# Florida "Keys Giant Centipedes" Scolopendra alternans



## KyuZo (Nov 10, 2011)

Scolopendra alternans from Florida Keys 

gets to be about 6" as adult.  

i just saw an ad in the classifieds section that said that they "get to 8" plus and maybe more".  I'll pm the dealer to let him know in hope that he'll correct himself.

the last time that i bought some plings that the dealer offered as Scolopendra heros "blonde phase", they turned out to be something else that does not belong to the S. heros subspecie.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Nov 10, 2011)

I've seen a few nice big blond phases but they were just polymorpha. A blond polymorpha might be $20 and nobody will buy it but you call it heros and you can charge $80 and sell it quick. Likewise, when I put up adult S. alternans at 4-4.5" I can't sell them because everybody else has the same size listed at 7". It's almost like centipede hobbyists want to hear something exciting even if they know it's not true.


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## Galapoheros (Nov 10, 2011)

I've still got some of those blond pedes Jason, I've had an adult for around 5 years now and acquired it as an adult also.  I can't help but have a little doubt about what it is.  Obviously not a heros of course.  I've caught only a few over the years, hard to find and I see the smaller banded polymorpha version with the reddish head in the same area.  It's just strange to me.  I know a few people, maybe only a couple have keyed them out as polymorpha because there have been so few.  Dr. Rowland Shelley wanted to take a look at it but the thing just won't kick the bucket.  I'm going to send it as soon as it looks like it's on it's way out.  Also, I have only seen one Sc. alternans that was around 9" on this site.  I can't remember his username right now, I might later.  But somebody might want to dig up the old thread to take a look, double check.  It was an old thread of a gigantea next to an alternans, so it seemed, divided by a grid he made for having pedes come in contact with each other but not being able to hurt each other.  There was even video of it somewhere also.  He dropped out of the AB.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Nov 10, 2011)

I've seen Peurto Rican S. alternans at 8" and Haitian maybe 7" but we're talking about Florida specimens. You think that one was from Florida?


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## Galapoheros (Nov 10, 2011)

I don't know but I'd agree, it was prob not the Florida "variety" if there is such a size difference.  I had one and never really got interested in them.  I know they are bigger in areas, some red, some banded.  Do you know if alternans is even native to Florida?  Prob an old post somewhere but, hey it gives pede people here something to do, pretty slow lately.


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## KyuZo (Nov 10, 2011)

I just contacted the dealer and he said that he has some at 7", and that he can send me a picture or two.  so i'm waiting for the picture(s).  i don't know if he measures them by BL or if he include the terminals and antennae.  

anyway, i was a bit upset, at the time, when i found out that they were not S. heros and that they don't grow as big as the heros, so i sold them off (and lost a bit of money and time as well).  however i am a bit more open to the slightly smaller species now. 

i just don't like how some people make falsify claims because they don't know exactly what they're selling or just because they want their products to sell better.  
but if the dealer can send me some pictures for verification, then i'll post them here to support his claim and send out a note of apology.


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## ophiophagus (Nov 10, 2011)

Galapoheros said:


> I don't know but I'd agree, it was prob not the Florida "variety" if there is such a size difference.  I had one and never really got interested in them.  I know they are bigger in areas, some red, some banded.  Do you know if alternans is even native to Florida?  Prob an old post somewhere but, hey it gives pede people here something to do, pretty slow lately.





KyuZo said:


> I just contacted the dealer and he said that he has some at 7", and that he can send me a picture or two.  so i'm waiting for the picture(s).  i don't know if he measures them by BL or if he include the terminals and antennae.
> 
> anyway, i was a bit upset, at the time, when i found out that they were not S. heros and that they don't grow as big as the heros, so i sold them off (and lost a bit of money and time as well).  however i am a bit more open to the slightly smaller species now.
> 
> ...


Galop I'm relatively sure that the florida keys giant red variety of alternans is native to florida. If they are not they have been here a long time. They also are a really nice bright red color(which I really like) but I've never seen one larger than maybe 6". That said anything is possible. 
And Kyuzo I fully understand and agree with your frustration with less than accurate advertisements of bugs. But I've dealt with the seller you're talking about a few times and he is a good guy. I don't know whether or not he knows when he misidentifies a bug. But, I've always had good dealings with him and received quality animals.


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## KyuZo (Nov 10, 2011)

ophiophagus said:


> Galop I'm relatively sure that the florida keys giant red variety of alternans is native to florida. If they are not they have been here a long time. They also are a really nice bright red color(which I really like) but I've never seen one larger than maybe 6". That said anything is possible.
> And Kyuzo I fully understand and agree with your frustration with less than accurate advertisements of bugs. But I've dealt with the seller you're talking about a few times and he is a good guy. I don't know whether or not he knows when he misidentifies a bug. But, I've always had good dealings with him and received quality animals.


yes, i agreed with you there.  i have reasons to believe that he's a good guy.  i think that my intention here is just to clarify the misinformation or to clarify "it" (for the lack of a better word), as i don't like to see anyone as naive as i was, to fall into the same situation that i did.


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## beetleman (Nov 10, 2011)

the biggest 1 i had topped at about 7 1/2 awhile back,it was a chunko(didn't live too long,maybe old age)my friend collected them in the keys,most were about 4to 5 in,i still have another which is still on the small side 4 1/2 in,he said some of the locals down there "said oooh yeah!!! we have some huge monsters here!! really big!!like 12 in!!" but ofcourse he never found any that big,but i'm sure there are some goodsized ones there,my friend said he did see some biggies but couldn't catch them,so who knows whats lurking there,i got a giant southamerican tailess whip scorp(still have the beast) from this seller you guys are talking about,very cool person to deal with.


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## KyuZo (Nov 11, 2011)

thanks for getting involve and providing me with some information.  the gentleman got back to me with some pictures and i apologize to him for having doubts about his claims... i just need to do some more research and get all my facts straight.  i believe that they are about 6.5-7" at most in these pictures.  

however, i did purchased some "rare blonde phase S. heros" from him a while back that did not turn out to be any type of S. heros, and there is no argument there.


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## Elytra and Antenna (Nov 11, 2011)

That one certainly does look almost 7". I've never seen one with such a dark body and white legs maybe it's just the lighting. Of course almost 7" and [8" maybe more] aren't exactly the same but that's a nice critter.


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## Galapoheros (Nov 11, 2011)

They look pretty good to me too, kind of chunky looking.


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