Amazonian Giant Centipede
The Amazonian giant centipede (or Scolopendra gigantea) is a large, fearsome and predatory arthropod that is native to the forests of South America and the Caribbean.
It has a segmented long body of either 21 or 23 segments, with one pair of legs per segment. It injects venom though pincer-like front legs called forcipules and can catch a variety of small prey using specific techniques. It occurs in a variety of colours – typically red, yellow, brown or black – with yellow legs and dark stripes between body segments.
The centipede can reach 30cm in length, and females tend to bear more legs than males.
Scolopendra gigantea
Exhibit needs
- Exhibit types
- Box, Cylinder, Box large, Cylinder large, Box large angled
- Terrain
- Rainforest
- Temperature
- 23–29 °C (variance 5 °C below, 5 °C above)
- Humidity
- 50–84% (variance 5 below, 5 above)
- Food
- Fruit and vegetables
- Litter
- 1–4
- Overpopulation at
- 2 (extreme 10)
- Breeds in
- All seasons
Overview
- Scientific name
- Scolopendra gigantea
- Class
- Chilopoda
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated
- Enclosure
- Exhibit
- Temperature
- 23 °C – 29 °C
- Humidity
- 50% – 84%
- Lifespan
- 9 yr – 10 yr
- Content
- Base game