ID confirmation request:Scolopendra polymorpha

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
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IMG_1057.JPG We collected this specimen in San Bernardino County, CA while flipping rocks yesterday. Based on location, general appearance, and number of legs we suspect that it's a very young juvenile Scolopendra polymorpha. Can anyone confirm this?
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
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It's a Theatops sp.
Thanks for the ID...I appreciate it, although I admit I am disappointed it is not a Scolopendra polymorpha. What about the terminal legs makes it a dead giveaway? This specimen's terminal legs don't look quite as stubby as the pics of Theatops sp. I have seen , though I am a newbie to centipede identification...
 

BobBarley

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The last tergite is elongated and larger than the others:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/802482

Thanks for the ID...I appreciate it, although I admit I am disappointed it is not a Scolopendra polymorpha. What about the terminal legs makes it a dead giveaway? This specimen's terminal legs don't look quite as stubby as the pics of Theatops sp. I have seen , though I am a newbie to centipede identification...
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
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The last tergite is elongated and larger than the others:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/802482
Thanks, that helps! I decided to go ahead and buy a Scolopendra polymorpha...AND go and flip some more rocks when it warms up a little...I flipped a couple in my native state about 20 years ago, and didn't know much about them at the time, just enough to know I shouldn't try to pick them up bare-handed. I would love to find some in the wild again...
 

BobBarley

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Thanks, that helps! I decided to go ahead and buy a Scolopendra polymorpha...AND go and flip some more rocks when it warms up a little...I flipped a couple in my native state about 20 years ago, and didn't know much about them at the time, just enough to know I shouldn't try to pick them up bare-handed. I would love to find some in the wild again...
Just a heads up, count the segments next time. Scolopendra are gonna have 21 segments, and in Cali, we only have polymorpha.
 

Aquarimax

Arachnoprince
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Just a heads up, count the segments next time. Scolopendra are gonna have 21 segments, and in Cali, we only have polymorpha.
Thank you, I will definitely remember that, although...doesn't this one have 21 segments as well?
 

BobBarley

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Thank you, I will definitely remember that, although...doesn't this one have 21 segments as well?
Yes, but that last segment is way too elongated to be Scolopendra and the terminal legs are too wide. The 21 segments thing is mostly to differentiate Scolopendra and Scolopocryptops (23 segments).

Here's a Scolopocryptops found in Cali:
IMG_1016.JPG
Also note the last segment and the terminal legs -- completely different from Theatops.
 

RTTB

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S polymorpha are very common in the Inland Empire.
 
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