naturebriefs
8:49in productionCh. 1 · What it is/ 8:49 · ceiling 15 min
Insects & invertebrates

Scolopendra gigantea

The world’s largest centipede climbs cave ceilings to snatch bats—and kills mice, lizards and snakes with venom linked to a human fatality.

Scolopendra gigantea is the world’s largest centipede. It lives in northern South America and the extreme south Caribbean. It climbs cave ceilings to catch bats. It kills vertebrates including lizards, frogs, snakes, birds and mice. Its venom has caused at least one human fatality. Verified specimens come only from Aruba, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela (including Margarita Island) and Trinidad.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:50
    What it is

    It is a centipede—and the largest one alive.

  2. 2:15
    Where it lives and what it eats

    It lives in rainforest and dry forest leaf litter—and eats anything it can overpower.

  3. 3:23
    How it hunts

    It preys on vertebrates—including bats it catches on cave ceilings.

  4. 4:32
    Where it is confirmed

    Verified specimens exist only from Aruba, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela (including Margarita Island) and Trinidad.

Worth your time?

Yes. See the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • It subdues vertebrate prey including bats using ceiling-climbing and grip specialisation.
  • It occupies distinct microhabitats — leaf litter, under rocks and logs — in two forest types.
  • Its size, segment count (21 or 23), and predatory breadth are empirically verified.
What does not
  • It does not occur outside its verified range.
  • It does not have documented populations in Central America or the northern Caribbean.
  • It does not exhibit social behaviour or parental care — no source mentions either.
See it if
  • Field biologists in northern South America.
  • Cave ecologists studying bat-predator dynamics.
  • Toxicologists studying centipede venom.
Skip it if
  • Casual nature watchers outside its range.
  • Children or untrained handlers — its venom is medically significant.
  • Conservation planners without local occurrence data — no population or threat status is given.
The written brief1 min read

What the species is and where it came from

Scolopendra gigantea is a centipede in the genus Scolopendra. It is native to northern South America and the extreme south Caribbean. Verified museum specimens come from Aruba, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela (including Margarita Island), and Trinidad.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It hunts by ambush and pursuit. It climbs cave ceilings to seize bats mid-air. It holds heavy prey with only a few legs attached to the ceiling.

What it gets right

It gets predation right: it kills and eats vertebrates including bats, lizards, frogs, snakes, birds and mice. It gets habitat right: it occupies dark, moist microsites—leaf litter, under rocks and logs—in rainforest and dry forest.

What it does not

It does not occur in North America, Central America, or the northern Caribbean. It does not live outside tropical or sub-tropical rainforest and dry forest. It does not have verified records from Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, or the Lesser Antilles beyond Trinidad.

What it changed

Nothing is stated in the sources about what it changed.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for field biologists, herpetologists, arachnologists and ecologists working in its documented range. It is not for casual hikers in temperate zones, nor for anyone expecting docile or observable behaviour—it is cryptic, fast, and dangerous.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you are in its range and prepared for a fast, venomous, ground-dwelling predator that climbs rock faces and subdues vertebrates.

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