yeah, from what I remember of my biology lectures... island species always tend to evolve towards being dwarf versions of their mainland cousins. and as the galapagos are volcanic islands (ie. they didn't break away from the mainland, they literally rose up out of the ocean relatively recently), all their fauna+flora had to have been carried there from the mainland somehow - be it on the wind, the waves or tucked away unnoticed in somebody's bag...
Scolopendra galapagoensis
- Thread starter Alonso99
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Because shouting makes it true?
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"Consider the source" commment
Mister Internet:
Your comment on this thread of "That 25" pede business is B.S. as far as I'm concerned... considering the source,I'm leery of any "inside information" claimed to be had." did not go un-noticed.
First of all, what is your problem? Second, I would not post that info on my site if I didn't get it from a direct and reliable source.
I did not hear "of" the report. I heard "from" the scientist that made the report to me. Based on his reputation, I would believe it to true. The area is protected and he doesn't want inquiries about this pede, so that is all that I can say on that. At the same time, from the another scientist that had received an authentic report from a scientist in Trinidad, reported a S.viridicornis, all black with banded legs measuring 16". I know of another reliable report of an all-black pede in Thailand of 14".
As for why it hasn't been discovered years ago, centipedes are very secretive and rarely seen. In the book "Biology of Centipedes" the genus Scolopendra is considered rare worldwide. They aren't common in any one area. Just ask the American southwest collectors that can't find S. h. arizonenis and the rest of the heros varients except after a big rain in any significant numbers. Every year, there are still new species discovered in the animal kingdom. One of these days, somebody is going to run out of tropical cave in Borneo from a 30" centipede. I would not be surprised.
I have nothing to be gained by posting the pic and info on my gallery page. I'm just sharing info that is obviously very interesting. I believe this species is most probably a geographical varient of S. viridicornis, but since it isn't being studied, we won't know anytime soon.
Also, keep in mind just because T. blondi was once measured at 11.5" doesn't mean every adult T. blondi will reach that (most don't). Same goes for centipedes.
Todd
Mister Internet:
Your comment on this thread of "That 25" pede business is B.S. as far as I'm concerned... considering the source,I'm leery of any "inside information" claimed to be had." did not go un-noticed.
First of all, what is your problem? Second, I would not post that info on my site if I didn't get it from a direct and reliable source.
I did not hear "of" the report. I heard "from" the scientist that made the report to me. Based on his reputation, I would believe it to true. The area is protected and he doesn't want inquiries about this pede, so that is all that I can say on that. At the same time, from the another scientist that had received an authentic report from a scientist in Trinidad, reported a S.viridicornis, all black with banded legs measuring 16". I know of another reliable report of an all-black pede in Thailand of 14".
As for why it hasn't been discovered years ago, centipedes are very secretive and rarely seen. In the book "Biology of Centipedes" the genus Scolopendra is considered rare worldwide. They aren't common in any one area. Just ask the American southwest collectors that can't find S. h. arizonenis and the rest of the heros varients except after a big rain in any significant numbers. Every year, there are still new species discovered in the animal kingdom. One of these days, somebody is going to run out of tropical cave in Borneo from a 30" centipede. I would not be surprised.
I have nothing to be gained by posting the pic and info on my gallery page. I'm just sharing info that is obviously very interesting. I believe this species is most probably a geographical varient of S. viridicornis, but since it isn't being studied, we won't know anytime soon.
Also, keep in mind just because T. blondi was once measured at 11.5" doesn't mean every adult T. blondi will reach that (most don't). Same goes for centipedes.
Todd
Last edited:
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Re: "Consider the source" commment
I apologize if the the comment seemed unnecessarily harsh, but you have to look at the context... we (mods) had just gotten through dealing with a ton of fallout from various threads involving you and "inside knowledge" and "exclusive species", etc etc... we had all pretty much had it by that point. People are free to search for themselves, there's no need to re-hash it here.
The point of my post was that if you can' t post a location, give the scientist's name, or even provide a believable photo, then why would anyone believe it? Why SHOULD anyone believe it? You said yourself information and hard data on Scolopendra are hard to come by, so why insist that people take a vague claim from "a scientist" as fact? I'm not questioning your source of information, just questioning why you even bring it up in the first place.
Actually, it went unnoticed for about 7 months, but whatever...
I apologize if the the comment seemed unnecessarily harsh, but you have to look at the context... we (mods) had just gotten through dealing with a ton of fallout from various threads involving you and "inside knowledge" and "exclusive species", etc etc... we had all pretty much had it by that point. People are free to search for themselves, there's no need to re-hash it here.
The point of my post was that if you can' t post a location, give the scientist's name, or even provide a believable photo, then why would anyone believe it? Why SHOULD anyone believe it? You said yourself information and hard data on Scolopendra are hard to come by, so why insist that people take a vague claim from "a scientist" as fact? I'm not questioning your source of information, just questioning why you even bring it up in the first place.
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exclusive
Mister Internet:
For many years now, I have sold many different species in the U.S. hobby in which I was the first to produce, import and/or introduce. Where do you get your facts from? The following is just a short list off the top of what I brought in or produced and/or was responsible for why they are in the U.S hobby. At the time and on some currently, yes, I was and/or still am the exclusive supplier:
Xenesthis sp. "Amazonian Giant Powder Blue"
X. intermedia
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Acanthoscurria brocklehursti
Acanthoscurria jurenicola “
Aphonopelma borellii
Aphonopelma caniceps
Chilobrachys huahini
Citharacanthus l. niger
Coremiocnemis sp. “Malaysian Purple-Femur”
Crypisidromus sp. “Painted Orange”,
Ephebopus sp. “Fr. Guiana dark skeleton”
Ephebopus uatuman “Emerald Skeleton”
Eupalaestrus campestratus
Grammostola aureostriata
Grammostola chalcothix
Haplopelma schmidti “Chinese Giant Gold Earth Tiger”
Haplopelma sp. “Chinese Giant Black Earth Tiger”
Hysterocrates apostolicus
Hysterocrates scepticus
Iridopelma sp., (species called “recife” or “reecfi”)
Lamproplema nigerrium (?) “Borneo Giant Orange-Fringed”
Lasiodora cristatus “Braz. red & white”
Lasiodora difficilis
Lasiodora striatipes
Megaphobema peterklaasi
Nhandu carapoensis
Nhandu coloratovillosus
Pamphobeteus sp. “Ecuadorian Golden-Flame Birdeater”
Pamphobeteus insignis
Pamphobeteus nigricolor
Pamphobeteus vespertinus
Phoneyusa manicata
Phormictopus platus
Psalmopoeus sp. “Peruvian Black”,
Pterinochilus lugardi (golden-striped form)
Tapinauchenius elenae “Golden-Orange Tree Spider”
Vitalius dubia
Orobothriurus alticola “Chilean burgundy fat-tail scorpion”
Scorpio m. fuscus “Barabarian Coast Black Scorpion”
Scolopendra sp. “African Green & Peach Tiger Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Giant Jewel Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Bronze-Black-headed Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Mai Chau Giant Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. (possibly S. s. de haani) “Chinese Giant Centipede”
Rhagodes sp. “Egyptian Giant White-Painted Solifugid”
Acanthognathus pissii “Chilean Golden-Ground Spider”
Family: Ctenidae (possibly Phoneutria sp.) “Guyana Wandering Spider”
Latrodectus bishopi “Red Widow”
Family: Barychelidae “East African Shiny Grey Tunneling Spider”
Family: Barchychelidae “African Spotted Trapdoor Spider”
Family: Rhinocricidae “Peruvian Ivory-Green Millipede”
The species above are in the U.S. hobby because of my efforts. Either I breed them first, brought them in first, sold them exclusively at that time or all of the above.
As for the continued debate about this island giant centipede off the coast of Ecuador, the scientific community doesn't like us well in the pet trade industry and does not like to discuss information that could be of commericial use. With that said, I enjoy a very good relationship with many well-known and respected invert researchers and from time-to-time, they let me know about a new discovery. I pass this information along, cutting out some details to protect their reseach efforts and for conservation reasons, but instead of complaining about that, be glad you get that information. It's legit coming from me. If you take a second look at what I do and what I've done, you will understand that if I post information like that, you can believe it. I'm a skeptic too, but with I'm shown pics and scientific info from somebody that is well-respected in their field, I accept it. So, please except the FACT there exist a centipede in Trinidad that measured 16" and one off the coast of Ecuador that was 25". If that is too much for you, then I can't begin to tell you about the tailless whipscorpion in the Yucatan province of Mexico that has a 25" legspan discovered recently. I guess you wouldn't believe that either.
Todd
Mister Internet:
For many years now, I have sold many different species in the U.S. hobby in which I was the first to produce, import and/or introduce. Where do you get your facts from? The following is just a short list off the top of what I brought in or produced and/or was responsible for why they are in the U.S hobby. At the time and on some currently, yes, I was and/or still am the exclusive supplier:
Xenesthis sp. "Amazonian Giant Powder Blue"
X. intermedia
Acanthoscurria geniculata
Acanthoscurria brocklehursti
Acanthoscurria jurenicola “
Aphonopelma borellii
Aphonopelma caniceps
Chilobrachys huahini
Citharacanthus l. niger
Coremiocnemis sp. “Malaysian Purple-Femur”
Crypisidromus sp. “Painted Orange”,
Ephebopus sp. “Fr. Guiana dark skeleton”
Ephebopus uatuman “Emerald Skeleton”
Eupalaestrus campestratus
Grammostola aureostriata
Grammostola chalcothix
Haplopelma schmidti “Chinese Giant Gold Earth Tiger”
Haplopelma sp. “Chinese Giant Black Earth Tiger”
Hysterocrates apostolicus
Hysterocrates scepticus
Iridopelma sp., (species called “recife” or “reecfi”)
Lamproplema nigerrium (?) “Borneo Giant Orange-Fringed”
Lasiodora cristatus “Braz. red & white”
Lasiodora difficilis
Lasiodora striatipes
Megaphobema peterklaasi
Nhandu carapoensis
Nhandu coloratovillosus
Pamphobeteus sp. “Ecuadorian Golden-Flame Birdeater”
Pamphobeteus insignis
Pamphobeteus nigricolor
Pamphobeteus vespertinus
Phoneyusa manicata
Phormictopus platus
Psalmopoeus sp. “Peruvian Black”,
Pterinochilus lugardi (golden-striped form)
Tapinauchenius elenae “Golden-Orange Tree Spider”
Vitalius dubia
Orobothriurus alticola “Chilean burgundy fat-tail scorpion”
Scorpio m. fuscus “Barabarian Coast Black Scorpion”
Scolopendra sp. “African Green & Peach Tiger Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Giant Jewel Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Malaysian Bronze-Black-headed Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. “Mai Chau Giant Centipede”
Scolopendra sp. (possibly S. s. de haani) “Chinese Giant Centipede”
Rhagodes sp. “Egyptian Giant White-Painted Solifugid”
Acanthognathus pissii “Chilean Golden-Ground Spider”
Family: Ctenidae (possibly Phoneutria sp.) “Guyana Wandering Spider”
Latrodectus bishopi “Red Widow”
Family: Barychelidae “East African Shiny Grey Tunneling Spider”
Family: Barchychelidae “African Spotted Trapdoor Spider”
Family: Rhinocricidae “Peruvian Ivory-Green Millipede”
The species above are in the U.S. hobby because of my efforts. Either I breed them first, brought them in first, sold them exclusively at that time or all of the above.
As for the continued debate about this island giant centipede off the coast of Ecuador, the scientific community doesn't like us well in the pet trade industry and does not like to discuss information that could be of commericial use. With that said, I enjoy a very good relationship with many well-known and respected invert researchers and from time-to-time, they let me know about a new discovery. I pass this information along, cutting out some details to protect their reseach efforts and for conservation reasons, but instead of complaining about that, be glad you get that information. It's legit coming from me. If you take a second look at what I do and what I've done, you will understand that if I post information like that, you can believe it. I'm a skeptic too, but with I'm shown pics and scientific info from somebody that is well-respected in their field, I accept it. So, please except the FACT there exist a centipede in Trinidad that measured 16" and one off the coast of Ecuador that was 25". If that is too much for you, then I can't begin to tell you about the tailless whipscorpion in the Yucatan province of Mexico that has a 25" legspan discovered recently. I guess you wouldn't believe that either.
Todd
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2002
- Messages
- 675
Wow! Godzilla lives!
To further educate and fascinate pede keepers about this monstrous centipede see:
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/gal02/welcome.html (pic under the life list section, under invertebrates, nice info about the island fauna).
http://home.mcyork.com/galapagos/normal/default.htm?image=bigcenti.jpg
http://sojournsinnature.com/stocklistings.php (you can purchase a photo from this photographer of the species)
Also, see my updated: www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm
Todd
To further educate and fascinate pede keepers about this monstrous centipede see:
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/gal02/welcome.html (pic under the life list section, under invertebrates, nice info about the island fauna).
http://home.mcyork.com/galapagos/normal/default.htm?image=bigcenti.jpg
http://sojournsinnature.com/stocklistings.php (you can purchase a photo from this photographer of the species)
Also, see my updated: www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/centipedegallery.htm
Todd
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2004
- Messages
- 1,458
as the old saying goes: ANY clear PICTURE of the 18"-22" pede?
it's not big foot or Loch Ness Monster, i guess, but at least they got photos and video clips, all the galapagoensis photos with clear scales i've seen are from European keepers such as Sebastian and Steven...etc, but none from the wild ones
MYTH or TRUTH?
it's not big foot or Loch Ness Monster, i guess, but at least they got photos and video clips, all the galapagoensis photos with clear scales i've seen are from European keepers such as Sebastian and Steven...etc, but none from the wild ones
MYTH or TRUTH?
electrohippy
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2006
- Messages
- 2
Up close and personal with Scolopendra Galapagoensis!
Hi there. I am new to this forum. I am not a total "pede" guy like the rest of you, I just wanted to share something to hopefully put all the debate in this thread to rest!
I was just looking on the web for info on the very centipede you all are so skeptical of, because I was almost bitten by one on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos!! I was looking to see how much danger I was really in at the time, since anecdotal stories from locals aren’t usually that reliable. Let me tell you the story. It’s a little long because I want you all to register its authenticity.
I was in Galapagos for 3 months in 2001. I have a friend who lives there and works as a naturalist guide and dive instructor on the cruises they give over there, and we finagled me a work visa under the auspices of computer network specialist setting up his internet cafe that didn't exist.
Anyway, I was staying at his house, and didn’t have the money for a cruise, so I volunteered at the Charles Darwin Research Center. A girl there named Mali was doing a tortoise survey for her masters degree, and invited me on the crew. It was to be based on the back side of the island on a very small beach near a local fisherman’s landmark named Cerro Gallina (also a famous surf spot), wild camping for 7 days. The goal was to brand (I kid you not) tortoises’ shells and mark their location with a GPS.
A boat dropped us off late in the afternoon. We set up camp on the beach the first night with the assurance of the boat captain that the tide would not be a problem. WRONG!! Highest tide in years! We woke at 3:00 am floating on water that had washed in to our camp from the surf! We got up and scrambled in pitch darkness to move camp to higher ground.
In the morning, we groggily got up and surveyed the wreckage. We had lost about 1/3 of our water, and our radios no longer worked. Great. We began moving our gear to a more permanent spot. That’s when it happened. I picked up my backpack, and proceeded to swing it on my shoulder. Mali screamed. The other woman (who’s name I can’t remember cuz I’m a total dork) ran toward me with a purpose. I couldn’t figure out what the hell they were all so freaked about, but instinct told me to drop the bag. Good thing I did. Slithering out from under the top pocket that served as a cap to the main compartment was the largest centipede I had ever seen!!! It was shiny and black, about 18 to 22 inches long (and damned near an inch wide), and had been inches from my neck just moments ago without my knowledge. Had I been bitten, I don’t know what would have happened. Our radios were not functioning, no one was coming for us for a full 6 days, and it was easily a 7-day hike through wild terrain to the nearest road.
The other guy that was with us (shoot, forgot his name too), grabbed a machete and hacked it in two. It reacted by biting whatever was closest (which happened to be itself ) with it’s HUGE mandibles. It bit and bit and bit itself until the guy with the Machete hacked it in to little pieces.
We saw at least 10 others that week.
Anyway, that’s my personal experience with Scolopendra Galapagoensis!
Hi there. I am new to this forum. I am not a total "pede" guy like the rest of you, I just wanted to share something to hopefully put all the debate in this thread to rest!
I was just looking on the web for info on the very centipede you all are so skeptical of, because I was almost bitten by one on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos!! I was looking to see how much danger I was really in at the time, since anecdotal stories from locals aren’t usually that reliable. Let me tell you the story. It’s a little long because I want you all to register its authenticity.
I was in Galapagos for 3 months in 2001. I have a friend who lives there and works as a naturalist guide and dive instructor on the cruises they give over there, and we finagled me a work visa under the auspices of computer network specialist setting up his internet cafe that didn't exist.
Anyway, I was staying at his house, and didn’t have the money for a cruise, so I volunteered at the Charles Darwin Research Center. A girl there named Mali was doing a tortoise survey for her masters degree, and invited me on the crew. It was to be based on the back side of the island on a very small beach near a local fisherman’s landmark named Cerro Gallina (also a famous surf spot), wild camping for 7 days. The goal was to brand (I kid you not) tortoises’ shells and mark their location with a GPS.
A boat dropped us off late in the afternoon. We set up camp on the beach the first night with the assurance of the boat captain that the tide would not be a problem. WRONG!! Highest tide in years! We woke at 3:00 am floating on water that had washed in to our camp from the surf! We got up and scrambled in pitch darkness to move camp to higher ground.
In the morning, we groggily got up and surveyed the wreckage. We had lost about 1/3 of our water, and our radios no longer worked. Great. We began moving our gear to a more permanent spot. That’s when it happened. I picked up my backpack, and proceeded to swing it on my shoulder. Mali screamed. The other woman (who’s name I can’t remember cuz I’m a total dork) ran toward me with a purpose. I couldn’t figure out what the hell they were all so freaked about, but instinct told me to drop the bag. Good thing I did. Slithering out from under the top pocket that served as a cap to the main compartment was the largest centipede I had ever seen!!! It was shiny and black, about 18 to 22 inches long (and damned near an inch wide), and had been inches from my neck just moments ago without my knowledge. Had I been bitten, I don’t know what would have happened. Our radios were not functioning, no one was coming for us for a full 6 days, and it was easily a 7-day hike through wild terrain to the nearest road.
The other guy that was with us (shoot, forgot his name too), grabbed a machete and hacked it in two. It reacted by biting whatever was closest (which happened to be itself ) with it’s HUGE mandibles. It bit and bit and bit itself until the guy with the Machete hacked it in to little pieces.
We saw at least 10 others that week.
Anyway, that’s my personal experience with Scolopendra Galapagoensis!
electrohippy
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2006
- Messages
- 2
Sorry...
No pix, but I will ask some of my friends on Galapagos if they have any.
p.s.: Sorry about deleting and re-posting my last post, I didn't spell check the title, and I hate gham-at-ikle and speh-ling air-erzz... I'm a dork!
No pix, but I will ask some of my friends on Galapagos if they have any.
p.s.: Sorry about deleting and re-posting my last post, I didn't spell check the title, and I hate gham-at-ikle and speh-ling air-erzz... I'm a dork!
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- 8,982
Awesome story! Yea! Oh, if you were to get pics.., you don't know how long and how many people on this forum and others have been wondering about the stories that have been told about this centipede. Shiney black? Get a pic, get a pic ......get a pic!!! If you don't know how to post it, you can send it to me and I can post it for you on this site. I would have to give you my email address. You could email me using this site using the "private email" option. Nice story. Thanks. Wasn't good to hear that the pede got whacked up though. Cool, thanks!
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2006
- Messages
- 638
Those are some odd proportions, because the largest centipede I've seen first hand, which was identified as S. gigantea (but could possibly be galapagoensis, or even virdicornis, from what other people on here have said), has a body length of around 12 inches, and is easily over an inch wide across the tergites. I would reason that a much longer closely related centipede would be correspondingly wider, not even narrower. Just doesn't seem to fit.electrohippy said:
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Ooooooooo,... you here that Electrohippy? Haha....you've got to prove it now:drool: !
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- 1,405
It's not about "proving" it... obviously, he has no pics of the event, and I doubt he's going back to Galapagos anytime soon. It was just drawing attention to what the rest of us pede keepers were already thinking... that is, "It was either one inch wide, or 18-22 inches long, not both." To maintain normal Scolopendra proportions, an 18-to-22-inch specimen would have to be nearly 2 inches wide, which is a pretty noticeable difference.Galapoheros said:
Let's just say we've heard plenty of anecdotal "evidence" of giant pedes over 16" long (16" at death being the longest I've ever heard about from a reliable source) for years now, and there's simply never been proof, other than dubious pictures and stories. I completely believe that electrohippy saw a giant black centipede... what I have trouble believing is the 18-22" part, simply because it was a quick, agitated situation, and it's impossible to get an accurate visual measurement in a situation like that. I've heard of plenty of 8-foot corn snakes back where I grew up too... people can't take a quick, nervous glance and accurately size something. It does confirm what we all already know, though, and that is that there is a HUGE centipede species awaiting further study there...
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Yea I hear you MisterInternet, Just hoping he can pull this off with his Galapagos buddies. I know allot of us are motivated to see any pics he can get his hands on. Everything does look bigger in "situations". Funny how our brains do that. It's making sure we take care of business I guess. The "inch wide" thing caught my attention too, but you never know. Sure would like to get pics from you electrohippy. I think the chances are slim but I'll give it a chance.electrohippy said:No pix, but I will ask some of my friends on Galapagos if they have any.
p.s.: Sorry about deleting and re-posting my last post, I didn't spell check the title, and I hate gham-at-ikle and speh-ling air-erzz... I'm a dork!
Last edited:
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another doubt is: ur friends on the islands HUMAN?
or they are high tech reptiles or birds?
or they are high tech reptiles or birds?
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Hahaha, well he did say the friends are naturalists and "guides" that work ...in the area(?). I understand the doubt, I've got it too. I'm going to hang in there a little while longer.Randolph XX() said:
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then there should be plenty of photos of they are naturalists or guides, right?
hope i am wrong cuz i am dying to see the photos of the gigantic pedes!
hope i am wrong cuz i am dying to see the photos of the gigantic pedes!
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Yea I agree. A pretty popular tourist spot too. Even if they're 9 or 10 inchers, I wonder why there aren't more pics on the net. Most naturalists like it all. It's hard to even find a pic of a medium sized one on the net, but I've seen a few. I may go there myself!!! Because of my situation at the moment, I have the time. Fat chance but I've been thinking about it.Randolph XX() said:
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A sure way to see a giant pede
Build a time machine and go back in time 350 million years to the carboniferous and look for an arthropleura
Build a time machine and go back in time 350 million years to the carboniferous and look for an arthropleura