Scolopendra

Scolopendra is the common centipede.
Nocturnal, predatory carnivore, found in tropical and sub-tropical countries.
Commonly lives in soil and beneath stones bark and logs in moist and damp areas and human dwellings.
Scolopendra gigantica is the largest of all living centipedes (grows up to a length of 30cm).

1. Scolopendra Phylum- Arthropoda Sub phylum- Uniramia Class- Chilopoda

2. Scolopendra gigantica

3. General characters Scolopendra is the common centipede. Nocturnal, predatory carnivore, found in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Commonly lives in soil and beneath stones bark and logs in moist and damp areas and human dwellings. Scolopendra gigantica is the largest of all living centipedes (grows up to a length of 30cm).

4. Features Body is long,flat and divisible into head and trunk. Chitinous exoskeleton is soft and flexible, with very low calcium content. Head is covered dorsally by a cephalic shield. In the trunk each segment has a dorsal tergum and a ventral sternum, connected together by pleuron on each side.

5. A taxonomic review

6. Mouth region Head bears the mouth, a small labrrum,paired antennae, mandibles and first and second maxillae, the hypopharynx and groups of ocelli.Mandibles bear large teeth and a thick fringe of setae. Second maxillae are short,heavy and palp like.

7. Trunk is many segmented.No differentiation into thorax and abdomen. With the exception of the two last segments, each trunk segment bears a pair of walking legs.The first pair of legs are called maxillipeds, since they are involved in feeding.They are 4 segmented and are modified as poison claws. Poison glands open at their tip.Each claw has a terminal pointed fang.The remaining legs are 7 segmented and serve as walking legs.The last pair of legs are larger than the others.They are not locomotor but are sensory, defensive,and offensive organs.

8. Behind these legs,there are two legless segments,known respectively as the pre-genital segments. Genital segment bears the gonopore and the anus. Scolopendra usually feeds on insects and their larvae,spiders,annelid worms,soil nematodes,slugs,etc.The prey is captured by the maxillipeds,and then paralysed by injecting venom.The venom is painful,but not seriously toxic or lethal to man.

9. Organ systems Vascular system consists of a dorsal, tubular and chambered heart.Each chamber has a pair of lateral ostia. Respiratory organs are tracheae, opening out by non-valvular and permanently open spiracles.With the exception of a few segments, each segment has a pair of spiracles. Excretory organs are malphigian tubules connected to the hind gut.Nitrogenous waste is mostly ammonia , rather than uric acid.

10. Sexes are separate.Female has unpaired ovary, oviduct and gonopore.But,male has several testes, connected to a single vas deferens that opens out by a single gonopore. Fertilization is external. In some species of centipedes, female broods the eggs in clusters and guards the young ones until they disperse.

11. Thank you Submitted by Ashwini P S 1st Bsc Zoology Govt college Kasaragod