Scolopendra

The centipedes we label under Scolopendra belong to one of the oldest formally named arthropod genera. Carl Linnaeus established Scolopendra in 1758 in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, the starting point for modern zoological nomenclature. Of the handful of species he originally placed there, only Scolopendra gigantea and S. morsitans are still recognized in the genus today, with S. morsitans later chosen as the official type species by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature to stabilize the name’s usage.

Across the 18th and 19th centuries, naturalists like William Leach, Thomas Say, George Newport and others described many of the giant “tropical centipedes” that hobbyists now recognize as staples of the trade—species such as S. heros, S. subspinipes, S. dehaani and S. cingulata. By the early 20th century, Scolopendra was firmly established as the flagship genus in the family Scolopendridae, with major monographs by workers such as Carl Attems laying the groundwork for modern taxonomy and identification.

Today, Scolopendra is a species-rich genus of large, predatory centipedes distributed throughout tropical and warm-temperate regions worldwide, with more than 100 described species and subspecies and new taxa still being added through modern revisions and phylogenetic studies. Many of the giants popular in the hobby—like S. gigantea, S. heros and S. subspinipes—are ecological top predators in leaf litter and soil communities, capable of taking everything from insects to small vertebrates. Their combination of ancient name, long taxonomic history and ongoing scientific interest makes Scolopendra one of the most iconic invertebrate genera represented in the hobby.

Scolopendra hainanum

Common name: Chinese Giant Tiger Leg Centipede / Chinese Tiger Centipede

Origin: Native to Hainan Island and parts of southern China, in warm tropical and subtropical forests.

Lifestyle: Nocturnal, ground-dwelling predator. Spends the day hidden under bark, leaf litter and in burrows, emerging at night to hunt insects and other invertebrates.

Adult Size: Typically around 8–9 in (21–23 cm) in length, placing it among the larger Scolopendra species.

Growth Rate: Moderate to fast. Given regular feeding and warm temperatures, juveniles can reach adult size in a few years, comparable to other large Asian Scolopendra (inferred from care information and reported sizes in the hobby).

Temperament: Very defensive, fast and high-strung. This species is not handleable; it will readily threat-posture and may strike if disturbed. Bites are considered medically significant and should be avoided.

Color & Appearance: A heavy-bodied, high-contrast centipede with a dark, almost black body and striking yellow-orange to red legs often showing “tiger” banding, plus a reddish to orange head and terminal legs. A darker color form of this species can be found, referred to by hobbyists as Scolopendra hainanum 'Black'.

Species history

Scolopendra hainanum is a relatively recently described giant centipede from Hainan Island in southern China. It was formally named in 2012 by Christian Kronmüller, who separated it from the complex of animals long lumped under S. subspinipes after reviewing that species group in detail.

In the hobby, this centipede was widely traded for years as S. subspinipes “tiger leg” or “Chinese tiger” before its true status was clarified. Kronmüller’s work showed that the distinctive South Chinese form—with its heavy build, dark body and bold orange-to-yellow legs—represented a separate species now known as S. hainanum (often also listed under the corrected spelling S. hainana in some taxonomic databases).

Since its description, S. hainanum—commonly called the Chinese Giant Tiger Leg Centipede—has become one of the most sought-after Asian Scolopendra in the trade, appreciated for its size, contrasty coloration and classic “tiger” banding along the legs. Wild populations are centered on Hainan and nearby parts of southern China, where it lives as a fast, powerful leaf-litter predator.

Natural habitat

Scolopendra hainanum is native to Hainan Island and nearby parts of southern China, where it lives in warm, humid, subtropical forests. It is most often found in and under rotting wood, leaf litter and loose soil, using deep cover, mossy ground and bark crevices as daytime retreats. Field records and climate data from Hainan indicate consistently high humidity, heavy seasonal rainfall and mild winters, creating a permanently damp forest floor with plenty of hiding spots and invertebrate prey.

In nature this “Chinese Giant Tiger Leg” centipede behaves as a nocturnal, ground-hunting predator, emerging at night to roam through cluttered forest microhabitats while spending the day hidden in secure, shaded cavities.

Our Specimen(s)

Scolopendra sp. White Beard

Common name: Giant White Beard Centipede

Origin: Poorly described species from Southeast Asia, with exports and locality notes pointing to regions like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Lifestyle: Terrestrial, burrowing and secretive. Requires deep, damp, but not wet substrate and tight hides. This centipede is primarily nocturnal, emerging at night to hunt prey.

Adult Size: Most individuals are sold at 8-10" but are capable of exceeding 12" putting it among the largest Scolopendra in the hobby.

Growth Rate: The growth rate of this species is moderate to fast. Most sold are subadults or juveniles with reports of strong feeding response and steady growth when kept in optimal conditions.

Temperament: Very fast, nervous, and defensive. They are not handleable, and keepers should take note of the medically significant bite that Asian Scolopendra are known for.

Color & Appearance: The antennae are cream-white, from which it gets its name. Heavy-bodied red to mahogany dorsum with dark edging on the tergites, bright orange to red legs and a reddish head. Though usually red like the rest of the legs, the latter segments of the terminal legs can be a yellow or cream color in some individuals. It is unknown if this is a result of sexual dimorphism.

Species history

Scolopendra sp. “White Beard” is an as-yet undescribed giant centipede from Southeast Asia that has only recently entered the hobby. Exporters and dealers list it broadly as coming from “Southeastern Asia,” with specific mentions of localities such as Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. Because it has not been formally described in the scientific literature, it is usually sold simply as Scolopendra sp. “White Beard” rather than under a full Latin species name.

In its early appearances it was sometimes lumped into the S. subspinipes group or advertised as S. subspinipes “White Beard,” reflecting the long-standing confusion around large red Asian Scolopendra types. Over time, the combination of its very large adult size, heavy build and signature long white antennae led importers and keepers to treat it as a distinct, unnamed form and to standardize the trade name “Giant White Beard Centipede.”

The species is described by dealers as a rare, high-end centipede, “new to the U.S. hobby” around 2023 and recommended only for advanced keepers due to its speed, defensive temperament and strong venom. Since then, occasional imports and emerging captive-bred stock have kept “White Beard” on the wish list of centipede enthusiasts, while its true taxonomic position within the Asian Scolopendra complex remains to be clarified by formal revision work.

Natural Habitat

This is a terrestrial, burrowing centipede, living in warm, humid tropical climates. Trade descriptions list its habitat simply as "terrestrial, burrowing," and keepers report it collected from deep leaf litter and loose soil where it can tunnel and hide.

Vendors also note that this species is comfortable in very damp conditions, though keepers should be mindful of mycosis.

This combination of hot, consistently humid air and deep, wet, cluttered substrate is the key environmental template to mirror in captivity for Scolopendra sp. White Beard.

Our Specimen(s)

Scolopendra aztecorum

Common Name: Aztec Blue or Ghost Centipede

Origin: Endemic to Mexico, particularly the Baja California Sur region, though observations by collectors indicate its range could extend as far north as Los Angeles.

Lifestyle: Terrestrial, strongly burrowing desert/neo-tropical species. In nature it occupies dry, rocky ground and loose soil, sheltering beneath stones and debris; in captivity its kept on the dry side with a mix of sand, soil, and peat with a moist corner.

Adult Size: Typically around 6-7" as adults, though some individuals have been recorded approaching 8-9 inches.

Growth Rate: Moderate. Sub-adults and adults offered in the hobby indicate a steady growth rate under optimal conditions, comparable to that of other North American Scolopendra such as Scolopendra polymorpha.

Temperament: Fast, nervous and defensive. Like other giant centipedes, it is not handleable and can deliver a painful bite.

Color & Appearance: Juveniles are a striking translucent to opaque blue with a faint greenish cast. Adults fade to creamy white or whitish-gold with a dark head. This color change occurs slowly over several molts, with subadults appearing cream white or yellow with a blue cast.

Species History

Scolopendra aztecorum was first described in 1934 by the German myriapodologist Karl Verhoeff, based on six specimens (syntypes) collected in Baja California Sur, Mexico, near La Paz and Los Inocentes. Verhoeff originally used slightly different spellings (“aztekorum”, “azteka” in manuscript), but the name S. aztecorum became the accepted form in later catalogs and checklists.

For decades the species sat in the literature as a little-known Mexican Scolopendra, mentioned mainly in regional faunal lists and taxonomic catalogs, while its true appearance and range remained unclear. In 2016, a detailed redescription by Martínez-Muñoz and Dolejš re-examined Verhoeff’s original material and modern specimens, confirming S. aztecorum as a valid, diagnosable species endemic to Baja California Sur and clarifying its diagnostic characters and type locality.

Only recently has S. aztecorum appeared in the hobby, where it is marketed under names such as “Aztec Blue Centipede” and “Aztec/Southern Ghost Centipede.” Juveniles are sold as striking blue centipedes, fading to pale “ghost” adults, and are advertised as a rare, high-end species from a very limited West Coast/Northwest Mexico range. This blend of classic 1930s taxonomy and modern rediscovery has turned S. aztecorum into one of the most talked-about New World Scolopendra.

Natural Habitat

Scolopendra aztecorum is native to north-western Mexico, with the type locality in Baja California Sur near La Paz and Los Inocentes. Field records and observations place it in arid to semi-arid scrub and rocky desert slopes across Baja California Sur and adjacent areas, often in loose gravel, sandy soil and among stones.

This region is dominated by xeric shrublands such as the San Lucan and Gulf of California xeric scrub, characterized by hot, dry conditions, sparse shrubs and cacti, and brief rainy periods. Summers are very warm (often mid-30s °C / mid-90s °F by day), winters are mild, and annual rainfall is low and highly seasonal.

In the wild, S. aztecorum is a nocturnal, ground-dwelling burrower, sheltering by day in cracks, under rocks and debris, or in shallow burrows to avoid heat and desiccation, then emerging at night to hunt invertebrate prey on the open desert floor.

That means the key elements to mirror in captivity are: warm temperatures, mostly dry, well-drained substrate with lots of rock/wood cover, plus a small, localized moist area for security and hydration.