Originally Posted by GRB

C_strike:

Oops, I got confused with millipedes...

I see it now, they indeed have pretty unlimited access in terms of leg rotation. They have a lot of spiracles, but then they are much longer...

I am not sure as to what would be quicker. Its only fair to compare solifuges that occur where these pedes occur really, and I'm guessing that solifuges are probably prey for them...i'm sure there will be some literature on centipede speed and movement, I might go have a look...

Even in the desert, solifuges main enemies are scorpions and other spiders. Shame really, they are so feriocious yet in the wild seem to be outclassed by other arachnids!

[edit] I just found out that scolopendra only have spiracles on the 3rd,5th,8th,10th and 12th segments. Still more than a solifuge however...

And, I found an article on the ATS suggesting that some of the fastest giant centipedes with a smaller number of legs can move at 50cm/s. I cant find any literature on their running speeds however, only a few studies where they were on treadmills at 1.5 body lengths/second. Still pretty fast.

Originally Posted by C_Strike

very interesting stuff mate, any link to the studies, im very interested in ahving a read.
Depending on where in South US they frequent, Texas? there is a good likelyhood it would be Scolopendra mortisans, Scolopendra polymorpha.

Yes the green pede i posted is in fact a Ethmostigmus, not a Scolopendra, unfortunately my pc is pretty much inhibiting absolutely everything on this pc, so i cudnt read up
I did have apdf of centipede locomotion, was very interesting read, but again, something else my pcs stopped

Originally Posted by GRB

It does amuse me, such a fearful reputation assigned to solifuges. Everything I have read by Punzo so far suggests that US solifuges tend to be prey to other arachnids a hell of a lot...so we should really be in awe of how aggressive Tarantulas, hunting spiders and Scorpions are...