Scolopocryptops sexspinosus

Distinguished from other North American centipedes by the combination of large size (up to 69 mm), orange to reddish-orange coloration, 23 leg-bearing segments, and absence of ocelli (blind). The ultimate legs bear two basal spines: one large, conspicuous, nearly triangular spine on the ventral side and a smaller spine on the inner side near the middle of the basal segment. Tergites display incomplete longitudinal grooves confined to the posterior portion. Antennae have very short, dense hair with reduced hairiness on the first antennomere. The second trunk segment behind the head is the shortest, followed by the fourth and then the sixth segments.

Occurs in diverse terrestrial habitats across eastern North America, from sea level to 1,950 m elevation. Frequently found beneath decaying logs, leaf litter, and bark, where it seeks refuge from desiccation and predators. In summer, females occupy rotting wood or under bark for brood protection.

Widespread across eastern North America from Florida and the Gulf Coast north to Ontario, Canada, extending west to eastern Texas and Nebraska. In Canada, confirmed only from the Niagara Gorge; records from British Columbia and Vancouver Island previously attributed to this species have been reidentified as S. spinicaudus.

Adults active throughout the year.

Feeds on spiders, insects, earthworms, and smaller centipedes.

Moves swiftly. Females exhibit parental care by coiling around eggs and recently hatched young to protect them from predators. Capable of thermoregulation to maintain performance across a broad temperature range. Engages in intraguild predation and competition with ground beetles (e.g., Pterostichus stygicus), typically dominating in direct interactions due to higher activity levels and speed.

Generalist predator in forest floor food webs. Functions as an intraguild predator that can suppress populations of competing carabid beetles through asymmetric predation. May influence microhabitat use by small vertebrates; juvenile salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) exhibit avoidance behavior and are excluded from cover objects in its presence.

Can inflict a painful bite when handled or disturbed; venomous but not considered medically significant to humans. Often encountered by naturalists and forest workers when turning logs or leaf litter.

• Scolopocryptops spinicaudusPreviously confused with S. sexspinosus in western North America; distinguished by geographic range and subtle morphological differences in ultimate leg spination and tergite sculpture.
• Lithobius forficatusIntroduced European stone centipede co-occurring in some eastern forests; smaller (typically under 30 mm), with 15 leg-bearing segments and ocelli present, versus 23 segments and blindness in S. sexspinosus.

• centipede
• scolopendromorpha
• forest floor predator
• venomous
• parental care
• intraguild predator
• cryptic species complex

• BugGuide
• Wikipedia
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Responses of juvenile terrestrial salamanders to introduced (Lithobius forficatus) and native centipedes (Scolopocryptops sexspinosus)
• Competition and Intraguild Predation Between Beetles, Pterostichus stygicus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and Centipedes, Scolopocryptops sexspinosus (Scolopemdromorpha: Scolopocryptopidae)