# Lots of unusual centipedes!



## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

I received a new lot of centipedes from Malaysia a few days ago. I was expecting mostly cherry red _Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani_ and I ended up with plenty of interesting little (or huge!) critters... I haven't had the time to ID for sure most of them, so I won't put any name here. The specimens photographed were anaesthetised with CO2 to record specific features. I will probably post more pics of small unidentified specimens in the coming days. Enjoy!














Scolopendra subspinipes dehaani


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

fascinating creatures
you almost feel sorry for the prey!


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## andy07966 (Mar 10, 2009)

Great pedes! Could you explain the CO2 technique you use?


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

The CO2 technique is actually quite simple. I have a big tank of CO2 in the lab, with a tap allowing me to regulate the amount released through a porous and flat sandstone (the plate). For small centipedes, i just put the specimen directly on the plate and cover it with a transparent plastic goblet. For larger specimens, I use a large metallic cylinder (about 35 cm high) and turn the plate over on top of it (see pic below). The CO2 is heavier than regular air and fills up the cylinder. Once your centipede stops moving, you can take it out and manipulate it for a little while (anything from 30s to 5 mn, depending on co2 concentration and exposure time). Otherwise, they will be anaesthetised as long as they are kept on the plate. Very handy to take macro shots with the microscope... 






























andy07966 said:


> Great pedes! Could you explain the CO2 technique you use?


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Awesome! Centipedes have always creeped me out a bit, but those pics are fascinating.


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## Vase (Jul 14, 2007)

Two words spring to mind when I see or read about centipedes...

'f**k that' :lol2:

Cool pics, have fun with the 'pedes.


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## andy07966 (Mar 10, 2009)

Is there not a risk of killing the centipede? Also, can you use this on other inverts safely?


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## SAn (Jun 29, 2008)

First is a scolopendra subspinipes subspinipes black-tip morph

Second+third is a dehaani cherry red

4th-5th probably ethmostigmus species

6th most probably ethmostigmus rubripes

and last not very sure but ethmostigmus colormorph again(?) rubripes?

Interesting ones

cheers,

Dimitris


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

Thanks Dimitris

i thought that the first one was a black tip, as it has all the characteristics of a subspinipes subspinipes and has... black tips! I ll have to check my macro pics and the literature (damn my german is rusty) for number 4. Number 5 is Rhysida sp. but i don't have a more specific ID yet. You are right for the following, it is Ethmostigmus. I ll have to check if it is rubripes. I am quite convinced that the last one is Scolopendra morsitans. 


For Andy: I know that this technique is used for some other inverts but I don t know to what extend. I can keep a centipede 15 mn on the plate without any consequence for the animal. I wouldn't go for lunch and leave it there tho... I suppose that you would end up asphyxiating them after a while. I ll go for another pic session today. I ll post soon.

Cheers,

Mika


(


SAn said:


> First is a scolopendra subspinipes subspinipes black-tip morph
> 
> Second+third is a dehaani cherry red
> 
> ...


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## SAn (Jun 29, 2008)

After some more careful look, yeah it probably is rhysida (aint ethmostigmus for sure)

The last one.. at first i thought its morsitans but then again.. 
if you asked me to bet i would place my money on ethmostigmus rubripes .
Lets see if better pics can help


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## Barney_M (Apr 2, 2008)

stunning i realy love centipedes. how do you keep ypurs above the surface?


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

Barney_M said:


> stunning i realy love centipedes. how do you keep ypurs above the surface?


thanks, I actually do not keep them particularly on the surface, they ll hide as soon as they can! I take them out to take pics and then they go back in their box...I believe that obscurity and direct body contact with hard surfaces (stone, wood...) is the key to reduce stress level in centipedes.


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## Barney_M (Apr 2, 2008)

how deep is the substrate you use?


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

and a few more pics...

_Scolopendra subspinipes subspinipes_










black tips morph



















_Ethmostigmus rubripes_










_Ethmostigmus sp. 1_










_Ethmostigmus sp. 2_










_Rhysida sp._










_Scolopendra morsitans_


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

Barney_M said:


> how deep is the substrate you use?


Because of the number of centipedes I keep and due to technical constraints (the space available in the incubators) I can only manage about 5/7 cm of substrate. I would give them more if I could. Nevertheless, I hatched clutches successfully that way, so I suppose that it is in the range of the "acceptable" for them.


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## Barney_M (Apr 2, 2008)

do you keep flag tails? i hear they can b kept in groups which i want to do but if they breed i dont know how to deal with the female of the babies to save them being eaten or whatevr


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

Barney_M said:


> do you keep flag tails? i hear they can b kept in groups which i want to do but if they breed i dont know how to deal with the female of the babies to save them being eaten or whatevr


I haven't kept flag tails but what I would do is to provide a rather large and high enclosure for the group with a bottom layer (3 inches) of large gravel/small stones and cover that with another 3 inches of peat/eco-earth with wood barks and stones on the top and just below the surface. That would provide enough hides for everybody. If you provide enough food all the time, there is no reason for the group to attack eggs which are protected by a female. As long as the female feels secure enough (probably in the gravel layer), there shouldn t be any problem. She would probably stay there till the eggs hatch. Once they hatch, the pedeling will remain with their mother for another few weeks. Once they leave the mother, you ll have to separate them from the adults to avoid cannibalism. Some centipedes may seem to be communal but it is still rather limited... Some ecological studies suggest that some Scolopendra populations are actually regulated through cannibalism and territoriality!

hope that helps, 

Mika


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## Barney_M (Apr 2, 2008)

i dont kno how i would remove all the babies though hmmm


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

Ha! that's a good problem! It means that you would have been successful at breeding them... When you have babies running around, remove the adults from their container for a short while and place them in a temporary box. Scoop the substrate little by little and poor it in another box. everytime you see a baby, it goes into another container... Easy! at the end, put back all the substrate and the adults. Done! The babies would probably be fine all together for quite a while.




Barney_M said:


> i dont kno how i would remove all the babies though hmmm


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## reptismail (Nov 15, 2008)

stunning : victory: i think my mum hates you now lol ( he got me into centipede's lol)


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## C_Strike (Feb 20, 2007)

nice pics, whets my appetite for a couple more, stunning things.


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## clockworkorange (May 30, 2007)

reptismail said:


> stunning : victory: i think my mum hates you now lol ( he got me into centipede's lol)


lol thanx, I think I've been and still am many mum's nightmare:devil:


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