|
|
|
marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
 Posted - 07/16/2006 : 21:41:35 [Permalink]
|
| I am so not opening any of those links. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
|
 |
|
|
Ghost_Skeptic
SFN Regular
Canada
510 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2006 : 23:38:29 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Centipedes are some of the most interesting of arthropods. In fact, they're downright neat. I am familiar with this species, having a friend who is a tarantula freak. He also not only keeps but breeds S. gigantea and sells the offspring to other dingbats of like mind. He's been bitten a number of times and these days, having gained some hard-earned smarts, only handles them with tongs. Their bites are definatly medically significent. Far worse than any tarantula (most of which aren't all that hot, anyway).
In the Ian Flemming's novel Dr. No the bad guys put one of these in James Bond's bed. However, in the movie they used the more familiar Tarantula. |
"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. / You can send a kid to college but you can't make him think." - B.B. King
History is made by stupid people - The Arrogant Worms
"The greater the ignorance the greater the dogmatism." - William Osler
"Religion is the natural home of the psychopath" - Pat Condell
"The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter" - Thomas Jefferson |
|
|
|
filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2006 : 03:01:50 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by Plyss
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
The size estimate is on the short side. They get a fair bit longer than 10".
Is there actually a maximum size to which an arthropod can grow? I imagine the tracheal oxygen uptake system puts strict limits on their maximum size.
An arthropod's size, like that of reptiles, is limited only by it's lifespan. The reason that they reach a "maximum" size is that they grow very rapidly when young and slow down considerably when they get older. Thus, you might have two specimens with a small difference in size and fairly large difference in age.
I don't know how long S. gigantea lives, but it's probably a good, long time. Female trantulas have been known to live (in captivity) for over 20 years.
|
"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
|
|
|
|
filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2006 : 03:13:43 [Permalink]
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ghost_Skeptic
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Centipedes are some of the most interesting of arthropods. In fact, they're downright neat. I am familiar with this species, having a friend who is a tarantula freak. He also not only keeps but breeds S. gigantea and sells the offspring to other dingbats of like mind. He's been bitten a number of times and these days, having gained some hard-earned smarts, only handles them with tongs. Their bites are definatly medically significent. Far worse than any tarantula (most of which aren't all that hot, anyway).
In the Ian Flemming's novel Dr. No the bad guys put one of these in James Bond's bed. However, in the movie they used the more familiar Tarantula.
Heh, probably because the bug wrangler didn't want to deal with it. 
Tarantulas are a lot easier to get along with and a lot less dangerous. S. gigantea can give you a more than just a fat finger; it can put you in the hospital. And it is much more difficult to handle.
As far as I know, there have been no verified, human deaths attributed to it, however.
|
"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
