What species?

I just got 3 myself. I do believe they are actually a far southern variant of S. viridis. They are very similar to the ones found in the Yucatan in Mexico, which isn't all that far off. They are also reportedly larger from that area, reaching around 4 inches, which is about the size of the largest I recieved.

Dylan Keife said:

I just got 3 myself. I do believe they are actually a far southern variant of S. viridis. They are very similar to the ones found in the Yucatan in Mexico, which isn't all that far off. They are also reportedly larger from that area, reaching around 4 inches, which is about the size of the largest I recieved.

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I’m not sure if you guys have heard of scolopendra aztecorum. There is 5 different confirmed localities with one typically being called the “TRUE aztecorum”
These start off as a blue pedeling (similar to the turquoise polymorpha morph) this similarity caused major arguments within the hobby because people who haven’t seen them in person like to tell that they are polymorpha because they’re North American/blue/ and as pedelings they are about polymorpha size.
The true Aztecs (sometimes called the Aztec ghost) get up to 7-9” true body length meaning they put a lot of common subspinipes, SOME dehaani’s, and obviously shit on polymorpha.

as they age they lose all of their blue coloration, their body gets almost unnaturally white/cream and their heads and forcipules turn black. They’re truly one of the most unique NA pedes.

they’re found in the neotropical range of northwest Mexico and into Southern California.
most of the “that’s a polymorpha” myths come from the California variant because they share the same range as the California turquoise polymorpha. The California ones don’t get over 5” normally. The true aztecorum morph tend to be in the center of their range kind of in the northwest Mexico area but not so much north lol. They get called the ghost heros, Mexican heros, giant white heros. Because of their size and the body shape relation between heros and the Aztec.

HERE: is the interesting part! From the mid 1800’s until 2015 they were considered Scolopendra viridis <-(YEP viridis this is where the relation to this post comes into play)

Anyways they were classified as Scolopendra viridis ssp. “Aztecorum” As well as classified as Scolopendra heros ssp. Aztecorum. AND finally Scolopendra polymorpha ssp. Aztecorum
THREE different accepted official classifications for aztecorum all ruled as sub species of the 3 native United States Scolopendra Sp. What a damn mess lol.
The reason this happened is because of differences in tarsal spines/ and terminal spines between the 5 localities. At the time they began as all being regarded as the same species and major arguments between the 3 scientists who classified them ensued.
Then three of the localities (which were the 3 different “species” the scientists classified) were collected and all held in the same place at one time…. Turns out the 3 scientists were all “right” at least about them actually having different physical features (spines) which relieved all 3 scientists when all 3 taxonomic descriptions were accepted naming each their own species.

turns out the smart boy who went with Scolopendra viridis ssp. Aztecorum was the closest and almost hit the nail on the damn head.

In 2015 scientists went out to classify aztecorum once and for all. At this time there was now 5 different known localities. They found all 5 and disregarded all physical tarsal spines etc and actually did a legitimate dna scan or whatever it’s called.

at the end of the day it turns out there are 5 ssp. Or localities. All of the 3 first classifying scientists were wrong, and the questions were put to rest by the possibly only 100% confirmed by dna classification was made. Might be the first time a clean taxonomy for centipedes has EVER been accomplished lol.

the Aztecorum was finally found to be a direct evolutionary descendant of scolopendra viridis.
as far as dna goes they had actually changed so much through convergent evolution that not only do all 5 species exhibit different tarsal and terminal spines but they also found that the spines were variable in this species (like specimen to specimen variable which is crazy)

they also found that aztecorum truly had changed since evolving from the viridis parent species that they no longer were “related”
Forgive me I can’t 100% remember how to say this but long story short aztecorum and all 5ssp are the result of evolutionary change in viridis. They changed so much that there is enough dna difference to make them their own species.
thus the 3 wacky subspecies were put to rest and a much more appealing scientific name of “Scolopendra Aztecorum” was born.

I bring this up because ever since reading about this it makes me so interested in other possible evolutionary changes in centipedes, and with you making the comment on it supposed to be viridis but you don’t agree it made me think back to these guys. Who mows you could have a new centipede in your care that can be classified as 3 species at once.
this is valid proof that tarsal and terminal spines are absolutely not enough to classify the taxonomic status of centipedes. This gets a bit spooky when you pay attention. To how many species out there are classified by these same spines!
I have 1 pedeling TRUE aztecorum in my care right now. This is really neat to me. This is the individual that can get 9+ inches possibly. That’s one bigass viridis!
Check out my thread history for a detailed progress thread on my aztecorum. They allegedly grow fast af so I’m going to be updating its thread regularly. I’ve got some really good pics of him on there and it really shows off the species for what it is.
I live the viridis like head shape, heros-esque terminals, and the overall absolute uniqueness of the pede.