“…and today we’re talking about a killer that offers sweet nectar to its prey. More on that later.”
There is a certain dread that strikes the human heart when you learn about an insect that expands its diet to include things like frogs, birds, and–worse yet–mammals. The giant desert centipede is just giant enough to cross into our class for a meal. But it needs more than size to take down large prey. A toolkit with more than one deadly device is exactly what this insect boasts in Life, Death, and Taxonomy.
Description
- Largest centipede in North America
- Aposematically colored, meaning it has coloration to warn others of its venom
- Long, segmented body with red-brown plating and a black head and tail
- Other variations switch this up and have a black body with a redhead and tail
- Despite being called a centipede (meaning a hundred feet) it actually has between 42 and 46 legs
Measure Up
Welcome to the beloved Measure Up segment. The official listener’s favorite part of the show! The part of the show when we present the animal’s size and dimension in relatable terms through a quiz that’s fun for the whole family. It’s also the part of the show that’s introduced by you when you send in audio of yourself saying, singing, or chittering the words Measure Up into ldtaxonomy at gmail dot com. We don’t have a new Measure Up intro!
Length
6.5 inches (170 mm), but can reach up to 8 in (200 mm) in the wild, and even longer in captivity.
The giant Giant desert centipede is the same as…
- The diameter of 12 coke bottle caps
- A giraffe’s tongue
- The thickness of 117 quarters
Fact: A giraffe’s tongue is 18–20 inches long.
Leg amount
It has 21 or 23 pairs of legs.
A centipede has the same amount of legs as…
- 23 Frank Lentinis
- 5.7 trestle tables
- One 56th of a Eumillipes persephone
Fact: Frank Lentini was a boy that was born with three legs. He had what is called a parasitic twin or an asymmetrical twin, which are conjoined twins that do not develop at the same rate. Frank had three legs and four feet. A Eumillipes persephone is a millipede with 1,306 legs.
Fast Facts
- Range: The American Southwest from the tip of Southern California to Missouri all the way down to central Mexico
- Loves very dry and arid places with lots of rocks and places to hide
- Doesn’t like it to be too hot though and is most active at night or when it’s cloudy
- Diet: Eats rodents like mice and voles, reptiles like lizards and small snakes, and amphibians like newts and frogs. It also loves insects.
- Behavior:
- Nocturnal
- They molt as they grow in size and stature, though they always have the same number of segments
Major Fact: Kill with Kindness
- Behavior: This centipede is primarily nocturnal and hunts invertebrates and small vertebrates, including rodents, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Diet: Its diet includes insects, spiders, scorpions, lizards, frogs, and even small rodents. It uses its venomous bite to immobilize its prey before consuming it.
- Ambush and Speed: It often uses ambush tactics, lying in wait for unsuspecting prey. When an opportunity arises, it strikes quickly, using its speed to catch the prey off guard
- Venomous Bite: Its venom contains a mix of substances, including serotonin, histamine, and various proteins, which it uses to subdue its prey. The centipede has specialized pincer-like appendages called forcipules, which it uses to inject venom into its prey. This venom immobilizes the prey almost instantly
- Subduing and Consuming: Once the prey is immobilized, the centipede uses its powerful jaws to consume it. The venom not only paralyzes the prey but also begins the digestion process
Why Does the Venom Have Serotonin?
Your body makes serotonin naturally and it’s often referred to as the “feel-good” chemical because it helps regulate mood, contributing to feelings of well-being and happiness. But serotonin is also found in the venom of several animals. When injected into prey, serotonin causes intense pain by triggering the contraction of smooth muscles. This muscle contraction can lead to cramping and significant discomfort, which helps the centipede subdue its prey more effectively.
Serotonin can also constrict blood vessels, which can further incapacitate prey by reducing blood flow. This combination of effects makes serotonin a potent component of the centipede’s venom, enhancing its ability to immobilize and capture food.
What Happens if a Human Gets Bitten by a Giant Desert Centipede?
Giant Desert Centipede venom can be dangerous to humans, but it is rarely fatal. If you get bit, you might experience:
- Pain and Swelling: A bite from this centipede typically causes immediate, intense pain and rapid swelling around the bite area.
- Other Symptoms: Some people may experience additional symptoms such as redness, itching, headache, dizziness, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Allergic Reactions: In rare cases, individuals may have severe allergic reactions, which can include anaphylactic shock.
- Tissue Damage: If not treated promptly, the venom can cause localized tissue damage.
While the bite is very painful and can cause significant discomfort, it is generally not life-threatening. However, this insect famously put Coyote Peterson in the hospital.
Ending: So take a midnight stroll, remember that redheads have all the fun, and kill your enemies with kindness like the giant desert centipede here in LDT.