Malaysian cherry red centipede...

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
Got it today at breeders conference in arlington texas. Hasn't moved much its still alive but its just sitting in a corner like its been through a lot of stress.. its also missing an antenna on its behind not sure if those even grow back. here are some pics http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=2910&c=4
you can see the dark circle where the antenna should be in this pic http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=2911&c=4


So is it dying or what? i thought these were high strung and would be defensive
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
the terminal leg almost certainly will grow back.

i can't remember about antenna... they might not regen
 

bistrobob85

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 21, 2005
Messages
1,282
Antennas do NOT regen?!?! NOOOO, i was expecting to mate some of my E.T. ''yellow legs'' when they'd be perfect and would have fully grown back their antennas and terminals ( one had terminals missing, the other an antenna ).

Good luck with your cherry red centipede... try leaving it alone with a dark hide for a few days, maybe it'll calm down...

phil.
 

C_Strike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
444
Well, my Scolo subs 'tiger-leg' lost half of his righ antenna.. its never grown back
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
ooh, i just looked at the second pic link. depending on how the scolo's regenerate legs compared to tarantulas that might or might not come back. basically regeneration depends on retaining germinative that can grow a new set of like, leg cells. in tarantulas that equipment is in the coxa, the "shoulder" joint/section closest to the body in the leg... if there is an analgous setup in the centipedes your thing might or night have the last leg segment required, i can't quite tell.

is the terminal leg (there is a set of antenna on one end, by the eyes, mouth, and fangs and a set of legs that are on the butt end that can be used as weapons for offense and defense, usually called terminal legs) *completely* gone or is there some kind of stump left?

also, if there is a stump there might be a kind of mycosis (like a fungal infection) that is commonly like, represented by a black stump. if that is the case typically what is indicated is a drier cage and constant access to drinkign water so the centipede stays hydrated by presumably the fungus or whatever makes that black end/bulb dries out and dies... or something.

i hate to sound all vague, but there isn't a lot of stuff about hobby centipedes that is 100% known.
 

beetleman

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
2,874
awesome pede:clap: the terminal leg definitly,the antenna proberly not,i have an adult female that hardly ever moves,except for feeding time,they lie still,but then they explode all over the place when pissed off:eek: and they are fast! mine had babies awhile ago(sold all but 1 baby)and this little stinker is just as bad as the mom,it's about 3" already the mom is 8" yours will settle in just give some time,good luck an excellent choice:D
 

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
update

well i went and got my new pede a 10 gallon and made a plexiglass top so i could retain humidity since to my knowledge they need a lot of moisture so they don't dry up. She is exploring every inch of the new cage which im glad to see it moving around more. here are some better pictures of the terminal leg which is missing i had no idea what to call the very back legs so i said antenna which as incorrect.

Overview of pede: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=2915&c=4

pede exploring new cage: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=2914&catid=4

better picture of missing terminal: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=2913&catid=member&imageuser=8695

so excited about my first pede i think this one is a great species wonderful color and hopefully it lives up to its reputation of a bad attitude! :drool:
 

Galapoheros

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
8,982
I dug up some old pics. This pede was about to molt and I really wanted to catch the regeneration thing. To me, it looks like there is a natural breaking point kind of like Caco seemed to be implying, the "shoulder" thing. I've seen a few pedes lose their terminals and they have always "popped" off at the same location, right at the base of the last segment. I guess it's not too different from the reason some lizards can detach their tail. Better to lose a last term than part of their body. The terminals regain their color but the older the pede, the less color it regains. And the older the animal, the smaller the new terminal will be and it probably won't get as big as the original terminal if it's lost at an older age.
Guess I should add that it took several days for that term to turn a darker blue, but was still a lighter color. I think I still have this pede but I have several so I don't which one it is.


 
Last edited:

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
wow thats pretty cool.. well i dont know how long this dude has to his next molt but the pede is pretty big i'd say at least 6 inches... need to measure it but havent got the chance yet. I really like the colors of that pede gela!
 

Galapoheros

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
8,982
This is a Scolopendra heros castaneiceps and gets 6+ inches. You should be able to find them around Arlington! I'd go west to a rocky shored lake or creek. You could ask the locals if they've seen big black pedes around there. When I've asked, they usually say something like, "Yea, I killed one of those the other day:)mad:)". You should be able to find one eventually. I have one that's 9.5 inches right now. Still makes me freak a little when I look at it. I've had it since the Spring.
 

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
thanks for the info man i have been going to a local forest preserve and i found a small red pede but it died on me for some reason... it was about 2 inches... thats the only pede i've discovered =(
 

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
Really excited about hunting for a s.hero now.. i will not rest until i find one of those beauties! you would think something so colorful would be in a more exotic place kinda like the malaysian cherry red.
 

Galapoheros

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
8,982
Yea, I know what you mean! S. heros castaneiceps and S. heros heros in Texas are interesting enough to me that I've kinda ignored the exotic stuff but I've bought a couple of exotics. As a matter of fact, I only have one exotic pede right now and it's a Cherry-Red:) . It's an adult and I'd bet a male if I had to guess. I think I've had it a little over a year now. I was looking back at my post and wanted to add that I've seen regeneration along all parts of the legs including new feet from stumps. I was just saying that the terminals I've seen come off, have always come off the base of the last segment. I haven't seen regeneration from antenna but up close, I have seen several really small antennomeres(sp?) on the tip of one shorter antenna and not on the other so it makes me think there might be a little regeneration(?). Kind of a hunch, I don't really know.
 

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
Yea, I know what you mean! S. heros castaneiceps and S. heros heros in Texas are interesting enough to me that I've kinda ignored the exotic stuff but I've bought a couple of exotics. As a matter of fact, I only have one exotic pede right now and it's a Cherry-Red:) . It's an adult and I'd bet a male if I had to guess. I think I've had it a little over a year now. I was looking back at my post and wanted to add that I've seen regeneration along all parts of the legs including new feet from stumps. I was just saying that the terminals I've seen come off, have always come off the base of the last segment. I haven't seen regeneration from antenna but up close, I have seen several really small antennomeres(sp?) on the tip of one shorter antenna and not on the other so it makes me think there might be a little regeneration(?). Kind of a hunch, I don't really know.
So how hard would it be to sex my pede? would like to know if its a male or female so i can get a mate...
 

mindlessvw

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
Messages
528
hey dude i was at the arlington show today...picked up a few unkonown pedes! your guy looks pretty good aside everything...i would have picked that up myslef if i had gotten there early enough
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
So how hard would it be to sex my pede? would like to know if its a male or female so i can get a mate...
barring seeing a male mate with a female who has dropped eggs it is very hard to know 100% what sex something is.

mcy, check out the pics that gala posted...see how the centipede's body is pretty skinny compared to how long the legs are? to me that indicates it is probably a male... but this is a pretty horrible method and not really very accurate at all :(

your centipede doesn't really suggest one sex or the other to me, though
 

Galapoheros

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 4, 2005
Messages
8,982
Yea that's kind of what I look for like Caco said and prob when they are adults. I found a pede that was real lanky but was with plings so....:confused: , who knows.. Well I dug up more old pics of what looks to show some antennae regeneration(I know it looks too wet in the pics, I moved it to a place to take pics). The first pic is a one of a really big old centipede. I drew a black line after the 11th antennomere. The size and length of each one after the 11th makes me think there are some regenerated antennomeres, esp on it's left one (speculation). Maybe not but makes sense to me. The second pic is a premolt pede. I counted antennomers and circled what looks to me to be very small new ones after the molt in the third pic .....and a different angle in the 4th pic. It looks like a little regeneration goes on. What do you think?



 
Last edited:

Greg Pelka

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 29, 2005
Messages
525
It maight be true.
By the way... i fall in love... in thic deep blue... beautiful:))
 

mcy

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 21, 2006
Messages
180
i can definitely see some regerenation on the antenna so maybe as long as there is something still there it can grow back.

My cherry red has been very active today circling the 10 gallon a lot. How much moisture should i be adding these need less moisture then most asian centipedes? i have a thin layer of rocks on the bottom to help with retaining moisture.
 
Last edited:

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
awesome work, gala!

good to know, cuz i do so love watching a centipede explore with beautiful long antenna!
 
Top