Scolopendra

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Genus of centipedes

title: "Scolopendra" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["centipede-genera", "scolopendra"] description: "Genus of centipedes" topic_path: "general/centipede-genera" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scolopendra" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of centipedes ::

| name = Scolopendra | fossil_range = | image = Scolopendra collage.png | taxon = Scolopendra | authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | type_species = Scolopendra morsitans | type_species_authority = Linnaeus, 1758 | subdivision_ranks = | subdivision =

Scolopendra (from Ancient Greek σκόλοψ (skólops), meaning "thorn", and ἔντερον (énteron), meaning "earthworm") 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 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 30 cm 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 species are active predators, feeding primarily on insects and other invertebrates. Larger specimens have been observed preying on frogs, tarantulas, lizards, birds, snakes, rodents, and even bats. Two southeast Asian species, S. cataracta and S. paradoxa, as well as S. alcyona from the Ryukyu Islands, are amphibious, as these species can travel underwater by swimming or walking.

Venom

The venom of most species is not medically significant; 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 was found to contain compounds such as serotonin, 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, overruling a previous designation by Pierre André Latreille, in which he chose Linnaeus' Scolopendra forficata (now Lithobius forficatus) as the type species.

Species

The genus Scolopendra contains these species:

Species gallery

|title=Gallery |width=150 |perrow=4 |1=File:Scolopendra_oraniensis_crop.png|2=S. oraniensis |3=File:Scolopendra viridis.jpg|4=S. viridis |5=File:Scolopendra canidens.png|6=S. canidens |7=File:Scolopendra_viridis_maya.png|8=S. viridis maya |9=File:Scolopendra multidens 広西省産.jpg|10=S. multidens |11=File:Scolopendra aztecorum imported from iNaturalist photo 32038218 on 12 October 2022.jpg|12=S. aztecorum |13=File:Scolopendra hermosa.jpg|14=S. hermosa |15=File:Scolopendra_dalmatica.png|16=S. dalmatica |17=File:Scolopendra viridis viridis.jpg|18=S. viridis viridis |19=File:Natural History of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri, Plate XXVI.jpg|20=S. valida

References

References

  1. (2000). "Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, ''Scolopendra gigantea'' L. 1758, with an account of ''S. galapagoensis'' Bollman 1889 (Chilopoda Scolopendromorpha Scolopendridae)". [[Tropical Zoology]].
  2. J. Molinari, E. E. Gutiérrez, A. A. de Ascenção, J. M. Nassar, A. Arends & R. J. Márquez. (2005). "Predation by giant centipedes, ''Scolopendra gigantea'', on three species of bats in a Venezuelan cave". [[Caribbean Journal of Science]].
  3. Holmes, O.. (1 July 2016). "Giant swimming, venomous centipede discovered by accident in world-first". [[The Guardian]].
  4. Bates, M.. (26 June 2016). "'Horrific' First Amphibious Centipede Discovered". [[National Geographic Society.
  5. (24 September 2018). "A phylogenetic approach to the Philippines endemic centipedes of the genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae), with the description of a new species". Zootaxa.
  6. S. P. Bush, B. O. King, R. L. Norris & S. A. Stockwell. (2001). "Centipede envenomation". Wilderness & Environmental Medicine.
  7. (13 November 2014). "Niño de 4 años murió tras ser picado por ciempiés gigante".
  8. Robert L. Norris. (November 19, 2008). "Centipede Envenomation". [[eMedicine]].
  9. Ralph E. Crabill Jr.. (1955). "Proposed use of the plenary powers to designate for the genus "''Scolopendra''" Linnaeus (Class Myriapoda) a type species in harmony with the accustomed usage". [[Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature]].
  10. "''Scolopendra'' Linnaeus, 1758". [[University of Padua.
  11. (May 17, 2016). "A taxonomic review of the centipede genus ''Scolopendra Linnaeus'', 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) in mainland Southeast Asia, with description of a new species from Laos". [[ZooKeys]].
  12. GBIF https://www.gbif.org/species/10427121 Scolopendra lufengia
  13. "Fossilworks: Scolopendra proavita".
  14. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database".

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centipede-generascolopendra