Scutigeridae

house centipedes, typical house centipedes

Genus Guides

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Scutigeridae is a of commonly known as house centipedes, characterized by their habits and frequent association with human dwellings. The family includes well-known such as Scutigera coleoptrata and Allothereua maculata, which have been anthropogenically introduced worldwide. Members of this family are fast-moving with elongated legs adapted for rapid locomotion. The family comprises approximately 25 , with fossil evidence dating to the Early Cretaceous.

Scutigera coleoptrata by (c) Kyle Elshoff, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kyle Elshoff. Used under a CC-BY license.Scutigera coleoptrata by (c) Kyle Elshoff, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kyle Elshoff. Used under a CC-BY license.Thereuonema tuberculata by (c) geosesarma, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by geosesarma. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Scutigeridae: //ˌskjuːtɪˈdʒɛrɪdiː//

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

Images

Habitat

Damp, dark, or dimly lit areas within and around human structures including basements, bathrooms, and garages; also recorded from forested and lakeside in introduced ranges where have become established outdoors

Distribution

distribution due to anthropogenic introduction; native range includes Asia, Europe, and Africa; introduced and established in North America, South America (first records from Colombia), the United Kingdom, and Russia including Siberia and the Middle Urals; recorded from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and northeastern United States

Behavior

Fast-moving ; primarily ; frequently observed in indoor environments

Ecological Role

of household pests including , houseflies, and carpet beetles

Human Relevance

Beneficial presence in homes due to on pest insects; frequently encountered in human dwellings causing varying degrees of human reaction from to alarm; should not be killed due to pest control value

Similar Taxa

  • ScolopendridaeLarge tropical centipedes with robust bodies and relatively shorter legs; Scutigeridae have distinctly elongated legs and more slender build
  • LithobiidaeStone centipedes have shorter legs and are less associated with indoor ; Scutigeridae have 15 pairs of extremely elongated legs and prominent
  • GeophilidaeSoil centipedes are dorsoventrally flattened with very short legs and numerous body segments; Scutigeridae are dorsoventrally rounded with long legs and 15 leg-bearing segments

More Details

Taxonomic diversity

The contains approximately 25 , including Scutigera, Allothereua, Thereuonema, Thereuopoda, and Dendrothereua

Fossil record

The earliest known member is †Fulmenocursor from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil

Invasion biology

Thereuonema tuberculata, originally from Asia, has established outdoor in forested and lakeside in Nebraska, USA, expanding beyond its previously known distribution

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Sources and further reading