Scolopocryptopidae

Scolopocryptopid Centipedes

Genus Guides

Scolopocryptops(Red Centipedes)

Scolopocryptopidae is a of blind in the order Scolopendromorpha, comprising more than 90 . The family is distinguished from all other centipedes by having exactly 23 pairs of legs—a fixed trait that contrasts with the variable leg counts in other families. Members are eyeless and possess a distinctive with kinked, pineapple-shaped sieve projections. The family is most diverse in the , with four recognized : Ectonocryptopinae, Kethopinae, Newportiinae, and Scolopocryptopinae.

Scolopocryptops nigridius by (c) Derek Hennen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Derek Hennen. Used under a CC-BY license.

Scolopocryptops sexspinosus by (c) Matt Muir, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Matt Muir. Used under a CC-BY license.

Scolopocryptops spinicaudus by (c) Jeremiah Degenhardt, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jeremiah Degenhardt. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Scolopocryptopidae: /skoʊloʊpoʊˌkrɪptoʊˌpɪdiː/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

The number of leg-bearing segments is fixed at 23 pairs, distinguishing Scolopocryptopidae from all other . Members are eyeless. The second maxillary claw is pectinate. The forcipular coxosternite lacks prominent serrate tooth-plates, bearing at most a few shallow teeth. projections are diagnostic: stiff, pineapple-shaped, and kinked in the middle, with the half pointing more directly forward—unlike the evenly curved projections in related families.

Images

Habitat

occupy diverse including deciduous forest floor microhabitats beneath rocks and logs, caves (with some species being obligate troglobites), and tropical to temperate terrestrial environments. distributions vary: Newportiinae in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean; Scolopocryptopinae in the Americas, West Africa, and East Asia to New Guinea; Kethopinae in western North America; Ectonocryptopinae in Mexico and Belize.

Distribution

Most diverse and abundant in the . Found in North America, South America, and the West Indies; East Asia (Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia); West Africa (Guinea, Sierra Leone to Gabon); New Guinea; and Fiji. Not known from the continental United States, though present in Caribbean territories (Puerto Rico, US and British Virgin Islands). Northernmost Mexican records approach 154 km from the US border, suggesting potential for discovery in southern Texas.

Behavior

Some exhibit troglomorphism and obligate troglobitic lifestyles. Scolopocryptops sexspinosus has been observed as a engaging in intraguild with carabid beetles, with asymmetric competitive superiority over Pterostichus stygicus. Negative co-occurrence with competing predators beneath cover objects has been documented in field and laboratory settings.

Ecological Role

in forest floor and cave . Intraguild and competition with other generalist predators such as ground beetles may influence structure and predation pressure on lower .

Similar Taxa

CryptopidaeAlso eyeless with sieve projections, but lacks the kinked, pineapple-shaped projections diagnostic of Scolopocryptopidae; phylogenetically sister group within the blind clade.
PlutoniumidaeThird eyeless in the same clade with sieve projections, but distinguished by different gizzard projection and not sharing the 23-legged fixed trait with Scolopocryptopidae.
Other ScolopendromorphaAll other have variable numbers of leg-bearing segments (typically 21 or other counts), never the fixed 23 pairs; most possess .