• Land_Strider@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      I’ve encountered these guys all my life. They are mostly small skittering puffy-stretches at a glance, but sometimes they can look like their red headed larger and snake-eating relatives at 4-5cm lengths.

      They are extremely soft to the touch, as if a very light breeze just brushed off your arm hair. What I didn’t know is that they are like cats in this behaviour:

      House centipedes have been observed to groom their legs by curling around and grooming them with their forcipules.

      • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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        8 months ago

        Forcipules are the modified, pincer-like, front legs of centipedes that are used to inject venom into prey. They are the only known examples of front legs acting as venom injectors.

        Thank goodness

        Also the image is

        cursed:

    • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      Its small forcipules have difficulty penetrating

      Aww it’s okay, lil Scucoleo

      Thems “silverfish” or naw?