''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical

centipede Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , " foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an ...

s of the family

Scolopendridae Scolopendridae (or, in older documents, Scolopendridæ) is a family of large centipedes (class Chilopoda). Nearly all species in this family have four ocelli ( simple eyes) on each side of the head and only 21 pairs of legs, but there are excepti ...

Description

The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world's tropics and warmer temperate areas. The species vary considerably in coloration and size. ''Scolopendra'' are mostly very large centipedes. The largest species found in tropical climates can exceed and are the largest living centipedes in the world. All ''Scolopendra'' species can deliver a painful bite, injecting venom through their forcipules, which are not fangs or other mouthparts; rather, these are modified legs on the first body segment.

Ecology

''Scolopendra'' are active predators, feeding primarily on insects and other invertebrates. Larger specimens have been observed preying on frogs, tarantulas,

lizards Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia althou ...

birds Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

snakes Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more joi ...

, rodents, and even bats. Two southeast Asian species, '' S. cataracta'' and '' S. paradoxa'', are amphibious, as these species can travel underwater by swimming or walking.

Venom

The venom is not medically significant for most species; however, bites from several species can cause intense and long-lasting pain and swelling. Large ''Scolopendra'' species from Asian/Pacific regions, such as '' Scolopendra subspinipes'' and ''Scolopendra dehaani'', are particularly potent, and have caused one reported fatality. In 2014, a fatality was reported for a bite from a '' Scolopendra gigantea''. The venom of certain ''Scolopendra'' species were found to contain compounds such as

serotonin Serotonin () or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter. Its biological function is complex and multifaceted, modulating mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory, and numerous physiological processes such as vomiting and vas ...

, haemolytic phospholipase, a cardiotoxic protein, and a cytolysin.

Taxonomic history

''Scolopendra'' was one of the genera created by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the starting point for zoological nomenclature. Only two of the species originally assigned to the genus remain so: '' Scolopendra gigantea'' and '' S. morsitans''; the latter was chosen to be the type species by Opinion 454 of the

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is an organization dedicated to "achieving stability and sense in the scientific naming of animals". Founded in 1895, it currently comprises 26 commissioners from 20 countries. Orga ...

, overruling a previous designation by Pierre André Latreille, in which he chose Linnaeus' ''Scolopendra forficata'' (now ''

Lithobius forficatus ''Lithobius forficatus'', most commonly known as the brown centipede or stone centipede, is a common European centipede of the family (biology), family Lithobiidae, although its distribution is not exclusive to Europe. It is between 18 and 30&nbs ...

'') as the type species.

Species

The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains these species: *'' Scolopendra abnormis'' Lewis & Daszak, 1996 *'' Scolopendra afer'' (Meinert, 1886) *'' Scolopendra alcyona'' Tsukamoto & Shimano, 2021 *''

Scolopendra algerina ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1845 *''

Scolopendra alternans ''Scolopendra alternans'', commonly known as the Haitan giant centipede, Caribbean giant centipede, and Florida Keys centipede, is a species of large centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae. The species was involved in widespread news coverage ...

'' Leach, 1813 *'' Scolopendra andhrensis'' Jangi & Dass, 1984 *''

Scolopendra angulata ''Scolopendra angulata'' is a species of centipede commonly found in Barbados. They are also found in Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a coun ...

'' Newport, 1844 *'' Scolopendra angusticollis'' Murray, 1887 *''

Scolopendra anomia ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1844 *'' Scolopendra appendiculata'' Daday, 1891 *''

Scolopendra arborea ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Lewis, 1982 *'' Scolopendra arenicola'' (Lawrence, 1975) *''

Scolopendra arthrorhabdoides ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Ribaut, 1912 *''

Scolopendra attemsi ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Lewis, Minelli & Shelley, 2006 *''

Scolopendra aztecorum ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Verhoeff, 1934 *'' Scolopendra calcarata'' Porat, 1876 *''

Scolopendra canidens ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1844 * '' Scolopendra cataracta'' Siriwut, Edgecombe & Panha, 2016 *''

Scolopendra childreni ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1844 *''

Scolopendra chlora ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Chamberlin, 1942 *''

Scolopendra chlorotes ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1856 *'' Scolopendra cingulata'' Latreille, 1829 *'' Scolopendra clavipes'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *''

Scolopendra concolor ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1845 *'' Scolopendra crassa'' Templeton, 1846 *'' Scolopendra cretica'' Attems, 1902 *'' Scolopendra cribrifera'' Gervais, 1847 *''

Scolopendra crudelis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *'' Scolopendra dalmatica'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *''

Scolopendra dawydoffi ''Scolopendra dawydoffi'' is a species of large Scolopendrid centipede found in Southeast Asia, specifically in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. It has bright reddish-orange and black colouration (and should thus not be confused with '' S. ...

'' Kronmüller, 2012 *''

Scolopendra dehaani ''Scolopendra dehaani'', common name Giant Vietnamese centipede, is a large Scolopendrid centipede found across Mainland Southeast Asia.Nariman Vazifdar, Patrick W. Aust, Mervyn D’Costa, A Centipede (Scolopendra dehaani) Feeding on a Juvenile ...

'' Brandt, 1840 *'' Scolopendra ellorensis'' Jangi & Dass, 1984 *'' Scolopendra fissispina'' L. Koch, 1865 *'' Scolopendra foveolata'' Verhoeff, 1937 *'' Scolopendra galapagoensis'' Bollman, 1889 *'' Scolopendra gigantea'' Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

*''

Scolopendra gracillima ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Attems, 1898 *'' Scolopendra hainanum'' Kronmüller, 2012 *'' Scolopendra hardwickei'' Newport, 1844 *''

Scolopendra hermosa ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Chamberlin, 1941 *'' Scolopendra heros'' Girard, 1853 *''

Scolopendra horrida ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *''

Scolopendra inaequidens ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Gervais, 1847 *'' Scolopendra indiae'' (Chamberlin, 1914) *''

Scolopendra indica ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Meinert, 1886 *''

Scolopendra inermipes ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *'' Scolopendra inermis'' Newport, 1845 *'' Scolopendra jangii'' Khanna & Yadav, 1997 *'' Scolopendra japonica'' Koch, 1878 *''

Scolopendra koreana ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' (Verhoeff, 1934) *''

Scolopendra labiata ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1863 *''

Scolopendra laeta ''Scolopendra laeta'', also known as the striped centipede, royal blue centipede or purple centipede for its varied patterning and colouration, is a species of centipede in the Scolopendridae family. It is endemic to Australia, and was first des ...

'' Haase, 1887 *'' Scolopendra langi'' (Chamberlin, 1927) *''

Scolopendra latro ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Meinert, 1886 *'' Scolopendra limicolor'' Wood, 1861 *'' Scolopendra lucasii'' Gervais, 1847 *''

Scolopendra lufengia ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' S. Kang ''et al.'', 2017 *'' Scolopendra lutea'' (Attems, 1928) *'' Scolopendra madagascariensis'' Attems, 1910 *'' Scolopendra malkini'' Chamberlin, 1955 *''

Scolopendra mazbii ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Gravely, 1912 *'' Scolopendra media'' (Muralewicz, 1926) *''

Scolopendra melionii ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Lucas, 1853 *'' Scolopendra metuenda'' Pocock, 1895 *''

Scolopendra michoacana ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Chamberlin, 1941 *''

Scolopendra mima ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Chamberlin, 1942 *''

Scolopendra mirabilis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' (Porat, 1876) *'' Scolopendra monticola'' (Lawrence, 1975) *'' Scolopendra morsitans'' Linnaeus,

*'' Scolopendra multidens'' Newport, 1844 *''

Scolopendra negrocapitis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the worl ...

'' Zhang & Wang, 1999 *''

Scolopendra nuda ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' (Jangi & Dass, 1980) *'' Scolopendra occidentalis'' F. Meinert, 1886 *'' Scolopendra octodentata'' Verhoeff, 1934 *''

Scolopendra oraniensis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Lucas, 1846 *'' Scolopendra paradoxa'' Doménech, 2018 *''

Scolopendra pachygnatha ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Pocock, 1895 *''

Scolopendra paranuda ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' (Khanna & Tripathi, 1987) *''

Scolopendra pentagramma ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Motschoulsky, 1886 *''

Scolopendra pinguis ''Scolopendra pinguis'' is a species of centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae that is endemic to Southeast Asia. Appearance ''Scolopendra pinguis'' is small, growing around 6.4 cm in length. Its antennae are blue and hairless at the b ...

'' Pocock, 1891 *''

Scolopendra polymorpha ''Scolopendra polymorpha'', the common desert centipede, tiger centipede, banded desert centipede, or Sonoran Desert centipede is a centipede species found in western North America. Description Their bodies generally reach in length. Coloratio ...

'' Wood, 1861 *'' Scolopendra pomacea'' C. L. Koch, 1847 *''

Scolopendra puncticeps ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Wood, 1861 *'' Scolopendra punensis'' Jangi & Dass, 1984 *'' Scolopendra robusta'' Kraepelin, 1903 *''

Scolopendra sanatillae ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Bollman, 1893 *''

Scolopendra silhetensis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Newport, 1845 *''

Scolopendra spinipriva ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Bücherl, 1946 *'' Scolopendra spinosissima'' Kraepelin, 1903 *'' Scolopendra subspinipes'' Leach, 1816 *''

Scolopendra sumichrasti ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Saussure, 1860 *''

Scolopendra tenuitarsis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Pocock, 1895 *'' Scolopendra valida'' Lucas, 1840 *''

Scolopendra violacea ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Fabricius, 1798 *'' Scolopendra viridicornis'' Newport, 1844 *''

Scolopendra viridipes ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Dufour, 1820 *''

Scolopendra viridis ''Scolopendra'' (through Latin from Greek , ''skolopendra'') is a species-rich genus of large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridae. Description The genus ''Scolopendra'' contains many species of centipedes found across the world' ...

'' Say, 1821 *'' Scolopendra zuluana'' (Lawrence, 1958) One fossil species, †'' Scolopendra proavita'', is known from Baltic amber deposits from the Eocene of Poland. Fossil remains of a species tentatively assigned to '' S. morsitans'' (as ''S. (cf)'' ''morsitans'') are also known from Pliocene-aged rocks in the Makapansgat of South Africa.

References