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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Centipedes (Chilopoda) » Bark Centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) » Scolopendridae » Scolopendra » Giant Redheaded Centipede (Scolopendra heros)
Photo#189628
Scolopendra heros Centipede? - Scolopendra heros
Copyright © 2008 Thomas Shahan

Scolopendra heros Centipede? - Scolopendra heros
Tulsa / Red Bud Vallery Nature Preserve, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, USA
May 30, 2008
Size: ~8 inches
Found running through the leaves really quite quickly. It startled me when I first saw it out of the corner of my eye, as I thought it was a snake or a lizard, due to it's size and the sound of it rustling through the leaves. It hid under a rotting log right after this photo.

Is it a Scolopendra heros? How do you determine the gender? How long do these guys live?
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Contributed by Thomas Shahan on 10 June, 2008 - 7:10pm
Last updated 27 June, 2008 - 12:00am

Sc. Heros Castaneiceps
That is a beautiful specimen, what vibrant colors! The aposematic appearance is no joke, the venom of a giant centipede is said to be EXTREMELY painful yet not deadly. They are aggressive and quick to strike. I'm not sure how to sex these. They likely live 10-15 years, and grow slowly reaching a maximum size of about 10" not including the terminal legs. They shed once a year and take 7 years to reach sexual maturity. These are not hardy animals as pets, they require high humidity at all times or they die quickly. They require a varied diet and may live only a few months on crickets alone. Breeding is difficult as they are cannibalistic.
… Silas, 19 August, 2008 - 6:37pm login or register to post comments

Wow is that COOL!
Great photo too!
… Steven Price, 11 June, 2008 - 10:10am login or register to post comments

You got it!
Absolutely beautiful photo....and these guys come in a wide variety of color patterns...but they always seem to have yellow legs. Caught many of them at Boy Scout camps over the years, and the boys are always fascinated with them.
… Danny Mims, 10 June, 2008 - 8:49pm login or register to post comments

I'm pretty sure what you've f
I'm pretty sure what you've found is some sort of demon-creature and it's scary and evil. That being said it's a magnificent photo
… Will Chatfield-Taylor, 10 June, 2008 - 8:40pm login or register to post comments

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