Centipedes
Guides
Cryptopidae
Bark Centipedes
Cryptopidae is a family of scolopendromorph centipedes characterized by complete absence of eyes (lacking ocelli) and possessing 21 pairs of legs as adults. The family is dominated by the genus Cryptops, which comprises over 150 species worldwide. Members are commonly known as bark centipedes and occur across diverse geographic regions, with some species showing strong synanthropic tendencies and human-mediated dispersal.
Cryptops
cave centipedes
Cryptops is a genus of centipedes in the family Cryptopidae, commonly referred to as cave centipedes. The genus has a worldwide distribution with numerous species documented across Europe, Asia, and other regions. Some species exhibit troglobitic adaptations, including Cryptops speleorex from Romania's Movile Cave, which has evolved in isolation for millions of years in a chemosynthetic ecosystem. DNA barcoding studies have revealed greater species diversity than previously recognized, with cryptic species and large genetic distances between morphologically similar taxa.
Henicopidae
Henicopidae is a family of stone centipedes comprising approximately 19 genera and at least 120 described species. Members of this family belong to the order Lithobiomorpha, a group characterized by elongated bodies with 15 pairs of legs in adults. The family exhibits broad geographic distribution, with records from Europe, North America, and Asia. Some species, such as Lamyctes coeculus, have achieved cosmopolitan distribution through anthropochorous dispersal facilitated by parthenogenetic reproduction.
Mecistocephalidae
Mecistocephalidae is a monophyletic family of soil-dwelling centipedes constituting the sole family of the monotypic suborder Placodesmata. With approximately 170 species across 11 genera, it ranks as the third most diverse family in Geophilomorpha. The family exhibits a distinctive trait among geophilomorphs: leg-bearing segment numbers are generally fixed within species and identical between sexes, ranging from 41 to 101 pairs. Most species inhabit tropical and subtropical regions, though some extend into temperate zones. The genus Mecistocephalus dominates the family with roughly 130 species, most possessing 49 leg pairs.
Scolopendridae
Scolopendrid Centipedes
Scolopendridae is a family of large centipedes in the order Scolopendromorpha. Members are characterized by having 21 pairs of legs in most species, with rare exceptions showing 23, 39, or 43 leg pairs. The family includes notable amphibious species and exhibits considerable diversity in eye morphology, with most species possessing four ocelli per side but some being completely eyeless. Several species show sexual dimorphism in venom composition.
Scutigeromorpha
house centipedes, long-legged centipedes
Scutigeromorpha is an order of centipedes commonly known as house centipedes or long-legged centipedes. Adults possess 15 pairs of legs and compound eyes divided into ommatidia with crystalline cones. A unique diagnostic feature is the dorsal placement of spiracles along the midline of the back, distinguishing this order from all other centipedes and placing it in the subclass Notostigmophora. The order includes three families (Pselliodidae, Scutigeridae, Scutigerinidae) with 88 species across 27 genera. The Mediterranean species Scutigera coleoptrata has been introduced globally through human activity.