Scolopendra polymorpha

Distribution

Found in the Southwest US and northern Mexico.

Description

S. polymorpha, nobis. S. olivaceo-brunnea, capite dilute castaneo; antennis 30 articulatis, pedibusque luteolis; dente mandibulari tuberculo basali magno; dentibus labialibus 3, maxillis, intimis dubius utrinque coadunatis, externis sejunctis; segmentis tibi margine posteriore nigro-viride, marginis lateralibus plurimque liberis; pedibus postremis robustis, articulo basali inus 7–10 spinis, subtus 8–12 spinis arrato, processu angulari arti bifido aut trifido aut quadrifido; appendicibus analibus lateralibus, singula 4–5 spinis apicalibus. Long. unc. 3.

Praebasilar fold apparent, but connate with the rather large basilar segment. First segment of body very small, suture between scutum and episcutum barely traceable, that between sternum and episternum much more distinct. Basal joint of last pair of legs, above flattened and apparently grooved, below very convex; the internal surface having near to it a proximal end a group of from five to seven spines, and several scattered ones on its distal portion; lower surface with from eight to ten spines disposed 1 in rows. This may be considered the typical arrangement, but we have very numerous departures from it; in some individuals the spines are irregularly scattered over the whole interior and inferior surfaces. The color also varies greatly, shading off from that given above, to a testaceous-duscent, the posterior green bands entirely vanishing. Even the characters drawn from the labial teeth are not constant in this perplexing species, these organs in some individuals being small and coadunate. One of our testaceous specimens has attained to the length of three and one-half inches.

Hab. Fort Riley, Kansas. Presented by Dr. Hammond. (Wood 1861)

Wood, H. C., Jr. (1861). Descriptions of new species of Scolopendra in the collection of the Academy. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 13, 10–15. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/17713