Scolopendra polymorpha
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| Scolopendra polymorpha | ||||||||||||||||
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| Scolopendra polymorpha Wood, 1861 |
The Common Desert Centipede or Sonoran Desert Centipede (Scolopendra polymorpha) is indigenous to the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico, up to the Pacific coast. It inhabits dry grasslands, forest and desert. Its body reaches 4 - 5 inches in length. Coloration is variable, hence the species name "polymorpha" which means "many form", and alternate common names like "multi-colored centipede". The body segments have one dark lateral stripe, and for this reason is also known as the tiger centipede or tiger-stripe centipede. Generally this species has a darker brown, red, or orange colored head and lighter brown, tan, or orange body segments with yellow legs. Its antennae have 7 or more smooth segments. 
