Strigamia acuminata (Leach, 1816)
Synonyms
Authority previously incorrectly given as Leach (1815) - see Barber & Read (2023).
Status:
GB IUCN status: Least Concern
ID Difficulty
Identification
The genus Strigamia are relatively robust darkly pigmented (reddish brown) centipedes which are readily recognised by the presence of a prominent tooth at the base of the poison claw. The large widely scattered coxal pores of the last legs are also distinctive of the genus.
Strigamia acuminata, with just 37 to 41 leg pairs, is readily differentiated from its congeners S. crassipes and the coastal S. maritima.
More information to allow accurate identification is given in the published identification keys by Tony Barber (2008 & 2009).
Distribution
Strigamia acuminata is widely recorded in England and Wales. There is a single record from the Irish south coast. Although generally a lowland centipede, it has been recorded at over 1000m asl in Snowdonia, North Wales (Barber & Gallon, 2020).
Habitat
It is found in a variety of habitats, most often in rural woodland, but rarely found in large numbers. It is often found under stones and dead wood, etc, but also in pitfall traps. In Snowdonia it was found under felsenmeer rocks.
This updated account is based on the 'Centipede Atlas' (Barber, 2022).
Links
ChiloBase 2.0 - World Catalogue of Centipedes: https://chilobase.biologia.unipd.it/searches/result_species/2948
BRC code
15
idBmigTaxa
Cen_204