Has anybone been to the Montreal Insectarium? I was under the impression that they had a preserved speciamen that was almost 30" long. On top of that, the man from whom I bought my Peruvian (now alomst 14" long thank you very much :} ) told me that had once owned a pure venezuelan (not a trinidad brown, or an amazon basin red) pede that was 22" long. Apparently this thing was legendary, because almost every exotic pet store worker in my area (SE lower michigan) knew about it and had some story concerning it. 

i am not in any way saying these things are common or likely to be found, but if people have specimens that are 14, 15, or 18" long - whats the big deal if SOMEWHERE out in the jungle there exists an oversized version of the species?


adam


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## Steven

Does anybody know if centipedes like milipedes grow their whole life?, i mean they keep on growing till they die.
maybe it's possible that the're some giants out there,... who knows?


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## Bob the thief

There are some theorys that some cold blooded animals can live forever....
if they grew forever..


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## Frank

I don't remember seeing a 30" preserved specimen of a centipede at the insectarium of Montreal. I went there this winter, they had one living centi but I do not remember seeing a big one.. and I don't think I'll go to the insectarium soonly (its always the same thing.. why would I pay again for that, one time every 10 years is fine).

Frank


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## Cooper

Finally some peple are starting to see my side, if they do grow till they die, what is stopping some from living a bit longer and growing bigger? f someone could prove that there is a 30" specimen at the bug museum, that would be great. There is always some freaky things in species that are different, like that tarantula with two abdomens or that guy that was like 9 feet tall. Whos to say that their couldn't be some freaky mutant giant centipede?

Just some points for discussion

David Cooper


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## Frank

Ok ok, pay me the entry ticket and the cost for me to get there and I'll go and take pictures if I see it 

(and maybe I'll get the chance to handle a stick-insect again )


Frank


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## Mister Internet

Whatever, I guess that's what I get for trying to inject a little healthy skepticism into a raging daydream.

Sorry, but I have never heard of anything larger than a 16" specimen of S. gigantea...  of course, there's nothing saying that one that's a couple inches longer couldn't be found.  I don't think it's unfair to demand proof of something that's reportedly a full 7" longer that even the extra couple of inches I'm willing to believe.  Just because someone says someone has somewhere seen a 25" specimen, I'm supposed to believe them without proof?  Even if such a pede were to exist, I'm sure it would be a freak specimen, and not the norm for galapagoensis.

Of course, this is probably just me being a party pooper... 

Also, I have no idea what a "pure Venezuelan" pede is supposed to be... was there ever a scientific name associated with it, or at least a picture?  While I highly doubt it, I'm open to additional info...


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## Phillip

*Yeah Tom...*

You party pooper you.   lol

Phil


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## Poecilotheria

Dosen't S. viridicornis have yellow legs? Or am I thinking of something different?
Steve


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## ChoJinn

i guess i just had nothing else to call it - the pure venezuelan that is. The store where I got my gigantea from used to get shipments of them in occasionally in the early 90's. Unfortunately i have never seen a specimen since. Most of the one's they had were all about 8-10" long, and they were all jet black with dark red/purple legs. Black body, black head, black antennae, and red legs -- i havent even seen a picture of them online.

they stopped getting them once venezuela closed to export

so yeah I never saw the actual specimen, but I did see smaller versions - just wish they were still around


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## Jive

*Well now..*

You know.. I joined this forum because of this thread. I don't own any centipedes, personally I'd rather appreciate them from afar, preferrably very far. I do think they're fascinating, lovely creatures, so I went digging.

http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:hXefKcFoFvEJ:www.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/emergency/galapagos_2001/casestudy.doc+Scolopendra+galapagoensis&hl=en&ie=UTF-8http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:hXefKcFoFvEJ:www.unep-wcmc.org/latenews/emergency/galapagos_2001/casestudy.doc+Scolopendra+galapagoensis&hl=en&ie=UTF-8  This is a link to a PDF viewed as HTML that I found while digging around Google. Why yes, you do have to copy and paste.

Here's a paragraph pulled from the study just about the 'pede:

_The insect fauna of the islands is also very poor in variety, but includes endemic species such as the scorpion, Centururoides exsul which is found in arid zones on Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Pinta, Española and Floreana. An endemic centipede, Scolopendra galapagensis, also inhabiting the arid zones of most islands is infamous as the most feared Gálapagos animal on account of the strong venom it uses to capture prey, which is also painful to humans. _

So it mentions it's damned mean. But 25 inches looong? You decide. 

From the Berkely Digital Library Project (http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=126359&one=T):





(Taken at _la Galapaquera_(San Cristobal Island, Galapagos, Ecuador)

Sounds like it may _think_ it's 25 inches long.  

Even if there was a 'pede that big, would you really want to be around it? I mean, it's got to eat -something-..





Perhaps your neck? 

(No, no. It's a fake one.   )


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## Steven

sorry for bringing up an old topic,....  

but this galapagoensis specie has been on my mind for quite some time,....

i've just read something about the galapagoensis specie in a book,...not online (sorry)

galapagoensis (1800 S.G.Bollman)
lenght: 16cm !!!!!!!!  (that's quite far from 25"  )
color: darkbrown to yellow at the end.
antenna: 17 articles with 4 smooth
prefumur at last leggs: 5 spines


to my opinion al those pictures of so called monstrous galapagoensis are just large viridicornis subspecies,.... :? 

this is just my personal view on the subject,... 
someone agree or totally disagree with what i've noticed ????


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## scarypoppins

i have been sercging for the galopagonisis for about 3 years and have come to one conclution                               !!!!!!GIVE UP!!!!!                         ITS IMPOSOBLE TO FIND BUT I HAVE SEEN ONE  THER IS A MUSEUM CURATOR OUT IN OREGON THAT SOMEHOW GOT ONE MISS SENT TO HIM FROM A GEOLOGICAL DIG OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT  BUT I DID SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES AND THAY DO EXIST AND THE REPORTS ARE TRUE THIS THING LOOKED LIKE A  MONSTROSITY FORM OF THE VIRIDACORNUS IT WAS ABOUT 18 INCHES AND COULD MOST LIKELY EAT A SMALL CHILD IF ANYONE HAS ANY PICS OF ANOTHER ONE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT


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## defour

> _Originally posted by Cooper _
> *Finally some peple are starting to see my side, if they do grow till they die, what is stopping some from living a bit longer and growing bigger? f someone could prove that there is a 30" specimen at the bug museum, that would be great. There is always some freaky things in species that are different, like that tarantula with two abdomens or that guy that was like 9 feet tall. Who's to say that their couldn't be some freaky mutant giant centipede?
> 
> *


No one said there couldn't be one, just that it's unlikely and that not a shred of evidence supporting it exists.  

But still!  Why should a Theraphosa stop growing at a foot?  Think about it!  There are tiny tarantulas, medium sized tarantulas, big tarantulas and huge tarantulas.  We all know God wouldn't abort a perfectly good series.  There must be a super-huge tarantula somewhere, and somewhere else a super-duper-huge one!  I bet there's even a Gargantotarantula somewhere, complete with capital "G"!  Boy, I'd hate to run into that one, but I can't wait to see it when doubting scientists finally haul one onto a flatbed.  I remember when I didn't think trout could exceed twenty feet or grow thick pelts; just shows how blinded one can be until one strolls up to a postcard rack.

One other idea that just occurred to me: maybe the pede measured 25 feet or 25 meters, and the transposition was done the other way.  OMG!!!!!!!  I'm going to build an addition on my house and start checking the petbugs classifieds more often!

Steve


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## Steven

> THIS THING LOOKED LIKE A MONSTROSITY FORM OF THE VIRIDACORNUS


i can't express myself to clearly in englisch,... but why does everybody assumes it's a galapagoensis that looks like a viridicornis instead of realising it IS a viridicornis ????

that picture of the pede in the pineaple tree from galapos has banded leggs,..has 2 colored antenna etc... 

and viridicornis do grow very large!!!! and maybe the specimen was found on the island of galapos but that doesn't mean it's originated there,..is it ????

just my view on it,.... 

@scarrypoppins:
at http://www.tarantulaspiders.com there a small picture of a very big viridicornis stuck up in a pictureframe,.. is that the picture you referring to ?
*edit*
here you'll find the bigger sized picture:
>>> bigger picture <<< 



this topic stays amazingly intresting,.... :} :} :}


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## scarypoppins

VERY TRUE I CAN SENCE A GREAT ONGOING ARGUMENT ABOUT THIS   THE VIRIDICORNUS AND THE GALOPOGANISIS ARE 2 TOTALY DIFFERANT ANIMALS  WHAT COLLOR ARE THE BABY TRINIDADS WHEN THEY ARE ABOUT 6 INCHES BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THE GOLOPOGOS    BABYS ARE ALL BLACK OR LIGHT BROWN  NO BANDS NO MARKINGS       JUST TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT ON THIS ONE


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## bex

> maybe the specimen was found on the island of galapos but that doesn't mean it's originated there,..is it ????


yeah, from what I remember of my biology lectures... island species always tend to evolve towards being dwarf versions of their mainland cousins. and as the galapagos are volcanic islands (ie. they didn't break away from the mainland, they literally rose up out of the ocean relatively recently), all their fauna+flora had to have been carried there from the mainland somehow - be it on the wind, the waves or tucked away unnoticed in somebody's bag...


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## Code Monkey

> _Originally posted by scarypoppins _
> *JUST TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT ON THIS ONE *


Because shouting makes it true?


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## xenesthis

*"Consider the source" commment*

Mister Internet:

Your comment on this thread of "That 25" pede business is B.S. as far as I'm concerned... considering the source,I'm leery of any "inside information" claimed to be had." did not go un-noticed.

First of all, what is your problem? Second, I would not post that info on my site if I didn't get it from a direct and reliable source.

I did not hear "of" the report. I heard "from" the scientist that made the report to me. Based on his reputation, I would believe it to true. The area is protected and he doesn't want inquiries about this pede, so that is all that I can say on that. At the same time, from the another scientist that had received an authentic report from a scientist in Trinidad, reported a S.viridicornis, all black with banded legs measuring 16". I know of another reliable report of an all-black pede in Thailand of 14". 

 As for why it hasn't been discovered years ago, centipedes are very secretive and rarely seen. In the book "Biology of Centipedes" the genus Scolopendra is considered rare worldwide. They aren't common in any one area. Just ask the American southwest collectors that can't find S. h. arizonenis and the rest of the heros varients except after a big rain in any significant numbers. Every year, there are still new species discovered in the animal kingdom. One of these days, somebody is going to run out of tropical cave in Borneo from a 30" centipede. I would not be surprised.

I have nothing to be gained by posting the pic and info on my gallery page. I'm just sharing info that is obviously very interesting. I believe this species is most probably a geographical varient of S. viridicornis, but since it isn't being studied, we won't know anytime soon.

Also, keep in mind just because T. blondi was once measured at 11.5" doesn't mean every adult T. blondi will reach that (most don't). Same goes for centipedes.

Todd


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## Mister Internet

*Re: "Consider the source" commment*



> _Originally posted by xenesthis _
> *Your comment on this thread of "That 25" pede business is B.S. as far as I'm concerned... considering the source,I'm leery of any "inside information" claimed to be had." did not go un-noticed.
> *


Actually, it went unnoticed for about 7 months,  but whatever... 

I apologize if the the comment seemed unnecessarily harsh, but you have to look at the context... we (mods) had just gotten through dealing with a ton of fallout from various threads involving you and "inside knowledge" and "exclusive species", etc etc... we had all pretty much had it by that point.  People are free to search for themselves, there's no need to re-hash it here.

The point of my post was that if you can' t post a location, give the scientist's name, or even provide a believable photo, then why would anyone believe it?  Why SHOULD anyone believe it?  You said yourself information and hard data on Scolopendra are hard to come by, so why insist that people take a vague claim from "a scientist" as fact?  I'm not questioning your source of information, just questioning why you even bring it up in the first place.


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## xenesthis

*exclusive*

Mister Internet:

For many years now, I have sold many different species in the U.S. hobby in which I was the first to produce, import and/or introduce. Where do you get your facts from? The following is just a short list off the top of what I brought in or produced and/or was responsible for why they are in the U.S hobby. At the time and on some currently, yes, I was and/or still am the exclusive supplier:

Xenesthis sp. "Amazonian Giant Powder Blue"
X. intermedia
Acanthoscurria geniculata 
Acanthoscurria brocklehursti
Acanthoscurria jurenicola “
Aphonopelma borellii
Aphonopelma caniceps
Chilobrachys huahini 
Citharacanthus l. niger 
Coremiocnemis sp. “Malaysian Purple-Femur”
Crypisidromus sp. “Painted Orange”,
Ephebopus sp. “Fr. Guiana dark skeleton”
Ephebopus uatuman “Emerald Skeleton”
Eupalaestrus campestratus
Grammostola aureostriata
Grammostola chalcothix
Haplopelma schmidti “Chinese Giant Gold Earth Tiger”
Haplopelma sp. “Chinese Giant Black Earth Tiger”
Hysterocrates apostolicus
Hysterocrates scepticus
Iridopelma sp., (species called “recife” or “reecfi”)
Lamproplema nigerrium (?) “Borneo Giant Orange-Fringed”
Lasiodora cristatus “Braz. red & white”
Lasiodora difficilis
Lasiodora striatipes 
Megaphobema peterklaasi
Nhandu carapoensis
Nhandu coloratovillosus
Pamphobeteus sp. “Ecuadorian Golden-Flame Birdeater”
Pamphobeteus insignis
Pamphobeteus nigricolor
Pamphobeteus vespertinus
Phoneyusa manicata
Phormictopus platus
Psalmopoeus sp. “Peruvian Black”,
Pterinochilus lugardi (golden-striped form)
Tapinauchenius elenae “Golden-Orange Tree Spider”
Vitalius dubia
Orobothriurus alticola “Chilean burgundy fat-tail scorpion”
Scorpio m. fuscus “Barabarian Coast Black Scorpion”
Scolopendra sp. “African Green & Peach Tiger Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Giant Jewel Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Bronze-Black-headed Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Mai Chau Giant Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. (possibly S. s. de haani) “Chinese Giant Centipede”
Rhagodes sp. “Egyptian Giant White-Painted Solifugid”
Acanthognathus pissii “Chilean Golden-Ground Spider”
Family: Ctenidae (possibly Phoneutria sp.) “Guyana Wandering Spider”
Latrodectus bishopi “Red Widow”
Family: Barychelidae “East African Shiny Grey Tunneling Spider”
Family: Barchychelidae “African Spotted Trapdoor Spider”
Family: Rhinocricidae “Peruvian Ivory-Green Millipede”

The species above are in the U.S. hobby because of my efforts. Either I breed them first, brought them in first, sold them exclusively at that time or all of the above. 

As for the continued debate about this island giant centipede off the coast of Ecuador, the scientific community doesn't like us well in the pet trade industry and does not like to discuss information that could be of commericial use. With that said, I enjoy a very good relationship with many well-known and respected invert researchers and from time-to-time, they let me know about a new discovery. I pass this information along, cutting out some details to protect their reseach efforts and for conservation reasons, but instead of complaining about that, be glad you get that information. It's legit coming from me. If you take a second look at what I do and what I've done, you will understand that if I post information like that, you can believe it. I'm a skeptic too, but with I'm shown pics and scientific info from somebody that is well-respected in their field, I accept it. So, please except the FACT there exist a centipede in Trinidad that measured 16" and one off the coast of Ecuador that was 25". If that is too much for you, then I can't begin to tell you about the tailless whipscorpion in the Yucatan province of Mexico that has a 25" legspan discovered recently. I guess you wouldn't believe that either.

Todd


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## xenesthis

*Wow! Godzilla lives!*

To further educate and fascinate pede keepers about this monstrous centipede see:

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/gal02/welcome.html (pic under the life list section, under invertebrates, nice info about the island fauna).

http://home.mcyork.com/galapagos/normal/default.htm?image=bigcenti.jpg

http://sojournsinnature.com/stocklistings.php (you can purchase a photo from this photographer of the species)

Also, see my updated: www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm

Todd


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## Randolph XX()

as the old saying goes: ANY clear PICTURE of the 18"-22" pede?
it's not big foot or Loch Ness Monster, i guess, but at least they got photos and video clips, all the galapagoensis photos with clear scales i've seen are from European keepers such as Sebastian and Steven...etc, but none from the wild ones
MYTH or TRUTH?


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## electrohippy

*Up close and personal with Scolopendra Galapagoensis!*

Hi there.  I am new to this forum.  I am not a total "pede" guy like the rest of you, I just wanted to share something to hopefully put all the debate in this thread to rest!  

I was just looking on the web for info on the very centipede you all are so skeptical of, because I was almost bitten by one on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos!!  I was looking to see how much danger I was really in at the time, since anecdotal stories from locals aren’t usually that reliable.  Let me tell you the story.  It’s a little long because I want you all to register its authenticity.

I was in Galapagos for 3 months in 2001.  I have a friend who lives there and works as a naturalist guide and dive instructor on the cruises they give over there, and we finagled me a work visa under the auspices of computer network specialist setting up his internet cafe that didn't exist. 

Anyway, I was staying at his house, and didn’t have the money for a cruise, so I volunteered at the Charles Darwin Research Center.  A girl there named Mali was doing a tortoise survey for her masters degree, and invited me on the crew.  It was to be based on the back side of the island on a very small beach near a local fisherman’s landmark named Cerro Gallina (also a famous surf spot), wild camping for 7 days.  The goal was to brand (I kid you not) tortoises’ shells and mark their location with a GPS.  

A boat dropped us off late in the afternoon.   We set up camp on the beach the first night with the assurance of the boat captain that the tide would not be a problem.  WRONG!!  Highest tide in years!  We woke at 3:00 am floating on water that had washed in to our camp from the surf!  We got up and scrambled in pitch darkness to move camp to higher ground.

In the morning, we groggily got up and surveyed the wreckage.  We had lost about 1/3 of our water, and our radios no longer worked.  Great.  We began moving our gear to a more permanent spot.  That’s when it happened.  I picked up my backpack, and proceeded to swing it on my shoulder.  Mali screamed.  The other woman (who’s name I can’t remember cuz I’m a total dork) ran toward me with a purpose.  I couldn’t figure out what the hell they were all so freaked about, but instinct told me to drop the bag.  Good thing I did.  Slithering out from under the top pocket that served as a cap to the main compartment was the largest centipede I had ever seen!!!  It was shiny and black, about 18 to 22 inches long (and damned near an inch wide), and had been inches from my neck just moments ago without my knowledge.  Had I been bitten, I don’t know what would have happened.  Our radios were not functioning, no one was coming for us for a full 6 days, and it was easily a 7-day hike through wild terrain to the nearest road.

The other guy that was with us (shoot, forgot his name too), grabbed a machete and hacked it in two.  It reacted by biting whatever was closest (which happened to be itself ) with it’s HUGE mandibles. It bit and bit and bit itself until the guy with the Machete hacked it in to little pieces.

We saw at least 10 others that week.

Anyway, that’s my personal experience with Scolopendra Galapagoensis!


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## electrohippy

*Sorry...*

No pix, but I will ask some of my friends on Galapagos if they have any.  

p.s.:  Sorry about deleting and re-posting my last post, I didn't spell check the title, and I hate gham-at-ikle and speh-ling air-erzz...  I'm a dork!


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## Galapoheros

Awesome story!  Yea!  Oh, if you were to get pics.., you don't know how long and how many people on this forum and others have been wondering about the stories that have been told about this centipede.  Shiney black?  Get a pic, get a pic ......get a pic!!!  If you don't know how to post it, you can send it to me and I can post it for you on this site.  I would have to give you my email address.  You could email me using this site using the "private email" option.  Nice story.  Thanks.  Wasn't good to hear that the pede got whacked up though.  Cool, thanks!


----------



## Blackrose

Hi

Nice Goodnightstory but I think that nobody on this planet will believe the 18 to 22 inches! Don`t you think so?

Greets
         Andi


----------



## CopperInMyVeins

electrohippy said:
			
		

> It was shiny and black, about 18 to 22 inches long (and damned near an inch wide), and had been inches from my neck just moments ago without my knowledge.


Those are some odd proportions, because the largest centipede I've seen first hand, which was identified as S. gigantea (but could possibly be galapagoensis, or even virdicornis, from what other people on here have said), has a body length of around 12 inches, and is easily over an inch wide across the tergites.  I would reason that a much longer closely related centipede would be correspondingly wider, not even narrower.  Just doesn't seem to fit.


----------



## Galapoheros

Ooooooooo,... you here that Electrohippy? Haha....you've got to prove it now:drool: !


----------



## Mister Internet

Galapoheros said:
			
		

> Ooooooooo,... you here that Electrohippy? Haha....you've got to prove it now:drool: !


It's not about "proving" it... obviously, he has no pics of the event, and I doubt he's going back to Galapagos anytime soon.  It was just drawing attention to what the rest of us pede keepers were already thinking... that is, "It was either one inch wide, or 18-22 inches long, not both."  To maintain normal Scolopendra proportions, an 18-to-22-inch specimen would have to be nearly 2 inches wide, which is a pretty noticeable difference.

Let's just say we've heard plenty of anecdotal "evidence" of giant pedes over 16" long (16" at death being the longest I've ever heard about from a reliable source) for years now, and there's simply never been proof, other than dubious pictures and stories.  I completely believe that electrohippy saw a giant black centipede... what I have trouble believing is the 18-22" part, simply because it was a quick, agitated situation, and it's impossible to get an accurate visual measurement in a situation like that.  I've heard of plenty of 8-foot corn snakes back where I grew up too... people can't take a quick, nervous glance and accurately size something.  It does confirm what we all already know, though, and that is that there is a HUGE centipede species awaiting further study there...


----------



## Galapoheros

electrohippy said:
			
		

> No pix, but I will ask some of my friends on Galapagos if they have any.
> 
> p.s.:  Sorry about deleting and re-posting my last post, I didn't spell check the title, and I hate gham-at-ikle and speh-ling air-erzz...  I'm a dork!


Yea I hear you MisterInternet, Just hoping he can pull this off with his Galapagos buddies.  I know allot of us are motivated to see any pics he can get his hands on.  Everything does look bigger in "situations".  Funny how our brains do that.  It's making sure we take care of business I guess.  The "inch wide" thing caught my attention too, but you never know.  Sure would like to get pics from you electrohippy.  I think the chances are slim but I'll give it a chance.


----------



## Randolph XX()

another doubt is: ur friends on the islands HUMAN?
or they are high tech reptiles or birds?


----------



## Galapoheros

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> another doubt is: ur friends on the islands HUMAN?
> or they are high tech reptiles or birds?


Hahaha, well he did say the friends are naturalists and "guides" that work ...in the area(?).  I understand the doubt, I've got it too.  I'm going to hang in there a little while longer.


----------



## Randolph XX()

then there should be plenty of photos of they are naturalists or guides, right?
hope i am wrong cuz i am dying to see the photos of the gigantic pedes!


----------



## Galapoheros

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> then there should be plenty of photos of they are naturalists or guides, right?
> hope i am wrong cuz i am dying to see the photos of the gigantic pedes!


Yea I agree.  A pretty popular tourist spot too.  Even if they're 9 or 10 inchers, I wonder why there aren't more pics on the net.  Most naturalists like it all.  It's hard to even find a pic of a medium sized one on the net, but I've seen a few.  I may go there myself!!!  Because of my situation at the moment, I have the time.  Fat chance but I've been thinking about it.


----------



## Peter_Parker

*A sure way to see a giant pede*

Build a time machine and go back in time 350 million years to the carboniferous and look for an arthropleura


----------



## Tarantula

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> then there should be plenty of photos of they are naturalists or guides, right?
> hope i am wrong cuz i am dying to see the photos of the gigantic pedes!


I belive most peoble want to see a pic of a tortoise large as a Fiat Panda rather than a centipede that is 25"...


----------



## Peter_Parker

Ok, Hypothetical Q & A time..   Let's pretend that the 22'' pede did exist.  And lets also pretend that somehow it was in the pet trade too, or that it was possible to export them to the U.S.  Who here would have the guts to keep one (besides zoos, of course)?  Just curious...


----------



## Tarantula

Peter_Parker said:
			
		

> or that it was possible to export them to the U.S.


It is possible to import them to any country in the world... almost. S. galapagoensis doesnt only occur on the Galapagos Islands. They also occur in Chile (southern), Ecuador and Peru.


Oh I would keep one... Im looking for one atm...


----------



## Peter_Parker

*interesting...*

Oh...  Well if that's the case, shouldn't there be more pictures and documents on them?  I mean, if they are in all those other countries there should be a higher incidence of them, correct?  I won't pretend to be a pede expert, but it just seems weird to me   I'm not sure if I would or not, I mean, what/how often would you have to feed that thing ???  You'd need more than some crickets and a mouse to satisfy that one...


----------



## Tarantula

Well most people here thinks that S. gigantea is the largest pede. And noone have ever heard of S. galapagoensis... Its not a very well known species.. I'll think thats the answer to you question..

Btw Im not saying that galapagoensis can grow to 20"+...


----------



## Galapoheros

MetalDragon_boy said:
			
		

> I belive most peoble want to see a pic of a tortoise large as a Fiat Panda rather than a centipede that is 25"...


This could very well be the the lack of pics problem.  If the story was true, the centipede got whacked up in the story.  Doesn't sound like pede pictures are of that much interest over there if that's how the animal is being treated.  He said he saw 10 that week.  If it's common there, the pedes may lose some of their shock value, ..why take a pic?  Also, most people, even some people that call themselves naturalists see a scorp, spider or centipede and see 'ugly' and danger so they just stay away from it as well as keeping their camera away because they don't want to see a picture of an ugly thing they saw.  We bug people must be living in our own little bug world.  I know the Galapagos Islands exist.  I know people that have been to them....so they said.....  haha.  I'd like to go down there and check it out for 3 or 4 days.  It could happen!  I'm not doing anything right now.  That'd be pretty cool.  I don't like flying though.  I do it.  I just don't like it.  Oh well, this subject keeps rolling out but nothing really changes does it... but there is an answer to this one!


----------



## Tarantula

Yes that is what I'm talking about! I belive a 200ton turtle brings more tourists than a 25" centipede...


----------



## Mike

Hi,

   I saw a show about the Galapagos Islands and they showed a
S.galapagoensis going over the rocks and the guys got close to it with a measure tape,it was 18 inches and thick as a garden hose....they make S.gigantea (spelling?) look small,no joke . I personally don't own a pede  (because they scare the tar out of me) but I do find them very interesting. The pede was a solid black in color and very big.I wouldn't be suprised if it could hit 25 inches in length. It would be a very serious addition to any collection.

Mike


----------



## Galapoheros

Mike said:
			
		

> Hi,
> 
> I saw a show about the Galapagos Islands and they showed a
> S.galapagoensis going over the rocks and the guys got close to it with a measure tape,it was 18 inches and thick as a garden hose....they make S.gigantea (spelling?) look small,no joke . I personally don't own a pede  (because they scare the tar out of me) but I do find them very interesting. The pede was a solid black in color and very big.I wouldn't be suprised if it could hit 25 inches in length. It would be a very serious addition to any collection.
> 
> Mike


Cool!  But there's our problem again.  What show was it that you saw?  When did you see it?  What channel.  I would think everyone interested on this forum would like to know what show, and when you saw it.  Maybe we could look for a repeat of the show.  Usually, more than one person on the forum saw the same show if it was about a good bug place like the Galapagos Islands.  Maybe someone else will bring up that they saw the same show too.  But still, so far, no "eyes on" that has been made available for most of us to look at.  But TV programs like that are usually repeated or have short takes on websites.  Can you remember the show?


----------



## bistrobob85

People, please just post good references, that way nobody wont doubt anything...


----------



## Peter_Parker

bistrobob85 said:
			
		

> People, please just post good references, that way nobody wont doubt anything...


Awwhhhhhh, but if they did that, the discussion would be over!  Instead of dragging on and on and on and on and onnnnnnnnnnnnnn.......    lol, j/k


----------



## Mike

Hi Again,

  Like I said it was a while ago like 2-3 years ago and I think it was a National Geog, but not 100% certain. It was not a special on pedes or anything like that it was a show showing different inhabitants of the Islands. Anyways, I know what I saw was one big pede.
Mike


----------



## Galapoheros

Mike said:
			
		

> Hi Again,
> 
> Like I said it was a while ago like 2-3 years ago and I think it was a National Geog, but not 100% certain. It was not a special on pedes or anything like that it was a show showing different inhabitants of the Islands. Anyways, I know what I saw was one big pede.
> Mike


Well, we haven't gotten anywhere.  Maybe electrohippy will come up with the proof we're looking for through his friends that work on the Islands.  Maybe he will encourage pictures from them.  Will electrohippy pull through?! Come on electohippy!!!!:clap: :clap: :clap: .


----------



## Mike

It would be cool to get a 100% accurate measurement of one. Lets hope he can.

Mike


----------



## Randolph XX()

it's getting worse, even worse than big foot(at least they have footprint, photos, video clips), but all we have about this 20+" pede are just WORDSSSSSSS


----------



## danread

I really don't think such large pedes are possible, have any of you actually measured out how big a 20" pede would be..... it's frickin massive! It's highly unlikely that the legs would be able to support such a huge body, and since invertebrates don't have lungs, it would be pretty much biologically impossible for such a large pede to exist in the modern era with the oxygen content we have in our atmosphere. 

As other people have said, the galaopogos islands have been studied in great detail, there are a couple of biological research stations on the islands, so if there were these record breaking pedes present, don't you think there would be some photographic evidence present?

I've seen a couple of museum specimens of that had been stuffed and varnished that looked to be over 16", but in these cases if you look closely at the tergites, you can see that they have all been stretched out, in a live pede they tend to overlap slightly. I think the stuffing and preservation techniques can easily add 2-4" to a 12" _S. gigantea_

_Scolopendra gigantea_ one of the largest active land living invertebrates alive at present, and i think that is about the maximum we will ever discover. Some of the larger tarantulas may have a higher body mass with a full stomach, but since they are sit and wait predators they have probably have lower oxygen requirements.

Cheers,


----------



## kahoy

to see is to believe!
  need large eyes too...


----------



## CopperInMyVeins

danread said:
			
		

> _Scolopendra gigantea_ one of the largest active land living invertebrates alive at present, and i think that is about the maximum we will ever discover. Some of the larger tarantulas may have a higher body mass with a full stomach, but since they are sit and wait predators they have probably have lower oxygen requirements.
> 
> Cheers,


I agree with most of your post, and the size exaggeration that occur, but the largest land invertebrate is Birgus latro, which is much larger than any centipede or tarantula.  Tarantulas are limited in size partly because of the reliance on the hydraulic pressure of their hemolymph for locomotion, other types of invertibrates don't have this limitation.  The biggest limitation would probably be how to generate enough airflow in and out of the lung without an active respiratory system.  Here's some more on Birgus latro, including a description of it's branchiostegal lung: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab


----------



## Tarantula

I belive this is the same thing as Santa... some belive some dont...


----------



## Galapoheros

If electrohippy can't prove pedes in the upper teens exists by getting pics from people he says in knows over there, maybe he can at least get us some pics of some 12 inchers.  I'd like to see new pics of this sp.  It'd be nice to see some more photos instead of the same few I've seen on the net.  Why aren't there more photos of them?  I'd be one pede picture taking jesse if I went over there and saw pedes that were even 8 inches long.  Ahhh, oh well, just not allot of pede interest out in the general public I guess.

The coconut crab info was pretty interesting.


----------



## Randolph XX()

chill out gala
just wait for few years and Steven would show us his 12"+ monster!


----------



## Galapoheros

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> chill out gala
> just wait for few years and Steven would show us his 12"+ monster!


Okaaaayyyyy.  It's just that, I'm getting old ...


----------



## Tarantula

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> chill out gala
> just wait for few years and Steven would show us his 12"+ monster!


hopefully more.. have seen giganteas that is 12-13" long, maybe bigger (14"?). Im buying a 12" gigantea from a friend. And he have had much larger specimens of gigantea than the one Im buying.


----------



## Blackrose

MetalDragon_boy said:
			
		

> hopefully more.. have seen giganteas that is 12-13" long, maybe bigger (14"?). Im buying a 12" gigantea from a friend. And he have had much larger specimens of gigantea than the one Im buying.


Hi

Can you please ask your friend if he is interested in trading pedes?
He can give me a big gigantea and he can have a S. galapagoensis (23cm bodylength), a S. spec. Kenia (25cm bl), a S. heros heros (17cm bl) or 2 S. gigantea robusta (18 and 21cm bl) from me!
Ok?

Greets
         Andi


----------



## Tarantula

You got PM...


----------



## Blackrose

Hi

If there would be a 25" galapagoensis than it would be about 6-7cm thick!
(If it looks like mine, only bigger!)
That is never possible I think!
What should a pede like this eat? Monkeys? :? 

Greets
         Andi


----------



## Greg Pelka

No, people ;P


----------



## Tarantula

I just thought of something.. On Galapagos there is HUGE ninja turtles, HUGE crabs and so on... why not HUGE centipedes?


----------



## Randolph XX()

cuz the giant crabs ate all the giant centipedes, and Ninja turtle kicked their asses


----------



## Tarantula

and you need to stop watching TV mate. LOL


----------



## Blackrose

Randolph XX() said:
			
		

> cuz the giant crabs ate all the giant centipedes, and Ninja turtle kicked their asses


Hahaha! I also think it was something like this!

Greets
         Andi


----------



## jayer10

tabor said:


> wait actually... i was thinking about it, a 25" pede would have to eat a lot of cricket-sized bugs to survive. it doesnt seem practical that a pede would evolve to get that large for no good reason. what benefit would a 25" pede have over a 12" pede? it would just have to spend more time hunting for food. and since it doesnt seem practical that something that big would subside entirely upon crickets and small rodents, it would hve to go for bigger prey.
> 
> This bigger prey wouldnt be as easy to kill as the crickets and mice and probably has a higher chance of tearing the pede up when the pede starts to nibble on his leg. When you think about it the pede really doesnt have a good defense system, just its bite... which is effective against smaller things, but imagine if one of these bigger pedes went after a chicken or something, my moneys on the chicken even if it will die later after killing the pede from the bite. so i kinda think theres a size limit on pedes based on the whole source of food thing.. and the chickens.
> 
> but yeah i dont know,its 3:30 in the morning and ive never had a biology class, but damnit that seems to make sense.


i've seen a food chain from Galapagos islands and centipede was second to the highest. At the top of the food chain after centipede was a hawk or a falcon, something like that.


----------



## Alonso99

Hello.  Celebrating my return to the forums I am bumping this thread with this pic 
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/gal02/life/images/scolop.jpg

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/GEOL388/lectures/07.html 
They geologists at the University of MD have a great food web that talks about how this centipede fills the role of a small predatory mammal.  I have not had luck in reaching any of the professors in the geology department but as the semester dwindles I will try again.


----------



## Sean

http://eroomdn.d-korea.co.kr/00/syi_122832/286880/S. gigantea -black-tausendfuessler9pp7.jpg

Says its a S. Gigantea, but looks like the shiny black ped with stripped legs others have talked about.


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

Alonso99 said:


> Hello.  Celebrating my return to the forums I am bumping this thread with this pic
> http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/gal02/life/images/scolop.jpg


So what and where is that photo? This one might be S.galapagoensis but of course it's a bit smaller than S.gigantea.


----------



## Randolph XX()

why are we so sure the centipede from that island is S.galapagoensis?lol


----------



## Alonso99

The picture was taken in the Galapagos Islands 2004 Trip sponsored by the University of Maryland Geology department.  Every year there is a travel study program that goes to the Galapagos islands during the summer. I cannot apply because my major does not qualify me .  The island was Santa Fe I believe. I can check tho. Click on the second link to see the food chain analysis. I assume it is a galapagensis because it was found and pictured in the Galapagos.


----------



## Galapoheros

I believe that picture is already in this thread somewhere.  I don't want to look for it with this piece of junk computer but I believe it's in here.  Steven, Greg, ...don't remember who it was but I remember someone with a reply saying he knows that dude and that he's a guide and mentioned "where" he was a guide so that would prob be where that pede is from.

Edit:  I looked around for that same pic in this thread, not here, I know the pic is in a diff,"big" pede thread.


----------



## Steven

Galapoheros said:


> I believe that picture is already in this thread somewhere.  I don't want to look for it with this piece of junk computer but I believe it's in here.  Steven, Greg, ...don't remember who it was but I remember someone with a reply saying he knows that dude and that he's a guide and mentioned "where" he was a guide so that would prob be where that pede is from.


your mistaken Sc.galapagoensis with the black colorform of Sc.gigantea,
Sc.galapagoensis can be found trough the north-western coastline of S.America, Sc.gigantea distribution is more on the northern coastline of S.America

it was my fellow Belgian hobbyist Allan (Seekness around here) who knows the guide from Isla Margaritha with the 2 black giganteas on a stick.

distribution of Sc.galapagoensis:
http://www.scolopendra.be/scolopendra_more.php?specie_id=31
distribution of Sc.gigantea:
http://www.scolopendra.be/scolopendra_more.php?specie_id=32

read this paper for more info on galapagoensis and gigantea:
_Shelley, R. M. and S.B. Kiser, 2000. Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, Scolopendra gigantea L. 1758, with an account of S. galapagoensis Bollman 1889. Tropical Zoology 13: 159-170, 2000_

head of Sc.galapagoensis





freshly molt


----------



## Galapoheros

Man that's awesome.  I was hoping you might chime in.  I think you also pointed that out in that other thread, that it was prob not Sc.galapagoensis.  I wasn't claiming one or the other, I didn't know enough to even have an opinion about which it was.  It was "Seekness" that knows that guy?  I barely remember that name, I think I'm losing some brain cells.


----------



## Steven

couldn't find the topic either, just the picture


----------



## C_Strike

Christ thats OOGE, lol
stunning pede too!


----------



## Megaloblatta

So what is the body length of the longest reliably measured Scolopendra? I don't mean just hearsay, I mean a photograph of a specimen alongside a tape measure, information from a reliable publication etc. I have been trying to find this info. for some time, without much luck so far!


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

Scolopendra gigantea (Attems & Bucherl) 265mm -10.4" 

Sandefer lists 12" *AND* 250mm (I don't know if the 2 is a typo or error but 250mm is less than 10"). People with 14" S.subspinipes are apparently including legs and antennae and then adding a few inches.

Keep in mind 10.4" is an incredible monster far more impressive than that little guy on the stick.


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

BTW: that pic reminds me of the camel spiders in iraq that the soldiers say are a foot across (actually maybe 4") and there's at least one photo where they hold the animal close to the camera with the person's leg far away to give the impression that it's really huge (I would guestimate that centipede on the stick is from 5-9" trunk length).


----------



## Androctonus_bic

So what is this monster?

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=3APJA0EedSE

It's a black gigantea isn't it?

Cheers
Carles


----------



## Steven

remains of the shedded skin of gigantea
arrows on ruler indicate 30 cm






@Megaloblatta
the examined _Sc.gigantea_ specimen in this paper from R.Shelley range from
111mm to 240mm BL

_Shelley, R. M. and S.B. Kiser, 2000. Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, Scolopendra gigantea L. 1758, with an account of S. galapagoensis Bollman 1889. Tropical Zoology 13: 159-170, 2000_

@Carles
Looks like one, but can't see it clearly on YouTubevids


----------



## szappan

Androctonus_bic said:


> So what is this monster?
> 
> http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=3APJA0EedSE
> 
> It's a black gigantea isn't it?
> 
> Cheers
> Carles


I really should get around to changing that vid's info... :wall: 

Anyways, hey Carles, it was sold to me as a sc. viridcornis by people that certainly didn't know better.  It was identical to the centipede in post #101 of this thread... in short... if Steven says it's a black gigantea... it's a black gigantea...


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

Steven said:


> remains of the shedded skin of gigantea
> arrows on ruler indicate 30 cm


Isn't a molt always going to be longer than the real animal since the area between each tergite is stretched out?


----------



## Steven Valys

Elytra and Antenna said:


> Isn't a molt always going to be longer than the real animal since the area between each tergite is stretched out?



It works that way with snakes.  That's why there are 40 foot snakes out there waiting to be discovered.


----------



## apidaeman

Androctonus_bic said:


> So what is this monster?
> 
> http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=3APJA0EedSE
> 
> It's a black gigantea isn't it?
> 
> Cheers
> Carles



Scolopendra viridicornis


----------



## Steven

Elytra and Antenna said:


> Isn't a molt always going to be longer than the real animal since the area between each tergite is stretched out?


offcourse,
that's why i also gave the measurements from the 2000 R.Shelley paper  
the examined specimen in there don't exceed 240 mm.


----------



## Nich

I have a 7" N american not including terminals or antennae. There was a pic of a subspinipes at a strange angle that was well over 9 " body length on a guys arm here unles the guy was 5" tall.....lol. Look at the BL of some of the pedes on you tube, do the math on the corners of a ten gallon, the mouse, ect. Not hard to extrapolate that the are both well over 9" BL.  Looking closley at the pic, the stick at the base is as thick as the mans index finger, even when angel compensation is given. At the thickest point it pails to the thickness of the pede. If the stick is 3/4" from the cameras perspective relative to the mans fingers, then the pede is more than "9" TL". Not trying to start another flame, just analysing the facts of the pics...id say the pede under the big one is 9" TL....the one its either eating or mating with.....looks to be the same sp. At least the same coloration.


----------



## M.F.Bagaturov

Shelley, R. M. and S.B. Kiser, 2000. Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, Scolopendra gigantea L. 1758, with an account of S. galapagoensis Bollman 1889. Tropical Zoology 13: 159-170, 2000:
http://ejour-fup.unifi.it/index.php/tropicalzoology/article/view/43/42


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

Nich said:


> I have a 7" N american not including terminals or antennae. There was a pic of a subspinipes at a strange angle that was well over 9 " body length on a guys arm here unles the guy was 5" tall.....lol. Look at the BL of some of the pedes on you tube, do the math on the corners of a ten gallon, the mouse, ect. Not hard to extrapolate that the are both well over 9" BL.  Looking closley at the pic, the stick at the base is as thick as the mans index finger, even when angel compensation is given. At the thickest point it pails to the thickness of the pede. If the stick is 3/4" from the cameras perspective relative to the mans fingers, then the pede is more than "9" TL". Not trying to start another flame, just analysing the facts of the pics...id say the pede under the big one is 9" TL....the one its either eating or mating with.....looks to be the same sp. At least the same coloration.


 You're saying you think the pede on the stick is over 9" trunk length? That may or may not be true. It's all a guestimate, there's no way to know without a definite point of reference. That critter could be 3" or 24" long but I think a realistic estimate is 5-9". There could be a 50ft snake or 18" centipede but until there's definitive proof it's all rumor and urban legend.  I don't see why that has something to do with you having a 7" N American (though if _S.heros _it's believable but it would be nice if you could offer a photo with a ruler since you state it like it's questionable) or a _S. subspinipes_ possibly being over 9" because it looks like it could be compared to the pinky mouse it's eating. You could always experiment by taking real measurements of your pedes with vernier calipers and then taking photographs with various sticks and pinky mice to see how accurate of measurements people can come up with (of course you would want to take an actual measurement of the animal vesus a visual questimate as it would be really a waste to compare a guess to guesses). That could be a really neat thread if you employ angles and various specimens. After you get a bunch of replies you could post the real measurement to show the accuracy or inaccuracy of visual guesses.


----------



## Elytra and Antenna

I haven't read this thread in years and forgot it's beginnings. That link doesn't pull up the S. galapagoensis info any more. So Steven, up to this point what is the maximum size centipede -not exuvium- you've seen any proven evidence of?


How big would you guys say this mature S.gigantea is?
(Sorry about the quality, it's a pic taken in 93' with filters and a 35mm and then the new lexmark scanner I have isn't kind to photos and makes it far worse than the original.)


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## hairmetalspider

Where are people getting they don't exist?

You Google or Yahoo it and get a ton of results, some being scientific studies and the like.


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## Nich

Elytra and Antenna said:


> You're saying you think the pede on the stick is over 9" trunk length? That may or may not be true. It's all a guestimate, there's no way to know without a definite point of reference. That critter could be 3" or 24" long but I think a realistic estimate is 5-9". There could be a 50ft snake or 18" centipede but until there's definitive proof it's all rumor and urban legend.  I don't see why that has something to do with you having a 7" N American (though if _S.heros _it's believable but it would be nice if you could offer a photo with a ruler since you state it like it's questionable) or a _S. subspinipes_ possibly being over 9" because it looks like it could be compared to the pinky mouse it's eating. You could always experiment by taking real measurements of your pedes with vernier calipers and then taking photographs with various sticks and pinky mice to see how accurate of measurements people can come up with (of course you would want to take an actual measurement of the animal vesus a visual questimate as it would be really a waste to compare a guess to guesses). That could be a really neat thread if you employ angles and various specimens. After you get a bunch of replies you could post the real measurement to show the accuracy or inaccuracy of visual guesses.


Look I stated that my reference of size was in relation to the mans finger, even if he is around my GF's size his index is around 3/4" in width when viewed from the top at an angle as in the base of the pic, follow the stick, and with a bit of lens/angle compensation (again favoring awkward angles to exaggerat the size) it can give you a rough estimate of girth and thus length.....





 The above gal measures out at exactly 6 3/4" NOT including the head plate or terminals, head plate included she is a tad over 7" without antennae or terminals.
 You have a pretty solid refernce point in the pic, given the fingers, to judge the diameter of the stick within reason.  

     You have an obvious opinion which is very valid.....the majority of invert owners exaggerate on size. If you bring the pic into photoshop (or even paint) and have a base measurement of a finger at a resembling angle, you can get a rough estimate of the pede. Mine is off of the head, but imho what Ill stick by. Ill definatley side with the fact that most pedes are claimed around 10" when they are really 6-7 bl tl or whatever you want to reference.  As far as my reference to N. americans, its relative to WC sales of heros complex and the average length I've seen online, and in person. The factor of judgement being that the gigantea, angulata (questionable classifi), and galapo's have many pics of them around the 7-9" TL mark. I use corners of a ten gallon cage, a known brand of water dish, and what ever else may lie in the footage/pic to give an estimate.  
 Again  its somewhat objectional, but not as much as the pic the above gigantea, that is almost pointless to the thread as there is NOTHING to reference size with in that pic....UNLESS you realize that all kritterkeepers have the same size divet from the molding process. If the lid was visible ot it was a known to be a KK, a size reference could be made, ild put it at 5-5.5" TL if thats a KK.


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## Elytra and Antenna

There's a finger on the left.
In the other photo if you blow it up you can easily imagine the fingers are the same size as the stick but they don't come into contact with it in the same plane or angle. If angles and reference don't matter that thing stretches halfway down one arm and reaches the other shoulder.


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## Nich

It is pretty obvious that the end of the stick opposite of the fingers is considerably wider.


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## Elytra and Antenna

Nich said:


> It is pretty obvious that the end of the stick opposite of the fingers is considerably wider.


Take a ruler (or paper and pencil) to the blow up to check the relative width of the stick versus the fingertips. They measure the same width and the fingers are further back in the photo.


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## Nich

The distal end of the stick is what the man is holding, and is about the same  diameter as his finger. The proximal end is noticably wider. You can tell by the angle of the shoots coming off the branch which end is proximal to the tree or shrub.


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## Elytra and Antenna

What you're seeing as a thickened stick is the other pede. Look closer, compensating for the other pede you can't even estimate that end of the stick is wider. It's not sitting on a stick, it's sitting on a pede on top of the stick. Also, it's pretty hard to deny that the end of the stick with the pede is closer to the camera.


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## Nich

Elytra and Antenna said:


> What you're seeing as a thickened stick is the other pede. Look closer, compensating for the other pede you can't even estimate that end of the stick is wider. It's not sitting on a stick, it's sitting on a pede on top of the stick. Also, it's pretty hard to deny that the end of the stick with the pede is closer to the camera.





Nich said:


> ....the one its either eating or mating with.....looks to be the same sp. At least the same coloration.



Wow, Im losing faith in you. I really thought that it would be obvious when you blew the pic up and actually measured it out.....IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE BASE OF THE STICK IS MUCH WIDER THAN THE MANS FINGER!!!!!!!!!! The base being the end that was attached to the tree or shrub. Its also obvious that the pede is as wide as the base. Last post for me, case closed. I have my belief in the pic you have yours, have a great day.


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## Elytra and Antenna

Nich said:


> IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE BASE OF THE STICK IS MUCH WIDER THAN THE MANS FINGER!!!!!!!!!! .


  I blew it up and drew lines on the picture for you. You can't see them? :wall:


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## Matt K

I have to agree with E&A.  After fooling around with alot of camera angles myself, I figure the large one to be 8-9 inches max, and the smaller one to be 5-6 inches. But I am no one in particular... though a 9 inch pede is pretty huge...


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## Galapoheros

I have my own opinion too, it's basically the same as E&A's and Matt's.  I typed it up a few days ago but I decided not to post it, I've been doing that a lot lately.  I don't think they are as big as they seem in the pic but awesome looking pedes regardless.


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## KyuZo

i didn't read everything in this thread, but does this mean that S. galapagoensis is not such a big centipede after all?  the rumor i have read in the past said that it can get as big as 24" 

and i said *rumor*


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## Galapoheros

It kind of went from "wow, who knows how big these things can get!" to referring to this specific pic and the size of the pedes in the pic ...and then finding out that the ones in the pic are prob not galapagoensis pedes anyway.  So, same old same old ...just talking about how big they can possibly get which is never ending (no pun intended).  It's like somebody said, ...maybe Steven, "I leave for a while, come back and see that nothing much has changed" ha.


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## Elytra and Antenna

KyuZo said:


> i didn't read everything in this thread, but does this mean that S. galapagoensis is not such a big centipede after all?


If you check out this paper done by taxonomists there is a list of real specimens with real measurements. The biggest S.gigantea is 274.6mm (not quite 11 inches) the biggest S.galapagoensis is 200.5mm (not quite 8 inches).


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## Galapoheros

I also looked at that a while back and was surprised.  According to that info, the biggest S. heros pede I've seen comes close to the biggest pede length listed there.


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## Steven

Galapoheros said:


> So, same old same old ...just talking about how big they can possibly get which is never ending (no pun intended).  It's like somebody said, ...maybe Steven, "I leave for a while, come back and see that nothing much has changed" ha.


yep it was I  

i almost have given up :wall:
just check out how many times i and others have given info on articles regarding size and other info on gigantea vs galapagoensis , just check how many times the article of R.Shelley has been called up in gigantea-discussions



without any result sometimes 


PS: just as extra info:
as i remember correctly Attems described galapagoensis to be 17cm.
ow yeah, don't remember who asked, but some of the biggest pedes i've seen where actually
Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani


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## jettubes

Well you never know who knows whats out there for all we know there could be 20 ft centipedes hiding deep in caves feeding on large prey i dont know about 20 ft but yeah you know what i mean.


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