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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Centipedes (Chilopoda) » Tropical Centipedes (Scolopendromorpha) » Scolopendridae » Scolopendra » Scolopendra alternans
Photo#93068
Large centipede red-brown - Scolopendra alternans
Copyright © 2006 Williams Family

Large centipede red-brown - Scolopendra alternans
Marathon, Monroe County, Florida, USA
January 16, 2006
Size: 8-9 inches
Found lat night in Marathon, Florida Keys. It was crawling accross our yard. It was very agressive it would try to bite anything near it. The ruler next to it is 6 1/2 inches long so with its anntenae and back legs I would think it was about 8-9 inches long. It was very active it finally stopped moving long enough for us to take the picture. The pincher things next to its mouth (I am not sure what they are called) were jet black. I can't crop the picture so it needs to be zoomed in, sorry. We released it after we took the picture.
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Contributed by Williams Family on 18 January, 2007 - 7:30pm
Last updated 9 March, 2007 - 8:38pm

released it?
ALOHA! HAWAIIANBOB HERE;
HERE IN HAWAII WE ARE INFESTED WITH THESE DEVILS. I JUST GOT BITTEN BY A 3 INCHER. IT TOOK ME OVER A MONTH TO GET OVER THE VENEM THAT I ENCURED THAT NIGHT. I HAD A SIX INCH CIRCLE ON MY RIGHT THIGH. I AM ALLERGIC TO THESE HORRIBLE BEAST. YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED THIS MONSTER.
… hawaiianbob, 6 July, 2007 - 9:46pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Centipedes.
… john and jane balaban, 9 March, 2007 - 8:38pm login or register to post comments

Scolopendridae
Scolopendra alternans Leach, 1815
… Rowland Shelley, 8 March, 2007 - 7:41am login or register to post comments

Definitely a Scolopendra spec
Definitely a Scolopendra species, maybe a S. viridis? Not too sure about FL species. Try www.scolopendra.be or www.scolopendromorpha.com for some positive IDs. Vincent and Stephen should be able to ID those in a heartbeat.
… Steve Ferguson II, 19 February, 2007 - 2:57pm login or register to post comments

Another Monroe county giant..
Hi, I found a 9 inch one the other day here in Key Largo. So far it's come down to Scolopendromorpha (Tropical Centipede) but that's as far as I've gotten..another lady in KL sent one in about the same size and color too. If you find anything more, let me know and I'll do the same.
… xsquid, 22 January, 2007 - 2:31pm login or register to post comments

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