Scolopendra dawydoffi is a species of large Scolopendrid centipede found in Southeast Asia, specifically in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.[2][1][3] It has bright reddish-orange and black colouration (and should thus not be confused with S. hardwickei),[4] and can grow up to and beyond 16 cm in length.[3][5]
Scolopendra dawydoffi has bright reddish-orange colouration, with dark bands on the ends of its tergites. The antennae are divided into 17-18 segments (articles).[3] It can live for 2-3 years.[5]
Scolopendra dawydoffi, like all centipedes, is predatory, and, like most large centipedes, is primarily insectivorous.[5][6] However, it has been recorded feeding on snakes, specifically Sibynophis triangularis, while the snake was laying its eggs.[6][7]
Scolopendra dawydoffi was first (incompletely) described in 1938 by Carl Attems as Scolopendra subspinipes cingulatoides. He said that S. s. cingulatoides "unites the taxonomical characteristics of Scolopendra subspinipes [Leach, 1815] and Scolopendra cingulata [Latreille, 1829]".[1]
S. subspinipes cingulatoides was elevated to species level and renamed S. dawydoffi to avoid confusion with Scolopendra cingulatoides, a junior synonym of Scolopendra cingulata in a 2012 taxonomic review. The new species name is in honour of Dr C Dawydoff, the collector of the species. [1]
It goes by no common name.[8]
Scolopendra dawydoffi is a species of large Scolopendrid centipede found in Southeast Asia, specifically in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. It has bright reddish-orange and black colouration (and should thus not be confused with S. hardwickei), and can grow up to and beyond 16 cm in length.
