Scolopendra Explained

Scolopendra (through Latin from Greek Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: σκολόπενδρα, skoˈlo.pen.ðɾa) 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 30cm (10inches) and are the largest living centipedes in the world.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] [4] [5]

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.[6] In 2014, a fatality was reported for a bite from a Scolopendra gigantea.[7] The venom of certain Scolopendra species were found to contain compounds such as serotonin, haemolytic phospholipase, a cardiotoxic protein, and a cytolysin.[8]

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,[1] overruling a previous designation by Pierre André Latreille, in which he chose Linnaeus' Scolopendra forficata (now Lithobius forficatus) as the type species.[9]

Species

The genus Scolopendra contains these species:[10] [11]

One fossil species, †Scolopendra proavita, is known from Baltic amber deposits from the Eocene of Poland.[13] Fossil remains of a species tentatively assigned to S. morsitans (as S. (cf) morsitans) are also known from Pliocene-aged rocks in the Makapansgat of South Africa.[14]

See also

Notes and References

  1. R. M. Shelley . S. B. Kiser . amp . Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, Scolopendra gigantea L. 1758, with an account of S. galapagoensis Bollman 1889 (Chilopoda Scolopendromorpha Scolopendridae) . . 2000 . 13 . 1 . 159–170 . PDF. 10.1080/03946975.2000.10531129 . 83560131 . free .
  2. J. Molinari, E. E. Gutiérrez, A. A. de Ascenção, J. M. Nassar, A. Arends & R. J. Márquez . Predation by giant centipedes, Scolopendra gigantea, on three species of bats in a Venezuelan cave . . 41 . 2 . 2005 . 340–346 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101009003226/http://caribjsci.org/aug05/41_340-346.pdf . 2010-10-09 .
  3. News: Giant swimming, venomous centipede discovered by accident in world-first. Holmes. O.. 1 July 2016. 1 July 2016. The Guardian.
  4. Web site: 'Horrific' First Amphibious Centipede Discovered. Bates. M.. 26 June 2016. 1 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160626122234/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/amphibious-centipede-discovered-laos-scolopendra-cataracta-new-species/. dead. June 26, 2016. National Geographic.
  5. A phylogenetic approach to the Philippines endemic centipedes of the genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae), with the description of a new species. 24 September 2018. 10.11646/zootaxa.4483.3.1 . Doménech . Carles . Barbera . Victor M. . Larriba . Eduardo . Zootaxa . 4483 . 3 . 401–427 . 30313775 . 52975027 . subscription . Web site: A phylogenetic approach to the Philippines endemic centipedes of the genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae), with the description of a new species. 24 September 2018.
  6. S. P. Bush, B. O. King, R. L. Norris & S. A. Stockwell . Centipede envenomation . Wilderness & Environmental Medicine . 12 . 2 . 93–99 . 2001 . 11434497 . 10.1580/1080-6032(2001)012[0093:CE]2.0.CO;2. free .
  7. Web site: Aguilera. María. Díaz. Gienah. Niño de 4 años murió tras ser picado por ciempiés gigante. El Tiempo. 4 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160327095246/http://eltiempo.com.ve/sucesos/accidente/nino-de-4-anos-murio-tras-ser-picado-por-ciempies-gigante/161872. 27 March 2016. es. 13 November 2014.
  8. Web site: Centipede Envenomation . Robert L. Norris . . November 19, 2008 . October 29, 2010.
  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 . . 11 . 4 . 134–136 . 10.5962/bhl.part.2832 . free .
  10. Web site: Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 . ChiloBase . . October 29, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722063624/http://chilobase.bio.unipd.it/search/result_genus.php?117 . July 22, 2011 .
  11. A taxonomic review of the centipede genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) in mainland Southeast Asia, with description of a new species from Laos . Warut . Siriwut . Gregory D. . Edgecombe . Chirasak . Sutcharit . Piyoros . Tongkerd . Somsak . Panha . . 590 . 1–124 . May 17, 2016 . 10.3897/zookeys.590.7950. 27408540 . 4926625 . free .
  12. GBIF https://www.gbif.org/species/10427121 Scolopendra lufengia
  13. Web site: Fossilworks: Scolopendra proavita. 17 December 2021. fossilworks.org.
  14. Web site: Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. 17 December 2021. fossilworks.org.

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