Zygethobius ecologus, wow that is a mouthful. This animal’s common name is Stone Centipede. Most people think that this centipede is and insect, but it might surprise you to know that it is a carnivorous animal.

The Stone Centipede is short bodied. It has retractable claws that are poisonous. They are yellow or red brown, and if you saw an adult Stone Centipede you would see that it had 15 pairs of legs. They also have antennae.

You would find Stone Centipedes under stones hence the name Stone Centipede. You can also find them under rotting wood and fallen leaves. I couldn’t find the exact population of Stone Centipedes, but I do know that they are located worldwide. They are not extinct.

Stone Centipedes prey on small insects. For example, they prey on woodlice, worms, springtails, and grubs. Their retractable, poisonous claws help them catch their prey. Even though they are very aggressive predators, there are still some animals that catch and eat this centipede for a yummy snack. Some of those animals are lizards, scorpions, tarantulas, and some birds.

So, this animal as you can see is very interesting. They aren’t extinct, they live under stones, and they have poisonous claws. Sounds like a good life to me.

Author: Kassidy D.
Published: 04/13

Sources: http://bugguide.net 

http//somethinginmyhair.com
Photo Credit: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tedsla/tags/stonecentipede/