Blog

When you take pleasure in scary others, you may be reborn as a centipede.
-Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol, Tibetan Buddhist poet and yogi

Centipedes could be scary creatures for some individuals. In truth, there’s a time period for it: chilopodophobia (or scolopendrophobia). With their giant dimension and vivid colours (some species), coupled with their many legs and quick actions, one can simply perceive why! As well as, a number of species, particularly a number of the bigger species within the genus Scolopendra, are venomous, most notably the Asian species S. subspinipes (black flame centipede), S. japonica (Japanese centipede), and S. dehaani (big Vietnamese centipede), and the South American S. gigantea (Peruvian big yellow-leg centipede). Rising up in Arizona, I noticed a pair species, together with the very giant (17-20 cm) and colourful S. heros (Arizona desert centipede), which has a painful chew to my information has not been answerable for any fatalities. For causes talked about above, I’ve determined to overview the Bullyland centipede for my subsequent Spooky Season entry. This determine was offered to me (very inexpensively, I’d add) earlier this yr by STS Discussion board member 75senta75, and I knew I’d be saving it for an October overview! The centipede was not marketed on the genus stage (extra on advertising and marketing terminology on the finish of my overview) nevertheless it was most definitely impressed by a member of the genus Scolopendra. There are over 100 described species of this tropical and subtropical genus, and lots of exhibit variation in colour. It’s subsequently unlikely {that a} species-level ID could be given right here and in my assortment I solely have it databased as Scolopendra sp. I’m not positive when it got here out, however primarily based on its type, it most likely got here out within the mid-late Nineties when Bullyland was producing related arthropod figures (the oldest report I do know of is from a 1997 catalogue).

Measured alongside its midline, the Bullyland centipede measures 22.5 centimeters, which places it in a 1:1 scale with a number of the bigger species!

The centipede is sculpted in a impartial pose with its head barely raised. The sculpt may be very good. There’s one pair of segmented legs per physique section and each the antennae and telsons (terminal appendages) are sculpted with segmentation. On the underside of the pinnacle the forcipules (‘fangs’) are fairly outstanding; these venom-delivering appendages are modified entrance legs!

The bottom colour is a heat orange with darker red-orange legs and brown highlights on the base of every physique section. Scolopendra species are sometimes fairly colourful; that is an instance of aposematic coloration to warn would-be predators that the animal is venomous. The enterprise ends of the forcipules are jet black, as are the tiny eyes.

General it is a actually cool centipede determine, and one I used to be excited to lastly have. Bullyland produced some very nice stuff within the Nineties, together with fairly an assortment of bugs and arachnids (and this centipede!). It’s lengthy retired and really tough to search out nowadays. I’m very grateful for having it gifted to me! And in case you selected to search for it, you would possibly wish to broaden your search parameters. You see, this determine was marketed in German as Tausendfüßler however in English as ‘millipede’. The time period Tausendfüßler is utilized in Germany interchangeably for millipedes and centipedes, and Bullyland catalogues with English translations referred to as this determine a millipede! So, second-hand sellers could be promoting it as a millipede!