Double-check ID.

skinheaddave

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Can people please take a look at this and tell me what species they think it is? I know what it was sold as and what it looks like to me, but I want untainted opinions.

Cheers,
Dave
 

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Mendi

Arachnowolf
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Looks a lot like my S.polymorpha, but that's just a guess without having anything to help scale its size... What was it sold as?
 

chyguy

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my guess would be haitain giant gigantea subspeices
to big to be polymorpha
chyguy
 

Steven

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to big to be polymorpha
mmm, how can you tell its size by looking at this picture :?
I thought by looking at the pict it would rather be a small species :)
 

chyguy

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the size of the container compared to the width of the pede. besides i have 3 and they are pretty skinny and i feed them
a lot. chy guy
 

skinheaddave

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That container is 4" square. You can see one complete edge for scale.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Steven

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That container is 4" square. You can see one complete edge for scale.
that makes it a 6-8" pede i guess?
some form of gigantea
mmm, i though the latest pair of leggs are different shaped with gigantea's but now i really don't have a clue anymore:? :D

skinheaddave release us from this pain:( ;) =D
 

Mister Internet

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To me it almost looks like that "Puerto Rican Giant" that Swift's been selling... coloring's the same (since when does that really mean anything?), and it seems to have that more bullet-shaped head that the Hatians and Puerto Ricans do... that would be my guess... not fully grown, of course...
 

Henry Kane

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I know it was bought as a "Haitian Giant" because I was there when Dave bought it. I think he's just double checking to be sure.
A lot of times, the exporters that send centi's to the states have no clue what they are sending us in terms of a valid scientific id. I have received centi's with some pretty ridiculous names etched on the sides of their deli-cups, only to discover that's the closest thing to an id you're going to get from these guys. A marker etched-made up-completely useless name such as "FIre Engine Pede" or "Orange Leg Pede" etc.. None of this puts the dealers at fault as centipede taxonomy is a challenge, even for the experts.
All in all, I'm pretty sure Dave's critter is synonomous with what's currently being sold here as "Haitian Giant" which I believe is S. gigantea ssp. Tom, please correct that sp. name if I'm wrong...which I very well may be.

Atrax
 

skinheaddave

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Yup, I bought it as a Haitian giant. Scolopendra sp. If it is indeed a Haitian giant then it should be Scolopendra gigantea ssp. That being said, I am thinking of giving up and just calling it a "Bigeus 'pedius."

Cheers,
Dave
 

Static_69

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Originally posted by skinheaddave
Yup, I bought it as a Haitian giant. Scolopendra sp. If it is indeed a Haitian giant then it should be Scolopendra gigantea ssp. That being said, I am thinking of giving up and just calling it a "Bigeus 'pedius."

Cheers,
Dave

lol...at this rate, we should all just make up our own genus and species.



Risto
 

Mister Internet

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Originally posted by skinheaddave
Yup, I bought it as a Haitian giant. Scolopendra sp. If it is indeed a Haitian giant then it should be Scolopendra gigantea ssp. That being said, I am thinking of giving up and just calling it a "Bigeus 'pedius."

Cheers,
Dave
Well, I've got a copy of Dr. Shelley's revised description of S. gigantea, and it states somewhat specifically that no naturalized or local population was ever known to exist in Haiti, and that if specimens were to be found there, that they would most likely be the result of stowaways from shipping. I don't have it handy or I qould quote it... I will try to find it later...

That's not to say that a gigantea couldn't be found in Haiti and that's what you bought, but the chances are slim, I would think....
 

Henry Kane

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Any idea on what Scolo's are indiginous to Haiti? I bet it was assumed to be gigantea because it's advertised as being capable of 12"+. I haven't heard or seen any proof of that as of yet though. Not to say it's not true but you'd think there's be at least a couple pics around on the forums if anyone even had a 10" (let alone 12"+) of this species, no?

Atrax
 

skinheaddave

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Well, with any luck I will eventualy be able to attest to its adult size. What is the growth rate like on these giant pedes? Assuming it is a giant pede and not just a full grown regular pede sold as a juvinile giant?

Cheers,
Dave
 

Poecilotheria

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Looks exactly like the Peurto Rican I bought from swift. Hes not trying to pass Hatians off as Peurto Ricans is he? Mine has the brown segments with black banding at the top and bottom of the segments, and a red tinged head, and blue tips on the legs and terminal legs. Mine looks exactly like yours, hmmm seems weird.
Steve
 

Henry Kane

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Hi Steve, since Dave isn't present at the moment, I'll help answer that. (hope you don't mind Dave) The pede did not come from Swift's and I know that Kelly would never ever try to pass anything off as something it's not.
That said, keep in mind that Scolopendra from many different ranges can possess very similar coloration. For example, Scolopendra sp. from Vanuatu are incredibly similar in coloration to S. sp. from Hawaii as well as Scolo's from Barbados.
S. viridis very closely resembles S. polymorpha as well as S. cingulata...and so on.
If Swift sold you a Puerto Rican Scolopendra, you can bet that's exactly what you have.

See ya.

Atrax

p.s. How big is your PR? I have a very young c/b PR I have been raising for a little while. Awesome little pede but I can't wait until he gets bigger.
 

Poecilotheria

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Ok, I guess its a Puerto Rican then. I got it a few weeks ago from the ones hes selling now. Its about 6in. now. I guess it molted already as it was 5in. when I got it. How bigs yours? Mine very jumpy for a pede. My old S. cingulata being the worst, jumpiest pede i've ever owned.
Steve
 

Henry Kane

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Hey again. Yeah, my PR is only about 3" or so. Still just a little guy. LOL It is already a serious spaz though. Like I said, I can't wait til it grows up.

See ya.

Atrax
 
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