Animal Profiles
Centipedes

Centipede

Chilopoda

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Centipedes are many-legged predators. This account focuses on the giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea), a large species from tropical northern South America.

Giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) at Sunshine Aquarium, Tokyo, Japan.

Giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) at Sunshine Aquarium, Tokyo, Japan.

Motokoka · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Giant centipedes shelter in humid forest environments.
Habitat
Rainforest
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Invertebrates such as insects, worms and snails supply food, and larger individuals can also take small vertebrates.

Classification

Common name
Centipede
Browse group
Centipedes
Scientific name or taxon
Chilopoda
Taxon rank
class
Source classification
Chilopoda

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • It requires humid shelter.
  • Venom claws help subdue prey.
  • Females brood their eggs.

Habitat and range

Giant centipedes shelter in humid forest environments. Soil, leaf litter and decaying wood help them retain moisture and provide concealed places from which to hunt.

Appearance and adaptations

The flattened body has one pair of walking legs on each leg-bearing trunk segment. A modified pair of appendages near the head forms venom claws used to subdue prey.

Diet and behaviour

Invertebrates such as insects, worms and snails supply food, and larger individuals can also take small vertebrates. Females remain with their eggs and brood the young until they can feed independently.

Sources

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