Something different-Need some help to I.D.

Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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It was collected from the California Baja boarder.It came from a scrub desert
area with reparian sections.It about 8" long and it's body is heavily built.The
color is alot lighter than the pictures show.It's a silvery transparent pale
yellow pede.You can see the outlines of some of the internal organs when
you look at it.I'm going to post some pictures.But just remember the pictures
look alot darker then it is.It amost looks like some some kind of cave pede.
because of lack of pigment.I was unaware of any scolopendra in the area it
was collected.

Satellite Rob
 
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Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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Here are some pictures taken without a flash.The colors are much closer to
the real thing.It's much lighter than the pictures show and it doesn't show the
transparency.

Satellite Rob
 
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cacoseraph

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is 8" counting the legs and antenna or just the body?


i have a polymorpha that is about as clear as that and have seen more with that coloration


how far west were you? if you were within 200-300 miles of the Pacific that would be pretty far outside of the range that heros is known for


excellent excellent pede, btw


if no one chimes in with any solid info i can go get my Shelley book and tell you what diagnostics you need to look at to get it to species
 

Galapoheros

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I remembered that other thread immediately too Rick. It could be heros. However, one thing that catches my attention from looking at these two is the size and shape of the head. The head is smaller and it looks like it's shaped a little different than other heros I've seen, of course that might not mean anything, could be a locality characteristic I guess or even an individual thing, but it is a characteristic that is out of the ordinary to me for a heros. You can't rule out it being a poly like caco said. I'd send a pic of it to Shelly to see what he says about it too. I've done that but he will prob ask you to send it to him dead in a jar, lol I couldn't do that though, maybe after it dies without a lot of help from me. But, at least he might let you know what he thinks about it.
 
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Satellite Rob

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Hi Cacoseraph,
It was collected less than 20 miles from the coast and you could throw a
rock into Baja.With antenna and legs it's a hair more than 8".The plastic cup
in the container is 2-3/8 of an inch.I've never seen a Polymorpha over 6".It's
has to be a Heros color morph of some type.It's way to big to be a
Polymorpha.Plus it much fatter than any Poly.The location were it was found
I didn't think there were any Scolopendra there.Thanks for posting and feel
free to post again.

Satellite Rob


PHP:
 

beetleman

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:drool: ooh awesome pede! yeah looks like heros also,hmm rob........you know i can id it alot better if it was at my house{D it should be here with me,with my many many pedes{D again very nice pede.
 

Satellite Rob

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Hi Pete,
I got your message and I'll call you tomarrow.It is a great pede.I agree with
you.

Satellite Rob
 

cacoseraph

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heros is not known from CA and is CERTAINLY not known 20 miles from the pacific

that doesn't rule it out, but it makes it much more unlikely

polymorpha get way bigger than most ppl think. also, generally we just measure the body length... which would not count the legs and antenna. would that put your dude at more like 5-6"BL? i've had and held multiple polymorpha that are 5"BL




here is my similar colored polymorpha

zoom --> http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/cacoseraph/centipede/freak/S_poly_nuprin_b.jpg
 

Satellite Rob

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Hi Cacoseraph,
It's far to big and fat to be a Polymarpha.It's at least 8".The body alone
without it's legs is as wide as as a Sharpie magic marker or about 12mm.I
know it's a Heros.It's alot wider than most Heros and it's was collected about
10 days ago.After a couple of month of go living and eating.It will get alot
fatter.The only thing that makes me question if it a Heros.At the location
were it was found.Theres not supposed to be Heros for at least a couple of
hundred miles.But now it seems thats not true.Well cacoseraph it's been a
pleasure posting you.Have a great day and post again any time.

Satellite Rob
 

peterbourbon

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Hi,

i personally don't think it's S. heros, but that doesn't mean anything.
Detail pics much appreciated. ;)

EDIT: Ok, now i see you wrote "I know it's a Heros." (besides location that makes you doubt)
Maybe it's heros, but have you already checked the following taxonomical features?

1) second and third telopodite of second maxillipeds
2) number of total antenna segments
3) number of sparsely hirsute antenna segments
4) prefemoral process

To be "sure" you should have checked them, because obviously it's not a standard colorform (IF it's S. heros).
What makes me doubt is the shape of headplate and number of antenna segments, but it's not easy to find out from the pictures above.

Regards
Turgut
 
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Galapoheros

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As I said, this may not mean anything but it's interesting for me to compare the head area of these two, here's a Sc. heros. It's hard to count but it looks like my heros pedes have 5+ antenomers(sp?) than that one ..but they break off, so just something to consider.
 
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cjm1991

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heros is not known from CA and is CERTAINLY not known 20 miles from the pacific

that doesn't rule it out, but it makes it much more unlikely

polymorpha get way bigger than most ppl think. also, generally we just measure the body length... which would not count the legs and antenna. would that put your dude at more like 5-6"BL? i've had and held multiple polymorpha that are 5"BL




here is my similar colored polymorpha

zoom --> http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b287/cacoseraph/centipede/freak/S_poly_nuprin_b.jpg

I agree. It seems more logical that its a very light color varient of S. Polymorpha. Ive had a polymorpha almost the same same as that one. Around 6.5" w/o Antennae and very fat. S. Heros seem to stay skinny for me:? Im not saying its for sure either one of those, Id just have to go ith S. Poly. A very cool pede none the less. :clap:
 

Elytra and Antenna

Arachnoking
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The body alone
without it's legs is as wide as as a Sharpie magic marker or about 12mm.
I
know it's a Heros.
12mm is well within the range of S. polymorpha and as mentioned the location and coloration don't match the species you'd like it to be.
 

Satellite Rob

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Mine has 1 more pair of legs then the polymorpha in the picture above.Unless I counted
wrong.But I counted it 5 times and it was always the same.I also enlarged
it to 200% to make it easier to count.It's 20.5 cm long without antenna's and
12 mm wide without legs.

Satellite Rob
 

peterbourbon

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Hi,

I count 21 segments, not more. Nothing special.
You should try better whiskey. :)

Regards
Turgut
 

Satellite Rob

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Hi
I must be drinking or something.Because I count 21 segments on mine and 20
segments on the polymorpha.Now i've counted it 10 times.

Satellite Rob
 

peterbourbon

Arachnolord
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Hi,

then count again. I don't know there is a centipede with 20 segments.

Regards
Turgut
 

Satellite Rob

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Count the one in the picture given by cacoseraph on page 1 of this thread.
I keep counting it and it has 1 less segment.Plus theres isn't a polymorpha alive
thats over 20 cm.
 
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