Lithobius forficatus

Lithobius forficatus, most commonly known as the garden centipede, brown centipede or stone centipede, is a common centipede of the family Lithobiidae.

Underside with the powerful and venomous front legs

Lithobius forficatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Lithobiomorpha
Family: Lithobiidae
Genus: Lithobius
Species:
L. forficatus
Binomial name
Lithobius forficatus

Description

The species is between 18 and 30 mm long and up to 4 mm broad and is a chestnut brown colouration. It is similar to a variety of other European lithobiid centipedes, particularly the striped centipede, Lithobius variegatus, but L. forficatus does not have stripes on its legs.

Lithobiids leave the egg with seven pairs of legs, and each time they molt, they develop additional body segments with a new pair of legs on each.[1] An adult will have a maximum of 15 pairs of legs.[2]

Distribution and habitat

The species is found mainly in Europe and North America, as well as the Hawaiian Islands. Like most lithobiids, it is found in the upper layers of soil, particularly under rocks and rotting logs.

Behaviour

Lithobius forficatus may live for as long as five to six years.[3] It can be fairly easily identified by its reaction to being revealed, which is to run extremely quickly for cover. This is different from many of the other species of large lithobiid, which tend to be less extreme in their evasion behaviour.

Feeding

It is a predator, and its main diet consists of insects and invertebrates, including spiders, slugs, worms and flies. It has specially-adapted front legs which have evolved to resemble 'fangs' and they contain venom that allows the centipede to overpower its prey.[4]

References
  1. Smithsonian: Animal The Definitive Visual Guide. New York, NY: DK Publishing. 2011. p. 578. ISBN 9780756686772.
  2. Schendel V, Kenning M, Sombke A. A comparative analysis of the ventral nerve cord of Lithobius forficatus (Lithobiomorpha): morphology, neuroanatomy, and individually identifiable neurons. Arthropod Syst Phylogeny. 2018;76:377–94.
  3. Lewis, J. G. E. (2006). The Biology of Centipedes. Cambridge University Press. p. 328. ISBN 9780521034111. Retrieved 2016-12-24.
  4. "Common Centipede (Lithobius forficatus)". Woodland Trust. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
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