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title: "What the sources say about the Amazonian Giant Centipede | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "48 claims from the Amazonian Giant Centipede profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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# What the sources say about the Amazonian Giant Centipede (*Scolopendra gigantea*)

> 48 claims from the Amazonian Giant Centipede profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Amazonian Giant Centipede](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/giant-centipede/)

## Scolopendra gigantea. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Scolopendra_gigantea/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Venomous | venom-bearing fangs called maxillipeds |
| Humid tropical and subtropical forests of northern South America | inhabits tropical and subtropical forests in northern South America (note: stats.habitat) |
| Humid tropical and subtropical forests of northern South America | centipedes are limited to living in humid environments |
| Insects, worms, snails, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, mice and bats | feed on small invertebrates such as crickets, worms, snails and roaches, and can also eat lizards, toads and mice (note: stats.diet) |
| Venom-bearing fangs modified from the legs on its first body segment. | The legs on the first body segment are modified into venom-bearing fangs called maxillipeds (note: stats.superpower) |
| Animal Diversity Web says it can grow to 12 inches long | this species can grow to be 12 inches long |
| Every body segment carries one pair of legs, and the number of pairs is always odd, from 21 to 23. | Each body segment has a pair of legs, which means that there is always an odd number of leg pairs ranging from 21 to 23 |
| The legs on the first body segment are modified into venom-bearing fangs called maxillipeds, which the centipede uses to hunt. | The legs on the first body segment are modified into venom-bearing fangs called maxillipeds that centipedes use to hunt their food |
| Its rear legs are spiny to ward off potential predators. | Their rear legs are spiny in order to ward off potential predators |
| Its menu runs from crickets, worms, snails and roaches to lizards, toads and mice. | feed on small invertebrates such as crickets, worms, snails and roaches, and can also eat lizards, toads and mice |
| Animal Diversity Web says the venom is strong enough to seriously wound a human. | is strong enough to seriously wound a human |
| Centipedes have no waxy covering on their cuticle, the outer skin, so they are limited to humid places, where they can usually be found in soil, leaf litter or rotten wood. | Since they have no waxy covering on their cuticle, centipedes are limited to living in humid environments, and can usually be found in soil, leaf litter, or rotten wood (note: outer skin is a gloss of cuticle; so = since) |
| They breathe through openings called spiracles, and Animal Diversity Web says those openings let centipedes lose a lot of water quickly. | Centipedes breath through openings called spiracles ... Because of these openings, centipedes can lose a lot of water quickly |
| tropical and subtropical forests | inhabits tropical and subtropical forests in northern South America |
| Animal Diversity Web's account, last updated in 2001, gives a normal lifespan of about ten years. | A normal lifespan for S. gigantea is about ten years (note: ADW page last updated 2001) |
| last updated in 2001 | Last updated: 2001-03-03 |
| The female broods her eggs until the hatchlings can get their own food. | the female of the species broods them until the hatchlings can get their own food |
| Animal Diversity Web says the species can grow to 12 inches long, about 30 centimeters. | this species can grow to be 12 inches long (note: 30 cm from 12 in) |
| dangerLevel: High | The poison emitted by the bite of Scolopendra gigantea is strong enough to seriously wound a human. |
| tags: rainforest | Scolopendra gigantea inhabits tropical and subtropical forests in northern South America. |
| Its venom fangs are modified legs on its first body segment | The legs on the first body segment are modified into venom-bearing fangs called maxillipeds (note: vibe.reason) |

## Van Buurt & Dilrosun (2017). Predation by an Amazonian Giant Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) on a Baker’s Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira bakeri). Reptiles & Amphibians.

https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v24i2.14166

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| its big ones are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats | large individuals are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats (note: tagline; big ones = large individuals) |
| up to 30 cm long | can reach lengths to 30 cm (note: tagline venomous) |
| Insects, worms, snails, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, mice and bats | large individuals are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats |
| Insects, worms, snails, frogs, lizards, snakes, birds, mice and bats | including frogs, lizards, snakes, birds (note: stats.diet; bats and mice from other entries (source says 'known to')) |
| Bats can fly away from trouble, yet a 2017 report says large Amazonian giant centipedes (Scolopendra gigantea) are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats. | Copyright © 2017. Gerard van Buurt ... large individuals are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats (note: bats can fly: common knowledge) |
| the 2017 report, citing a 2000 diagnostic account of the species, says it can reach lengths to 30 centimeters | Copyright © 2017. Gerard van Buurt ... can reach lengths to 30 cm (Shelley and Kiser 2000) ... Shelley, R.M. and S.B. Kiser. 2000. Neotype designation and a diagnostic account for the centipede, Scolopendra gigantea |
| On Aruba on 2 January 2017, Dr. H. Dilrosun watched a giant centipede about 18 cm long attack a Baker's cat-eyed snake. | O n Aruba on 2 January 2017, Dr. H. Dilrosun observed an Amazonian Giant Centipede ... about 18 cm in length, attack a Baker’s Cat-eyed Snake (note: PDF drop cap prints 'O n') |
| The snake died about half an hour after it was first seen, and the centipede then began to eat it. | The snake died about half an hour after initially observed, after which the centipede began to eat it |
| Frogs, snakes and birds are on record too. | including frogs, lizards, snakes, birds |
| The species lives in tropical and subtropical forests across northern South America and some continental islands, including Aruba. | These centipedes, which occur through - out northern South America and some continental islands (note: Aruba from the same note's observation; forests from ADW claim above) |
| Large ones are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats, according to a 2017 note in Reptiles & Amphibians. | Copyright © 2017. Gerard van Buurt ... large individuals are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats |
| The same note describes one on Aruba killing and eating a snake. | attack a Baker’s Cat-eyed Snake ( Leptodeira bakeri ) ... The snake died about half an hour after initially observed, after which the centipede began to eat it |
| big ones are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats | large individuals are known to climb cave ceilings and catch bats (note: vibe.reason) |

## Rodriguez-Acosta et al. (2000). Centipede (Scolopendra gigantea Linneaus 1758) envenomation in a newborn. Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo.

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0036-46652000000600007

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| noted that accidents with Scolopendra are not rare in adults, but severe envenomings with death are exceptional | Accidents are not rare in adults but severe envenomings with death are exceptional (note: genus Scolopendra, adults) |
| Doctors in Venezuela who reported a bite to a 28-day-old baby | On January 1999 , a 28-day-old newborn girl (3,700-g weight) was seen at Capaya rural health centre (Miranda state, Venezuela), suffer a scolopendra bite |
| The baby was given hydrocortisone and was feeding normally again after three days. | She was treated with hydrocortisone endovenous and oral acetaminofen ... After 3 days, she fed normally |
| Writing up a 28-day-old girl's bite in 2000, physicians in Venezuela said Scolopendra bites in adults frequently bring intense pain and swelling, but severe envenomings with death are exceptional. | Accidents are not rare in adults but severe envenomings with death are exceptional (note: genus Scolopendra (scolopendrism), adults; year, physicians, girl and symptoms in the claims below) |
| The girl was treated in hospital and fed normally again after three days. | She was treated with hydrocortisone endovenous and oral acetaminofen ... After 3 days, she fed normally ... When arriving the patient to the Hospital |
| Doctors in Venezuela | Physicians from Capaya Health Center, Miranda state, Venezuela |
| Very rarely. | severe envenomings with death are exceptional (note: faq 3 opener) |
| Writing up a 28-day-old girl's bite in 2000 | Rev. Inst. Med. trop. S. Paulo 42 (6): 341-342, November-December, 2000 ... (2) Physicians from Capaya Health Center, Miranda state, Venezuela ... a 28-day-old newborn girl |
| Scolopendra bites in adults frequently bring intense pain and swelling | Envenomation by any species of the genus Scolopendra (scolopendrism) produces defined sort of signs and symptoms in adults |
| Scolopendra bites in adults frequently bring intense pain and swelling | Oedema, erythema, intense pain (note: oedema = swelling; 'are frequently found' follows after a footnote number) |

## Scolopendra gigantea (Giant Centipede). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago, University of the West Indies.

https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/documents/ogatt/Scolopendra_gigantea%20-%20Giant%20Centipede.pdf

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Not Evaluated | The IUCN Red List has not categorized Scolopendra gigan tea (note: stats.conservationStatus; GBIF and Crossref checked, no assessment) |
| A University of the West Indies guide says centipedes have very poor eyesight and rely on their antennae to find prey. | Centipedes have very poor eyesight and hence, rely on their sensory antennae to detect prey |
| For centipedes in general, a University of the West Indies guide says most live about one to three years, while others may live up to five to six. | Most centipedes have a lifespan of about 1-3 years, while others may have up to 5-6 years (note: genus/order-wide statement in the guide, citing ADW 2004) |
| tags: nocturnal | They are nocturnal and remain in low-light and moist areas where there is an abundance of food. |