# Help! Scolopendra eggs



## vespa_bicolor (Jun 14, 2004)

Hi all,

first, I'd like to say that I'm relatively new to centipedes.  Therefore I would need help regarding some questions in general and on breeding. PLease take a look at the photos.

This morning, I found my huge centipede from China with a whole bunch of eggs, with its legs and tail wrapped around the whole lot! I have never bred centipedes before. I would appreciate any ideas and advice on how to take care of the eggs. Do you think they would fertile anyway? This centipede has been in captivity for a few months, but was wild-caught prior to this, therefore I have no idea. The eggs are a deep yellow colour, full-looking, shiny, about 4 mm or so in diameter. Should I just leave them with the mother, or should I artificially incubate them? Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I artificially incubate all my tarantula eggsacs. Also, how long on average do the eggs take to hatch? Lastly, is there anything about humidity and temperature I need to know? I am not using any heating now, since it's summer here in Hong Kong, the temperature in my room varies from 26 to 30 degrees Celsius and ranges from 75% to 90% relative humidity. 

The second and third photos show the centipede more clearly. She is a huge specimen, possibly more than 8 inches in length, and thicker than my last finger. I have no idea what species it is, possibly a subspecies or variant of Scolopendra subspinipes. I really cannot tell, as it seems the taxonomy is quite complicated. But it supposedly comes from Southern China. I would appreciate any ideas on what species it is. By the way, the photo is for comparison purpose only; I would never dream of handling centipedes, except that this specimen already had her fangs cut (for what reason I'm not sure) when I got her. She's still managing well on crickets that I kill, tear open and lay down in front of her. I handled her only for measurement and closer view.

Thank you all in advance for any advice you can offer.


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## Steven (Jun 15, 2004)

1 -> congratz on the eggs  :}   
2 -> i would leave the eggs with the mother,.. and leave her alone,... stop feeding her for a couple of weeks,... most possible she's in her hiding place,..right ? just give the mother all the rest she can get,... so just keep the humidity and temp. like you use to before she had the eggs,.. she'll be searching for a "cooler" place eitherway
3 -> i can see clearly she's been cut  makes me feel   
To what've i heard pedes in Azia are beeing cut for 2 reasons:
- to pack them together in large parcels for shipment (the fact that makes me the most   )
- second i've heard pedes are used as food (bait????) to catch large fish in some Azian regions

If she's eating it's not that of a problem and she'll probarly survive untill the next molt,... so if you see she's molted,... i wouldn't handle her anymore    

and yep,... most likely a colormorph of subspinipes (don't think it's a subspecie)

hopefully this has helped you a bit ?

Cheers
and yeah,... beautifull pede :}  :}


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## danread (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi vespa_bicolor,

That really is a beautiful pede, i've never seen that colour morph of S.subspinipes before. Firstly, i would try and leave the mother alone with the eggs and not disturb her at all. Scolopendra are notorious for eating their eggs when disturbed (and possibly for other reasons). I'd put her in a quiet place and possibly cover the whole tank she is in with a dark cloth or something similar. The temperature range you are keeping her in seems fine, as with the humidity levels, so i wouldn't worry about that. Leaving the eggs with the mother is a good idea, the mothers clean the eggs to prevent mold forming on them, so if they are incubated manually it is hard to stop mold forming.
It is likely that the eggs are fertile, we know that some pedes are parthenogenic (can fertilise themselves), or that they can retain sperm for a long time, even after molting. The eggs should hatch in about a month or so, and then the baby centipedes will stay with the mother for about another few weeks to a month until the have had their first molts. At this point they will leave the mother and should be separated. I hope this answers some of your questions. Please post some more photos once the eggs hatch if all goes well. good luck!

Cheers,


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 15, 2004)

Hi all, 
thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it, I think I now have an idea of what to do. I have placed her enclosure in a separate cabinet, one that is seldom opened, and covered the front with a towel. I guess I'll just keep the disturbance to a minimum and check about 3 weeks later.
Thanks again!


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## Cooper (Jun 19, 2004)

Why are you holding it?!?!?!?!


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## danread (Jun 19, 2004)

Cooper said:
			
		

> Why are you holding it?!?!?!?!


Read the post properly and you'll find out


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## Cooper (Jun 20, 2004)

Ahhh, thank god, had me worried there!


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 20, 2004)

Lol...    I would never dare to start working with my pedes without a large escape proof container and my 11 inch forceps!

Unfortunately, something horrible happened. The female ate all the eggs up! Ah well, this is the first time, I can't expect to succeed on the first try! Just hope I have more luck in future.


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## danread (Jun 20, 2004)

vespa_bicolor said:
			
		

> Unfortunately, something horrible happened. The female ate all the eggs up! Ah well, this is the first time, I can't expect to succeed on the first try! Just hope I have more luck in future.


Sorry to hear that Vespa, they can really be quite unpredictable. I think the trick is to not disturb them at all, right from the moment the mother preparing to lay eggs until the moment they are hatched. I think they probably eat eggs in response to environmental disturbance. If they are disturbed, they decide that it is not a good time/place to lay eggs, so they eat them to get the energy supplies back up and replace some of the nutrients lost in the eggs laying process. 
What other pedes do you own? are there only native species available in Hong Kong, or do you get imports from other counties as well?
Good luck for the future. 

Cheers,


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 20, 2004)

Hi Dan,
thanks. Probably I made a mistake earlier when I accidentally banged on the cabinet her container was kept in. I hope I will be able to learn more about them in future, though.

Well, this huge specimen was brought in from southern China. I also have a couple of large specimens of a species which was locally caught in Hong Kong, shown in the first and second photos below. I'm guessing it's another form of subspinipes. And also some S.s.mutilans, and one in the third photo which was supposedly imported from Tanzania. Used to have a Sonoran desert pede too (S.heros something if I'm not wrong?). Hoping to collect more, I'm getting hooked on them! Basically many species from elsewhere can be found here on occasion, but it always happens that when I see nice ones I can't afford them at that moment.

Cheers


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 20, 2004)

Sorry, I forgot to attach pics earlier. The fourth pic is one of my mutilans, last one is of a small but colourful one I caught near my place ( I live in quite rural area).


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## Cooper (Jun 20, 2004)

You caught that  ?!?! I wish I had pedes like that around here*shakes fist*


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## danread (Jun 20, 2004)

Thats a really nice collection Vespa! I especially like the first subspinipes, it looks similar to what i have seen sold as Malaysian cherry red. Is there much of a trade in centipedes in Hong Kong, and do many people keep them as pets? What sort of price do you have to pay for a good side S.subspinipes in Hong Kong?

Cheers,


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 20, 2004)

Cooper >> yup I caught the last one, the one with orange legs. It's quite common in my area now that summer is in full heat, but I've no idea what species it is or even whether its a scolopendrid. It's really small now, around 2 inches, but I don't think it's anywhere near full size since it's grown a lot since I got it a month ago and still seems to be growing rapidly. There are actually quite a lot of nice pedes around, but I haven't had a chance to get a good look at most of them.

Dan >> Hmm well, there is quite a variety of centipedes around, although the number of people into tarantulas far outnumbers people who like pedes ( I think this is quite normal elsewhere too ). The pricing for Asian species is not too bad. The 2 forms of subspinipes, the one in the first pic with eggs, and the red one, go for around USD$25 or less at at least 6 inch sizes. S.s.mutilans is even cheaper. But foreign species such as S. heros or a really huge type I've seen labelled as "Peruvian giant" cost a lot more, and are not so commonly available. 

Cheers.


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## Steven (Jun 21, 2004)

vespa_bicolor,... you're one lucky guy !!!! i envy you    

really awsome pedes around your place   
that last one has my fulll attention !!!! really like the 2colored antenna's,...
Is it only with pedelings these guys have that colors of antenna's or have you ever noticed "adult" pedes with those marks crawling around too ?

keep us informed on what's going on there in HK   

Cheers


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 21, 2004)

I haven't actually seen any others with that kind of colouration on the antennae. But again, I'm not sure how old that one is, or how big they actually reach   

Will keep you updated. I'm really hooked on them now!

Cheers.


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## Steven (Jun 21, 2004)

vespa_bicolor said:
			
		

> I'm really hooked on them now!
> Cheers.


join the club


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## fatbloke (Jun 21, 2004)

vespa_bicolor

nice photos and a nice collection of pedes you got i wish we had those kinds of pedesover here

john


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## Lateralus (Jun 21, 2004)

Hey, here's follow up to one of vespa's Hk giants. Hope you enjoy the pictures bro.


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## Steven (Jun 21, 2004)

D*MN    

those are just amazing pictures !!!!! really stunning !!! :}  :}  :} 
keep those coming


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## danread (Jun 21, 2004)

Wow, those pictures are excellent Incubu5, especially the second one. Using moss as a background looks a lot better than just peat or soil. Feel free to post more pictures, good pede pics always go down well in this forum   

Cheers,


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## Lateralus (Jun 21, 2004)

Many thanks to Steven and Dan for the compliments. If i might add, both of you take extremely nice pictures too.  Adding moss to the background does spice up the picture quite abit, it's a shame i can't get the coloured variety around here.

Here's a few more of the same pede. Sorry steven but you've seen most of them already. ;P


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## danread (Jun 21, 2004)

Those are defintely the best macro photos i've seen of scolopendra. If you don't mind me asking, what camera are you using? Is that the full screen shot in the last photo, or have you enlarged the cental portion of a photo you took? My camera has got a good macro, but i dont think i can get that close, the lens blocks out all the light once you get so close.


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## Steven (Jun 21, 2004)

danread said:
			
		

> what camera are you using?


i bet he's using a Nikon D70 DSLR    ;P


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## Lateralus (Jun 22, 2004)

danread said:
			
		

> Those are defintely the best macro photos i've seen of scolopendra. If you don't mind me asking, what camera are you using? Is that the full screen shot in the last photo, or have you enlarged the cental portion of a photo you took? My camera has got a good macro, but i dont think i can get that close, the lense blocks out all the light once you get so close.


@ Steven: Hahaha how did you figure that one out eh mate? Spoiler!  ;P  ;P  ;P 

@ Dan: Thanks. The camera is Nikon D70 coupled with a Nikkor Micro 60mm lens, this allows me to get a 1:1 aspect ratio of the subject. The last picture was slightly cropped to get rid of the dark area at the base of the picture caused by the lens blocking out some of the flash. I could go closer but i would have to supplement the subject with more lighting.
Btw, really nice lighting on the Mau Chai pictures, been wanting to shoot outdoors lately but somehow never could find the time to. What camera are you using? 

Cheers.


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## morda (Jun 23, 2004)

Great photos!! Really stunning!


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 24, 2004)

Your third pic, the greenish one from Tanzania is almost certainly S.morsitans. The antenna segmentation and the dent in the last tergite are visible enough in that photo to be relatively sure.
Good luck on your next hatchout!


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## danread (Jun 24, 2004)

Incubu5 said:
			
		

> What camera are you using?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## vespa_bicolor (Jun 24, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> Your third pic, the greenish one from Tanzania is almost certainly S.morsitans. The antenna segmentation and the dent in the last tergite are visible enough in that photo to be relatively sure.
> Good luck on your next hatchout!


Thanks for the info! Pede identification is still difficult for a relative newbie like me. I heard that S.morsitans is also widely distributed and has many different colour forms too? Also, how big would it likely reach? I guess not anywhere near subspinipes, but I'm just curious. Thanks again


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 25, 2004)

Pede IDs are tough for most anyone, that's just an easier species to pick out because of the dent on the terminal tergite. I haven't seen much variety in S.morsitans color though I've seen some strange pedes labeled as that species but obviously not. 100mm.


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## Steven (Jun 25, 2004)

> that's just an easier species to pick out because of the dent on the terminal tergite.


the "dent" in the last tergite isn't that typical for morsitans  :? is it ?
i've seen several other scolopendromorphs with that "dent",... who aren't even in the scolopendra-genus!


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## Lateralus (Jun 25, 2004)

danread said:
			
		

> Hi Incubu5,
> 
> I'm using a Olympus C-5050z, its a pretty good camera, 5mp, and the macro is ok. I don't have an external flash, so i have to rely on natural light to get good macro pics. I would like to invest in a bit more kit at some point, such as an external or ring flash. It's a bit annoying being limited to waiting for a sunny day to get good photos, especially if you live in the UK!
> 
> Cheers,


Hey, 

That is a good camera indeed, the nikon coolpix series just doesn't cut it, at what iso, shutterspeed and f - stop do you normally shoot your macro pictures at? I've found it extremely troublesome to get pictures with minimum depth of field indoors with poor lighting. Shaky hands don't help much either. ;P 

Hmm, have you tried placing a piece of tissue paper over the inbuilt flash to diffuse the harshness? If you're looking to invest in some additional kit i would recommend a ring flash if you mostly intend to take macro shots, otherwise i suppose a external flash with an omni bounce would suffice. Hope it helps.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 26, 2004)

Check back on the previous post, it also has to do with the antennae. I also took into account the prefemora, collection location, etc. 
I haven't seen other centipedes with a dent like that but I'm sure there are some. Do you have a photo? Hemiscolopendra and certain Scolopendra have a ring furrow, doesn't mean you'll confuse H.marginata with S.gigantea.
I'll assume you are just taking things out of context to be annoying.

Either way, yours is a moot point since that photo is S.morsitans.

Still, post photos of the genera you speak of if you got em... go ahead and post you never took any pics and killed the pedes if that's your alternate explanation.



			
				gongyles said:
			
		

> the "dent" in the last tergite isn't that typical for morsitans  :? is it ?
> i've seen several other scolopendromorphs with that "dent",... who aren't even in the scolopendra-genus!


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## Steven (Jun 26, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> Check back on the previous post, it also has to do with the antennae. I also took into account the prefemora, collection location, etc.
> I haven't seen other centipedes with a dent like that but I'm sure there are some. Do you have a photo? Hemiscolopendra and certain Scolopendra have a ring furrow, doesn't mean you'll confuse H.marginata with S.gigantea.
> *I'll assume you are just taking things out of context to be annoying.*
> 
> ...


yeah right,...   
sorry if i've annoyed you,... i haven't read the part where you pointed out the antenna's and prefemur,... sorry about that.

but saying: 





> that photo is S.morsitans


  :? 
mmmm,.... there are several keys to ID you simply can't see on that picture.
like the underside of the prefemora, tarsalsporn (the spines underneath the leggs,... don't now the Englisch version), coxopleurenforsatz (the part underneath the last tergite.) etc...

and i'll do a search on pictures of the specie with "dents" in the last tergite.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 26, 2004)

You might sound smart to someone who owns no books but your points are NOT based on the description of that species, the surface to check on the preforma is the dorsal, not ventral, your second and third references aren't at all specific to that species (the answer being sternite).
How is your photo search coming along??? If you're not 'full of it' you should have something by now. 


			
				gongyles said:
			
		

> mmmm,.... there are several keys to ID you simply can't see on that picture.
> like the underside of the prefemora, tarsalsporn (the spines underneath the leggs,... don't now the Englisch version), coxopleurenforsatz (the part underneath the last tergite.) etc...
> 
> and i'll do a search on pictures of the specie with "dents" in the last tergite.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 26, 2004)

antenna - singular
antennae - plural
antenna's - singular possessive
species -singular and plural


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## danread (Jun 26, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> I'll assume you are just taking things out of context to be annoying.


MantidAssassins,

will you stop being so aggressive? There is no need to attack someone if their opinion differs from yours. Grow up. This is a board for discussion about centipedes, who cares of we aren't all right all of the time? Steven knows a lot more than most of us and is willing to share it in a friendly way. unlike you. To start trying to pick apart his english is really petty. If you can't take part in a discussion without attacking people, go away.


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## Steven (Jun 26, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> You might sound smart to someone who owns no books but your points are NOT based on the description of that species, the surface to check on the preforma is the dorsal, not ventral, your second and third references aren't at all specific to that species (the answer being sternite).
> How is your photo search coming along??? If you're not 'full of it' you should have something by now.


i'm using Attems book Scolopendromorpha to ID,...
if you have it,... go to page 24 and look at the 2 illustrations fig 38 and fig 39
and while you're at it,... translate the entire page that describes the specie morsitans for your Englisch speaking friends,... will you ?

what books are you using ?
instead of giving comments etc... 
you could share your resources on publications and books for your fellow american  scolopendra-keepers  :? 

and in case you haven't noticed i'm not Englisch speaking,...
zullen we verder praten in Nederlands of Duits of Frans ?


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 26, 2004)

gongyles said:
			
		

> and in case you haven't noticed i'm not Englisch speaking,...


If you're going to continue to post in English you should make a tiny bit of effort to get the spelling right for the animals--especially as you are so quick to critique others.

Pill

You still interested in buying some of the Platymeris "mombo"?


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## J Morningstar (Jun 27, 2004)

Dudes...
 What the Hell? Are you like 6 years old or something? This is a good natured forum and most often devoid of any bickering. By making remarks like the last ones you just sound very foolish. You also bring down the entier caliber of the forum. Steven is at least bi-lingual, unlike most very dull witted English speaking people. If he makes a grammatical error from time to time you should shut the Hell up and realize it is not his first language. Also the books he references are sometimes 100 years old. Do you think things may not change over time, or be corrected?
 I just do not like reading this kind of bull, especially when it is all together unnessarry.  
"I mean....come on." Jimmy, South Park


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## Mister Internet (Jun 27, 2004)

@MA - I trust any further contributions to this thread will in no way resemble the former.  Read your PMs if this it at all unclear.


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## Steven (Jun 27, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> You still interested in buying some of the Platymeris "mombo"?


no,... thanx,... they are available in Europe too by now.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 27, 2004)

gongyles said:
			
		

> no,... thanx,... they are available in Europe too by now.


Sorry, I was kidding. I just remembered you kept asking for them before and wondered if my refusal was the reason for all your


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## Steven (Jun 27, 2004)

MantidAssassins said:
			
		

> Sorry, I was kidding. I just remembered you kept asking for them before and wondered if my refusal was the reason for all your


and i guess you're mistaking me for another Belgian hobbyist.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 27, 2004)

If there is another person named Steven who goes by Gongyles on Arachnoboards I will apologize to him.
As an immigrant to the US English is also not my first language. Yet, I don't why you would try to use it as an arguement point in a Scolopendra discussion. 


> in case you haven't noticed i'm not Englisch speaking,...


 For our English speaking friends, I found an English description of S.morsitans on page 39, A Syopsis of the North American Centipedes of the Order Scolopendromorpha (Chilopoda) by R.M. Shelley. The 'dent' is referred to as a middorsal suture.


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## Steven (Jun 27, 2004)

let's get back to the basis of the discussion,...
(not gonna spill any words about the off-topic BS)



> Either way, yours is a moot point since that photo is S.morsitans.


i was told you can never tell a specie by looking at a picture,...

why didn't you said: " i think " it's a morsitans instead of the quote above!

is there anywhere in the discussion above i've said it can't be a morsitans?,... i only stated the "dent" or like you said: "middorsal suture" isn't the only key for morsitans,... if i come across any pictures i'll post them.


What does the book of Shelley says about the diversity in coloration ?


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 27, 2004)

Look back and apologize. This was my original post  





> .....almost certainly S.morsitans


Almost certainly might also translate as 'most likely'. That means I'm pretty sure but the "almost" refers to the fact it is just a pic.
Most pics of that species wouldn't even show up the antennae and suture, but it was a good angle. 

If you look at it your way, of course NONE of our centipedes are correctly named if the exact specimen or it's progenitors wasn't identified by a taxonomist.



			
				gongyles said:
			
		

> i'm using Attems book Scolopendromorpha to ID,...
> if you have it,... go to page 24 and look at the 2 illustrations fig 38 and fig 39
> and while you're at it,... translate the entire page that describes the specie morsitans for your Englisch speaking friends,... will you ?


In the US it is illegal to post copyright material. I am sorry for assuming you knew that, if you didn't.


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## Steven (Jun 27, 2004)

maybe it's time you start reading my previous replies too !


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## Elytra and Antenna (Jun 27, 2004)

That's a rather poor apology, but I'll take it.


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