Critter Science
  • Merchandise
    • Wildlife Books from Critter Science
  • Zoology
    • About Me
    • Critter ID
    • Animal Behavioral Patterns
    • Types of Animal Dormancy
    • What is a Marsupial?
    • Butterfly Life Cycle
      • Butterfly Metamorphosis
      • World’s Largest Butterfly
      • World’s Largest Moth
    • Frogs vs Toads
    • Metamorphosis – A Frog’s Life Cycle
      • Frog Metamorphosis
      • Poison Dart Frog
    • The Deadly Chytrid Fungus
    • What are Species?
    • Venom vs Poison
  • Daily Critter Facts
    • Amphibian Facts
      • Frog Facts
      • Newt Facts
      • Salamander Facts
      • Toad Facts
    • Arthropod Facts
      • Arachnid Facts
      • Insect Facts
      • Worm Facts
    • Bird Facts
      • Flightless Bird Facts
      • Predatory Bird Facts
      • Scavenger Bird Facts
    • Cryptozoology
    • Fish Facts
      • Cephalopod Facts
      • Crustacean Facts
      • Jellyfish Facts
      • Reefs
      • Shark Facts
      • Shellfish Facts
    • Flying Mammal Facts
    • Gastropod Facts
    • Land Mammal Facts
      • Canine Facts
      • Feline Facts
      • Marsupial Facts
      • Primate Facts
      • Rodent Facts
      • Ungulate Facts
    • Parasite Facts
    • Reptile Facts
      • Crocodilian Facts
      • Lizard Facts
      • Snake Facts
      • Turtle Facts
    • Sea Mammal Facts
      • Dolphin Facts
      • Porpoise Facts
      • Seal Facts
      • Sea Lion Facts
      • Whale Facts
  • BYET
    • About BYET
    • Ernie on Fine Art America
    • BYET Gallery 1
    • BYET Gallery 2
    • BYET Gallery 3
    • BYET Gallery 4
    • BYET Gallery 5
    • BYET Gallery 6
    • BYET Gallery 7
  • For Teachers
    • Teacher Critter Resources
    • How Well Do You Know Reptiles?
    • How much do you know about birds?
    • What do you know about cats?
    • How Well Do You Know Amphibians?
    • Do You Know About Dolphins?
    • Animal Word Search
    • Connect the Dots
    • Coloring Pages
  • Contact
    • General Contact
    • Critter ID
    • Privacy Policy
Critter Books
Arizona giant centipede

The Freaky Cool Arizona Giant Centipede

  • 15 August, 2019
  • Critter Man
  • No Comments
  • 3171 Views
  • 5 Likes
Daily Critter Facts, Arthropod Facts

Aggressive, fast, and typically angry, it’s the Arizona giant centipede. There are 2 known types of centipedes living in the Sonoran Desert. One is the common desert centipede and the other is the giant desert centipede. Centipedes usually live in tropical regions, but they also live in deserts, and beach environments. Centipedes are found under rocks, bark, logs, crevices, leaf litter, and soil. I have not yet met one that didn’t seem to be a bit on the aggressive side. The other fun things about them are that it’s tough to tell which end is the business end and even if you grab them by the tail end, they can still whip around and deliver their telltale bite. Welcome to Arizona, where, like Australia, there are many critters that would like to kill you.

First the Stats…

Scientific name: Scolopendra heros
Length: Up to 8 inches
Leg count: Up to 23 pairs
Lifespan: Up to 5 years

Now on to the Facts!

1.) Centipedes have devices called gnathosomes or gnathopods to inject venom into their prey for self defense and hunting. These are a pair of pincer-like appendages in front of the legs. Even though the back of a centipede also looks formidable.

2.) They prey on insects, lizards, frogs, birds, and even rodents.

3.) Owls, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, ringtail cats, and the local exterminator all want to kill and or eat these critters.

4.) Their aposematic (warning) colors advertise their toxicity.

5.) Arizona giant centipedes are nocturnal (active at night).

But wait, there’s more on Arizona giant centipede!

6.) Giant centipedes are venomous and pack a wallop of a bite.

7.) A bite from one of these bad boys causes excruciating pain and eventual numbness at the bite site that can last for over 5 hours!

Did you know…?
The giant centipede’s venom acts as a cytolysin, damaging cellular membranes and rupturing cells. It also acts as a neurological agent that causes a type of paralysis in smaller prey, and a numbing in humans and larger prey.

8.) Females watch over their eggs by coiling around them and groom them to keep fungus & mold away. They also keep predators away till the eggs hatch.

Now a Short Arizona Giant Centipede Video!

Also, check out the Critter Science YouTube channel. Videos added frequently!

Want to suggest a critter for me to write about? Let me know here.

Learn more about all kinds of cool critters, right here!

ArizonaArizona Giant CentipedebitecentipededesertUnited Statesvenomvenomous
Critter Man

With nearly 5 decades of critter experience to my credit and hundreds of zoology teaching hours to people around the world, I have amassed not only a continuing thirst for critter knowledge but a desire to teach others all I can about the majesty and wonder of our natural world. Critter Science is a culmination of such knowledge. I have hands on as well as book acquired intel on all kinds of critters. Whether they're on land, sea, or in the air. I will never say that I know everything about all animals. That's impossible, even for a savant. But, that being said, ask me any animal question and I'll answer it. If I don't know the answer, I'll get an answer for you!

The Gila Woodpecker
The Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion
Related Posts
  • common house spider
    The Common House Spider 26 May, 2023
  • upland sandpiper
    The Upland Sandpiper 25 May, 2023
  • robber fly
    The Robber Fly 24 May, 2023
  • Books
  • Zoology is My Passion
  • Daily Critter Facts
  • Teachers
  • BYET
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022, Critter Science. All Rights Reserved.