Carpophagus Soil Centipede Geophilus carpophagus

This earth or soil Centipede, G. carpophagus, is sometimes called the "long form of Eason's; Eason's Earth Centipede, G. easoni, looks similar but is usually a solid reddish-brown and up to 40mm long with around 45-50 segments (leg pairs), whereas G. carpophagus, which was separated from Eason's only in 2001, is a purplish-mottled red-brown (sometimes greyish, like 50mm Henia vesuviana) and grows to 60mm with 51-57 pairs of legs. While both live in the topsoil, Eason's is a woodland and leaf litter species whereas "Carpophagus" is more usually found in urban or semi-urban habitats under stones, in crevices in brick walls and masonry and under patio plant pots.

This poor photo above left is included as it also shows the smaller centipede before it scurried down a hole and disappeared. This might be a young of the same for two reasons: although a smaller centipede of this size is common in gardens where these two were found (Common Cryptops - Cryptops hortensis red-brown, 20-30mm long, 1mm wide, with 21 pairs of legs, the last pair elongated and pointed back like those in the photo), centipedes are cannibalistic loners and will eat other centipedes as well as spiders and insects. Secondly, centipedes are said to be protective mothers, guarding their eggs and protecting their young through their first few moults. However, the larger centipede may have been hunting the smaller as a prey item.