Anole predation in Guadeloupe

Currently in Guadeloupe to investigate in collaboration with the National Park the distribution of sub-species of anoles with a colleague of the University of Toulouse (France), we saw an extraordinary scene of predation of a female anole (Anolis marmoratus speciosus) by Scolopendra gigantea. In Guadeloupe, the predation pressure is essentially due by cats, dogs, blackbirds and thrushes. At our knowledge, the scolopendre have never been reported before …Scolo

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7 Comments

  1. Wow! I wonder how long the centipede had the anole in its grasp. Seems like it had already done quite a bit of damage.

  2. Martha Muñoz

    I work in the Dominican Republic, where centipedes reach Brobdingnagian sizes. I have learned never to underestimate them. There are no venomous snakes in the DR and, generally, there are no dangerous animals… except the centipedes. I have yet to see them munching on anoles, but given what I saw them do to this tarantula, I wouldn’t want to be an Anolis longitibialis in Jaragua National Park, where giant centipedes abound.

  3. Martha Muñoz

    FYI – Check out the little ant on the anole in Pierre’s photo! What a little opportunist!!!

  4. Can’t believe there are no published records of Scolopendra preying on anoles. They also eat Sphaerodactylus and Ameiva. I would have to check my field catalogs for dates and places…. There are about 30 of those going back to the ’50s. Maybe someday! Skip

    • Pierre Legreneur

      It would be great to send us these informations. Thank you very much, Skip!

  5. Baptiste ANGIN

    It is not Scolopendra gigantea, it is Scolopendra subspinipes
    You can find data on Scolopendra in French West Indies in this paper by K. Questel :
    http://sd-g1.archive-host.com/membres/up/1014c9b2e741ea326172541df22d524ec12f90f9/Scolopendra_Antilles_francaises.pdf

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