Head to head
Vietnamese Centipede vs Amazonian Giant Centipede
The Vietnamese centipede and the Amazonian giant centipede are both large, venomous, fast-moving predators, but the Amazonian giant centipede takes the title of the world's largest centipede and routinely kills prey far bigger than most invertebrates ever attempt.
| Vietnamese Centipede | Amazonian Giant Centipede | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Scolopendra subspinipes | Scolopendra gigantea |
| Size | Among the larger centipede species | The largest centipede in the world, commonly 25 to 30 cm |
| Documented vertebrate prey | Not specifically documented | Tarantulas, lizards, frogs, mice, and bats |
| Notable hunting behaviour | Fast ground-based ambush | Catches bats in mid-flight inside caves |
| Temperament | Fast and aggressive | Fast, aggressive, bites readily |
| Danger to humans | Serious pain and swelling | Intensely painful, with at least one reported fatality |
| Native range | Southeast Asia | Northern South America and the southern Caribbean |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
Vietnamese Centipede vs Amazonian Giant Centipede: common questions
Which is the larger centipede, the Vietnamese or the Amazonian giant centipede?
The Amazonian giant centipede, which is considered the largest centipede species in the world, commonly reaching 25 to 30 centimetres and occasionally more, well beyond the Vietnamese centipede's size.
Does either of these centipedes hunt vertebrates?
The Amazonian giant centipede is famous for routinely killing vertebrates, including lizards, frogs, mice, and even bats snatched out of mid-air in caves, a level of predatory behaviour not specifically documented in the Vietnamese centipede.
Which centipede is more dangerous to a person, the Vietnamese or the Amazonian giant centipede?
The Amazonian giant centipede, whose bite is intensely painful and has been linked to at least one reported fatality, though both centipedes deliver a genuinely painful, medically significant bite.