02-21-2014, 02:52 AM
Not a Roman drawing, but I thought it was worth posting.
This is Scolopendra Gigantea - life sized drawing too. The largest recorded measurement of size was 12", but the caves of Peru contain specimens up to 15". The Centipede (although not this particular species) has been around for almost 480 million years - their cousin the millipede appearing as the first land animal approximately 480 million years ago. S. Gigantea is not the largest to have ever lived, as one species of centipede in the Carboniferous period grew to over 3 feet, but it is the largest land-dwelling Arthropod alive today. They have been known to catch and eat not only other insects, but also mice, birds, and bats.
This species is also closely related to it's European cousin: Scolopendra Cingulata, which grows to a comparably modest 7" long. On a side note, I believe that S. Cingulata and other myriapods may have possibly been the influence for Roman Manica.
[attachment=9102]ScolopendraGigantea.jpg[/attachment]
(If you click on it, then right click on the pop-up and hit "View Image" it should let you see the full-size version.)
This is Scolopendra Gigantea - life sized drawing too. The largest recorded measurement of size was 12", but the caves of Peru contain specimens up to 15". The Centipede (although not this particular species) has been around for almost 480 million years - their cousin the millipede appearing as the first land animal approximately 480 million years ago. S. Gigantea is not the largest to have ever lived, as one species of centipede in the Carboniferous period grew to over 3 feet, but it is the largest land-dwelling Arthropod alive today. They have been known to catch and eat not only other insects, but also mice, birds, and bats.
This species is also closely related to it's European cousin: Scolopendra Cingulata, which grows to a comparably modest 7" long. On a side note, I believe that S. Cingulata and other myriapods may have possibly been the influence for Roman Manica.
[attachment=9102]ScolopendraGigantea.jpg[/attachment]
(If you click on it, then right click on the pop-up and hit "View Image" it should let you see the full-size version.)
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