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'Centipede from Hell' discovered underground

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Subterranea
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« on: July 04, 2015, 12:47:05 am »

'Centipede from Hell' discovered underground
Posted on Wednesday, 1 July, 2015



The centipede was found in a cave system in Croatia. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Denlah
A new species of centipede has been found inside a cave system 4,700ft below the Earth's surface.
Known as the Hades centipede in reference to the Greek god of the underworld, the new predatory arthropod was found within the Lukina jama-Trojama cave system in Croatia which is currently ranked 15th on the list of the world's deepest caves.

The centipede appears to have adapted perfectly to its environment deep inside the planet where it ekes out an existence feasting upon insects that it can immobilize with its deadly bite.

    'Centipede from Hell' Found in World's Deepest Caves: http://t.co/Bue4WJamCv pic.twitter.com/YFRBPLruoR
    — Discovery News (@DNews) July 1, 2015


"When I first saw the animal and its striking appearance, I immediately realized that this is a new, hitherto unnamed species," said lead author Pavel Stoev of the National Museum of Natural History.

Very little is actually known about the creatures that lurk in some of the deepest places of the world with cave systems such as the one in Croatia offering undiscovered ecosystems filled with bizarre and unusual species quite unlike their surface counterparts.

The deepest known cave on Earth, Krubera Cave in Georgia, descends to a depth of 5,610ft.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/centipede-from-hell-found-in-worlds-deepest-caves-150630.htm
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Subterranea
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« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2015, 12:48:10 am »



The newly discovered Hades centipede lives thousands of feet underground.

J. Bedek
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Subterranea
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« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2015, 12:49:01 am »



Lurking in some of the world’s deepest caves is the aptly named Hades centipede, just discovered in Croatia.

The centipede, whose name refers to the Greek god of the underworld, is a top predator in caves that are located nearly 4,700 feet beneath the Earth’s surface.

“When I first saw the animal and its striking appearance, I immediately realized that this is a new, hitherto unnamed … species,” said lead author Pavel Stoev of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, in a statement. Stoev noted the centipede is highly adapted to the cave environment.

Pests: What’s Their Purpose, Anyway?

The centipede, Geophilus hadesi, was found in three caves at Velebit Mountain. The Lukina jama-Trojama cave system at the site is currently ranked as being the 15th deepest cave in the world. (Krubera Cave in Abkhazia, Georgia, is the world’s deepest cave, reaching a depth of 5,610 feet.)

Within its dark, mysterious habitat, the carnivorous Hades centipede hunts for prey such as insects. Note that centipedes are not insects themselves, because they have more than six legs. They are, however, classified as being arthropods, which is the large phylum that also includes insects, as well as spiders and crustaceans.

Bizarre Insectlike Creatures Found in Spanish Cave

The Hades centipede, unlike centipedes that you might find in your garden, has elongated antennae, trunk segments and leg claws. All are adaptations to life at tremendous depths. The centipede also has powerful jaws bearing poison glands. If the centipede grasps prey with its claws, the predator can then inflict a deadly bite.

Yet another new centipede species, named Persephone after the Greek queen of the underworld, was also found in deep caves.

The deep underground world is one of the next frontiers for science exploration, since we know very little about the species that dwell down there. Traveling to such depths is a challenge, making the Hades and Persephone discoveries all the more remarkable.

“This finding comes to prove once again how little we know about the life in caves,” Stoev said, “where even in the best prospected areas, one can still find incredible animals.”
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the Joker
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« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2015, 12:52:36 am »

Not as scary looking as I thought.... But man centipedes in my mind are like the scariest bug ever. Way more disgusting than spiders.
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DieChecker
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« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2015, 12:54:35 am »

These creepy crawlies TOTALLY ruin the romance and adventure of caves for me. I would bug bomb any cave system I might decide to explore first before entering. Also, to flush out any flesh eating troglodyte evolutionary throwbacks living in it, so no "The Descent" movie scenarios.
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Mirror Image
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« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2015, 12:56:47 am »

It's a pretty tiny arthropod... looks to be an inch or so in length. From the name, I was expecting something the size of the Giant Texas Red-headed Centipede.

Centipedes are way creepier than spiders. And would not want to ever see one of these any bigger than an inch.
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She-ra, Princess of Power
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« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2015, 01:00:09 am »

I wonder if there's much more to that Eco system............... Is there something bigger that eats the centipedes? That's a scarier thought than the centipedes.
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Xomon
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« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2015, 01:18:25 am »

Another reason not to avoid Texas.

Honestly, it doesn't look that bad to me. I was expecting something much more spiny and big. And even though it is not classified as a centipede, the extinct Hallucigenia sparsa will always have my vote for "Creepy Crawly that most likely came from the pits of Hell." This specimen doesn't look quite as nightmarish as that thing.
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Big Ed
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« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2015, 11:13:52 pm »

"Another reason not to avoid Texas."

Well, that's just rich. Y'all think of that one yourself, liberals?
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Xomon
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« Reply #9 on: July 05, 2015, 01:03:14 am »

If the shoe fits, wear it, I always say, Big Ed!  Cheesy
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Vanlyssel
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« Reply #10 on: July 05, 2015, 01:05:28 am »

Only two things come from Texas, steers and queers, or is that Oklahoma? I always get those two confused.
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I Rise, You Fall
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« Reply #11 on: July 05, 2015, 01:11:00 am »

I think that was Oklahoma, but don't fear, I am sure that Big Ed had his Brokeback moments, too. Many Texans do, though most won't admit it.
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She-ra, Princess of Power
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« Reply #12 on: July 05, 2015, 01:12:49 am »

I just can't take anyone seriously who wears a ten gallon hat.
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