Scolopendra morsitans
Scolopendra morsitans, also known as the Tanzanian blue ringleg or red-headed centipede, is a species of centipede in the family Scolopendridae. S. morsitans is the type species for the genus Scolopendra.
| Scolopendra morsitans | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Chilopoda |
| Order: | Scolopendromorpha |
| Family: | Scolopendridae |
| Genus: | Scolopendra |
| Species: | S. morsitans |
| Binomial name | |
| Scolopendra morsitans | |
Adult Tanzanian blue ringlegs grow to around 13 centimetres (5.1 in) and are generally characterised by bright red heads and striated body segments; however, their colouration varies widely across regional populations. The species is found across all inhabited continents and is highly invasive. The centipede is an aggressive and opportunistic predator which hunts primarily at night and feeds on other arthropods and some small vertebrates, using a neurotoxic venom and its strong jaws to capture, incapacitate and digest its prey. The species prefers warm environments and is often found beneath leaves, bark and other substrate on the ground.
S. morsitans should not be confused with the giant red-headed centipede (Scolopendra heros), Chinese red-headed centipede (Scolopendra subspines), or the Tanzanian blue ring centipede (Ethmostigmus trignopdus), all of which have similar sounding common names to S. morsitans.