Stigmatogaster subterranea (Shaw, 1794)

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Common name

Western Yellow Centipede

Synonyms

Haplophilus subterraneus (Shaw, 1794)

Status:

GB IUCN status: Least Concern

ID Difficulty

3

Identification

Stigmatogaster (formerly known as Haplophilus) are large (reaching 70 mm, or more, in length) yellowish-brown centipedes, recognised by the combination of a very large number of leg pairs and numerous coxal pores that are easily visible over the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the coxae of the last legs. 

Stigmatogaster subterranea has between 77 and 83 leg pairs, while the south-western Stigmatogaster souletina has at least 93 leg pairs. Only the uncommon Stenotaenia linearis, which is of similar appearance and has up to  81 leg pairs, approaches this number. In addition Henia vesuviana and Geophilus electricus can have more than 70 leg pairs.

More information to allow accurate identification is given in the published identification keys (Barber, 2008 & 2009).

Nicola Garnham
J.P. Richards
Andy Keay
Steve Gregory
Steve Gregory
Mark Robinson
Keith Lugg
Stewart Bevan
Nicola Garnham

Distribution

Although found commonly throughout much of Britain and Ireland, Stigmatogaster subterraneas is most abundant in the south and the west of both countries. 

Habitat

It inhabits a wide variety of habitats including woodland, coastal sites and urban sites. Further north and east it becomes increasingly associated with synathropic 'urban' sites, such as gardens and churchyards. Specimens can be found under stones and deadwood and among soil and leaf-litter. 

This account is based on that in the 'Centipede Atlas' (Barber, 2022).

References

Barber, A.D. (2022) Atlas of the centipedes of Britain and Ireland. Telford, FSC Publications

Links

ChiloBase 2.0 - World Catalogue of Centipedes: https://chilobase.biologia.unipd.it/searches/result_species/4278

BRC code

12

idBmigTaxa

Cen_202