House centipede
species of arthropod
The house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is a yellowish grey centipede having up to 15 pairs of legs.
| House centipede | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | Scutigeromorpha
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| Family: | Scutigeridae
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| Genus: | Scutigera
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| Binomial name | |
| Scutigera coleoptrata | |
The species are found all across the world and live in human apartments or houses. The house centipede is an insectivore; it kills and eats arachnids and insects. They were first discovered around 1758. These centipedes are harmless to humans, although humans may be startled by them. It is a nocturnal animal.
House centipedes live from three to seven years, depending on the environment. They can start breeding in their third year.
They are among the fastest artropods: they can reach speeds of up to 420mm/s, which is about 1.5km/h.
