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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing stone centipedes. There are about 1,500 described stone centipede species worldwide and likely hundreds more that are undescribed. These invertebrates are commonly found under stones, hence their common name. Stone centipedes live on every continent except Antarctica and some oceanic islands. They stick to damp habitats, such as under rocks, logs, and mulch or in garden compost or leaf litter. Some even live in caves!

Stone centipedes range from 4 millimeters in length to just over an inch and a half, 40 millimeters, long. Their head is 'heart-shaped' with a distinctive ridge along each side. Their antennae have fluid like motion although they’re typically short. Instead of eyes, stone centipedes have eye spots called ocelli. These can detect light, but aren’t true compound eyes. Their head and body are flattened which helps them slink into tight spaces.Stone centipedes are usually red to brown and sometimes even purplish in color. As adults, they display 18 body segments, with 15 of these possessing a single pair of legs. Centipedes have one pair per segment, millipedes have two. The stone centipede’s legs start out shorter towards their head and extend in length the closer they are to the animal’s rear end, their last pair of legs being the longest.

These invertebrates eat other small creatures such as spiders, pill bugs, and millipedes. Depending on the species, these myriapods may actively hunt down their quarry or they may adopt an ambush approach where they sit in waiting for a passerby. They’ll also occasionally consume decaying plants and fungi, but they are primarily carnivorous. Stone centipedes have hollow pincers near their head which inject toxin into prey. Once subdued, the stone centipede masticates its meal with its mandibles. They are capable of piercing human skin, but they’re described as harmless with their sting being no worse than an ant bite.

Although they’re small, stone centipedes can live for years! On average, they can live to be 4 to 7 years old. To reproduce, the male makes a web and places a packet of sperm inside which is found and removed by the female. She uses this to fertilize her eggs, that is, if she fertilizes them. Stone centipedes are known to reproduce via parthenogenesis which is when offspring are produced without fertilization from a male. Either way, the eggs are laid one at a time. The female coats the egg in sticky mucus which helps it gather soil particles and blend in with its surroundings. This process occurs over the course of a few days, so once the egg is laid, she can begin working on the next one.

When they first hatch, stone centipedes don’t have all their segments and legs. They add these over time by molting their exoskeleton. It takes a long time for this to happen. Stone centipedes aren’t even ready to begin breeding until they reach about two years old! In the meantime, they have to watch out for predators such as shrews, toads, birds, and even each other!

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