Centipede cleaning its antennae

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

I thought some of you might be interested to see this series of pics. I think they're quite interesting from a simple behavioural point of view and also they show off the centipede's formidable fangs.

I would very much like an ID - however unfortunately I don't have any images of the whole animal as my dog (Maggy) got into an extended growling match with another dog and the centipede had disappeared by the time things calmed down. I can tell you that it was a very long species - you are seeing maybe one fifth (or less) of the whole centipede.





Bruce

[Ukwildlifeo]

Cracking pics as ever Bruce.

As for the ID I think its one of the 'earth centipedes' or Geophilidae - perhaps I think Geophilius is one of the more common genera but I have no idea what genus this is. Hopefully someone with better knowledge of centipedes than I will be able to help!

[Fauna]

Hi Bruce, great shots

There are several features you will need to id these earth centipedes (Geophilomorpha). The pores on the underside of their last legs and position, how many trunk segments, presence of a claw on the last leg etc.

I've spent some time with these this year and i'm still not confident with them, unless i run them through the key...though what i can see does show similarities to Stimatogaster subterranea, used to be Haplophilus subterraneus. Max length 70mm.

[Bruce Williams]

Neil and Chris - Thanks for your comments, ID suggestions and info - very much appreciated.

Checking out web images of your suggested ID (S. subterraneus) it looks very much as I remember it.....which made me realise my estimated size was way, way out - it was altogether much longer than the portion showing in my pics.

Bruce

[Fauna]

Just been checking through the Key seeing if i can run this down by process of elimination...

If you look on the inside of the poison claw there can be a small node. Your specimen seems to lack this (well not prominent at least). There are 30 species in this order, 13 of which lacks this node. Then take out the coastal and hothouse species and others on size and colour leaves me with, the one i suggested, Stigmatogaster souletina (two sites in Cornwall) and Stenotaenia linearis which i have never seen....i hope i got that right

Stigmatogaster subterranea is a lot more common...

Looks like we crossed posts

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks for your very detailed analysis Christian - I wasn't at all hopeful when I made the original post however it looks like you've pretty much got it buttoned down.

I notice you refer to (what I called) its fangs as its 'poison claws' so I reasoned that you knew something here that I didn't.....so I did a bit of browsing....

So it seems that the fangs are in fact modified legs - I found this website helpful (good diagram of underside of head): Scutigera

Bruce

[Bruce Williams]

Here's a close-up showing more detail on the poison claws:



Bruce