Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia
Centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha), long regarded as generalist arthropod predators, are increasingly recognized for their capacity to subdue and consume small vertebrates. This review synthesizes over a century of published accounts documenting centipede predation on amphibians, reptiles, bi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1634037/full |
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| author | Manokaran Kamalakannan Rahul Mondal Dhriti Banerjee |
| author_facet | Manokaran Kamalakannan Rahul Mondal Dhriti Banerjee |
| author_sort | Manokaran Kamalakannan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha), long regarded as generalist arthropod predators, are increasingly recognized for their capacity to subdue and consume small vertebrates. This review synthesizes over a century of published accounts documenting centipede predation on amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and occasionally fish, emphasizing the ecological breadth, behavioral strategies, and taxonomic diversity of both predators and prey. Notable cases include Scolopendra gigantea preying on bats in Venezuelan caves, Scolopendra subspinipes capturing snakes in urban environments, and Cormocephalus coynei exerting top-down control on seabird populations on predator-free islands. We also present the first confirmed case of bat predation by a centipede in Asia, where a Rhysida species was observed consuming a Pipistrellus bat in a fig tree hollow in West Bengal, India. This observation expands the known biogeography and ecological context of vertebrate predation by centipedes. Our synthesis highlights the underappreciated role of scolopendrid centipedes as mid-level predators capable of influencing small vertebrate populations, particularly in resource-limited or insular ecosystems, and calls for a re-evaluation of their functional position within terrestrial food webs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2408ddf7b82141c78a23d1052d9b6053 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-2408ddf7b82141c78a23d1052d9b60532025-08-20T03:56:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2025-07-011310.3389/fevo.2025.16340371634037Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from AsiaManokaran Kamalakannan0Rahul Mondal1Dhriti Banerjee2Mammal and Osteology Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, IndiaHemiptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, IndiaZoological Survey of India, Kolkata, West Bengal, IndiaCentipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha), long regarded as generalist arthropod predators, are increasingly recognized for their capacity to subdue and consume small vertebrates. This review synthesizes over a century of published accounts documenting centipede predation on amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and occasionally fish, emphasizing the ecological breadth, behavioral strategies, and taxonomic diversity of both predators and prey. Notable cases include Scolopendra gigantea preying on bats in Venezuelan caves, Scolopendra subspinipes capturing snakes in urban environments, and Cormocephalus coynei exerting top-down control on seabird populations on predator-free islands. We also present the first confirmed case of bat predation by a centipede in Asia, where a Rhysida species was observed consuming a Pipistrellus bat in a fig tree hollow in West Bengal, India. This observation expands the known biogeography and ecological context of vertebrate predation by centipedes. Our synthesis highlights the underappreciated role of scolopendrid centipedes as mid-level predators capable of influencing small vertebrate populations, particularly in resource-limited or insular ecosystems, and calls for a re-evaluation of their functional position within terrestrial food webs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1634037/fullbatcentipedepreypredationPipistrelles |
| spellingShingle | Manokaran Kamalakannan Rahul Mondal Dhriti Banerjee Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution bat centipede prey predation Pipistrelles |
| title | Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia |
| title_full | Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia |
| title_fullStr | Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia |
| title_short | Centipede predation on vertebrates: a review with the first bat case from Asia |
| title_sort | centipede predation on vertebrates a review with the first bat case from asia |
| topic | bat centipede prey predation Pipistrelles |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1634037/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT manokarankamalakannan centipedepredationonvertebratesareviewwiththefirstbatcasefromasia AT rahulmondal centipedepredationonvertebratesareviewwiththefirstbatcasefromasia AT dhritibanerjee centipedepredationonvertebratesareviewwiththefirstbatcasefromasia |