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Caribbean Giant Centipede
Scolopendra alternans
Scolopendra alternans, commonly known as the Haitian giant centipede, Caribbean giant centipede, and Florida Keys centipede, is a species of large centipede in the subfamily Scolopendrinae. The species was involved in widespread news coverage after an incident in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, in which a specimen of the extremely rare rim rock crown snake (Tantilla oolitica) died of asphyxiation while trying to eat a Scolopendra alternans, which also died.
From the article Scolopendra alternans on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), quoted section by section
Description
Scolopendra alternans is a large species of centipede, and can grow up to 17–19 cm in length. Their colouration is generally brownish or reddish, but it varies greatly depending on location. Some American forms are yellow to orange in colour. Morphological features also vary depending on location.
Wikipedia: “Appearance”
Range & habitat
This species can be found throughout the Caribbean and northern South America.They have also been reported as far north as Georgia.
Wikipedia: “Distribution”
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
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In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Scolopendra alternans in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 194074.