# Chilopoda key - centipede keys



## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2005)

It is my intention to organize all the keying (indentification) data for centipedes that is available on the internet, boards, and books

this thread will HEAVILY favor giant centipedes, Scolopendromorphae, but info on all will be available

Hopefully this will be a one-stop shop for definitively deciding what some of those common names *really* are 

this is going to take for ever and be hideous, in a fun way =P

Is it a centipede?
Centipedes have one pair of legs per body segment, and have many legs (at least 11 or 13 pairs when adult).  They have a pair of feet by their head modified into maxillopeds, venom injecting "fangs".

CLASS - Chilopoda
1) Number of pairs of legs; sets of spiracles; antenna segments; other notes

a) >=31legpairs; spiracles on every segment but first and last; 14 ant. segs; long & wormlike 
b) 15 legpairs; spiracles on first 7 segments; ; legs LONG, compound eyes present!
c) 15 legpairs; 6 or 7 spiracle sets; ;legs not so long
d) 15 legpairs; 7 spiracle sets; ; "in between" Lithobio and Scolopendro, only in Tasmania!
e) <=23 legpairs; ; 17-30 antenna segments;

1a . . . ORDER - Geophilomorphae
1b . . . ORDER - Scutigeromorphae
1c . . . ORDER - Lithobiomorphae
1d . . . ORDER - Craterostigmorphae
1e . . . ORDER - Scolopendromorphae [thread=53270]key[/thread]


... to be continued!
i would appreciate comments on the form of this post, accuracy, etc

sites cites:
http://www.earthlife.net/insects/chilopod.html
http://www.unict.it/dipartimenti/biologia_animale/webnatur/insetti/miriapod.htm#chilo

to look at:
http://www.biologie.uni-ulm.de/systax/daten/taxa/details/zoo_110.html
http://www.zmuc.dk/EntoWeb/collections-databaser/Chilopoda/chilo.htm


----------



## Steven (Oct 10, 2005)

great you're trying to do this,....  :clap: 

but much info regarding keys to the scolopendromorpha are simply not be found online,... (or are incorrect or out-dated    )

a good start is the book of Attems whith all of its additions by Schileyko,...
although as i remember correctly the classification of Attems is under discussion the last years,... if i find the article i'll let ya know


----------



## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2005)

Steven said:
			
		

> great you're trying to do this,....  :clap:
> 
> but much info regarding keys to the scolopendromorpha are simply not be found online,... (or are incorrect or out-dated    )
> 
> ...



i totally agree, online resources are limitted. part of this "project" will be to fill in the parts of the info that aren't available online


----------



## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2005)

good grief

to include sub-family, sub-orders, etc is going to be ugly

if i don't will it make this project useless?

it seems like subs and supers make organizing easier, but it also seems like that's where some differences of opinion amongst taxonomists is


----------



## Steven (Oct 10, 2005)

cacoseraph said:
			
		

> it seems like subs and supers make organizing easier, but it also seems like that's where some differences of opinion amongst taxonomists is


fun now isn't ?


----------



## cacoseraph (Oct 10, 2005)

Steven said:
			
		

> fun now isn't ?


fun in the same way getting my tattoos was fun


----------

