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The Living Encyclopedia
Explore our comprehensive database of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Discover detailed care guides, morph varieties, and community setups.
invertebrate
Asian Forest Scorpion
Heterometrus spinifer
Heterometrus, whose members are also known by the collective vernacular name Asian Forest Scorpion, is a genus of scorpions belonging to the family Scorpionidae. It is distributed widely across tropical and subtropical southeastern Asia, including Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and China (Hainan). It is notable for containing some of the largest living species of scorpions.
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invertebrate
Arizona Bark Scorpion
Centruroides sculpturatus
The Arizona bark scorpion is a small light brown scorpion common to the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. An adult male can reach 8 centimetres (3.1 in) of body length, while a female is slightly smaller, with a maximum length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in).
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invertebrate
Deathstalker Scorpion
Leiurus quinquestriatus
The deathstalker is a species of scorpion, a member of the family Buthidae. It is also known as the Palestine yellow scorpion, Omdurman scorpion, and Naqab desert scorpion, as well as by many other colloquial names, which generally originate from the commercial captive trade of the animal. To eliminate confusion, especially important with potentially dangerous species, the scientific name is normally used to refer to them. The name Leiurus quinquestriatus roughly translates into English as "five-striped smooth-tail". In 2014, the subspecies L. q. hebraeus was separated from it and elevated to its own species Leiurus hebraeus. Other species of the genus Leiurus are also often referred to as "deathstalkers". Leiurus quinquestriatus is yellow, and 30–77 millimetres (1.2–3.0 in) long, with an average of 58 mm (2.3 in).
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invertebrate
Giant Millipede
Archispirostreptus gigas
Archispirostreptus gigas, known as the giant African millipede, shongololo or Bongololo, is the largest extant species of millipede, growing up to 33.5 centimetres (13.2 in) in length, 67 millimetres (2.6 in) in circumference. It has approximately 256 legs, although the number of legs changes with each molting so it can vary according to each individual.
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invertebrate
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Gromphadorhina portentosa
The Madagascar hissing cockroach, also known as the hissing cockroach or simply hisser, is one of the largest species of cockroach, reaching 5 to 7.5 centimetres at maturity. They are native to the island of Madagascar, which is off the African mainland, where they are commonly found in rotting logs. It is one of some 20 known species of large hissing roaches from Madagascar, many of which are kept as pets, and often confused with one another by pet dealers; in particular, G. portentosa is commonly confused with G. oblongonota and G. picea.
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invertebrate
Dubia Roach
Blaptica dubia
Blaptica dubia, the dubia roach, orange-spotted roach, Guyana spotted roach, or Argentinian wood roach, is a medium-sized species of cockroach which grows to around 40–45 mm (1.6–1.8 in).
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invertebrate
Giant Asian Mantis
Hierodula membranacea
Hierodula membranacea is a large-bodied praying mantis, sharing its common name giant Asian mantis with other large members of genus Hierodula, of which it is the type species. Its colours vary from green to yellow-green, or even brown to reddish-brown, similar to those of the giant Indian mantis and the giant Malaysian mantis. As the name suggests, it originates from south-eastern Asia and is among the largest of mantises. Male and female adults reach around 7–9 centimetres (2.8–3.5 in), excluding extended forelegs. It is a cannibalistic species, with the females sometimes eating the males after mating.
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invertebrate
Orchid Mantis
Hymenopus coronatus
Hymenopus coronatus is a mantis from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. It is known by various common names, including walking flower mantis, orchid-blossom mantis and (pink) orchid mantis. It is one of several species known as flower mantis, a reference to their unique physical form and behaviour, which often involves moving with a "swaying" motion, as if being "blown" in the breeze. Several species have evolved to mimic orchid flowers as a hunting and camouflaging strategy, "hiding" themselves in plain view and preying upon pollinating insects that visit the blooms. They are known to grab their prey with blinding speed.
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invertebrate
Ghost Mantis
Phyllocrania paradoxa
Phyllocrania paradoxa, common name ghost mantis, is a small species of mantis from Africa remarkable for its leaf-like body. It is one of the three species in the genus Phyllocrania. It is known for its distinct and exclusive camouflaged appearance of a dry weathered leaf.
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invertebrate
Dead Leaf Mantis
Deroplatys desiccata
Dead leaf mantis is a common name given to various species of praying mantis that mimic dead leaves. It is most often used in reference to species within genus Deroplatys because of their popularity as exotic pets. Examples include D. desiccata, D. lobata, and D. philippinica. Other species to which the term may apply include Acanthops falcataria, A. falcata, and Phyllocrania paradoxa.
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invertebrate
Flower Mantis
Creobroter pictipennis
Flower mantises are mantises that use a form of camouflage referred to as aggressive mimicry, which they use both to attract prey and to avoid predators. These insects have specific colorations and behaviors that mimic flowers in their surrounding habitats.
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S
invertebrate
Spiny Flower Mantis
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii
Spiny Flower Mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii)
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invertebrate
Giant Prickly Stick Insect
Extatosoma tiaratum
Extatosoma tiaratum, commonly known as the spiny leaf insect, the giant prickly stick insect, Macleay's spectre, or the Australian walking stick, is a large species of Australian stick insect.
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invertebrate
Leaf Insect
Phyllium philippinicum
The family Phylliidae contains the extant true leaf insects or walking leaves, which include some of the most remarkably camouflaged leaf mimics (mimesis) in the entire animal kingdom. They occur from South Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia. Earlier sources treat Phylliidae as a much larger taxon, containing genera in what are presently considered to be several different families.
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invertebrate
Giant Walking Stick
Megaphasma denticrus
Megaphasma denticrus, the giant walkingstick, is a species of phasmid or stick insect in the family Diapheromeridae. They inhabit a range spanning wooded areas of Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of Mexico.
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invertebrate
Hercules Beetle
Dynastes hercules
The Hercules beetle is a species of rhinoceros beetle native to the tropical forests of southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Lesser Antilles. It is the longest extant species of beetle in the world, and is also one of the largest flying insects in the world.
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invertebrate
Atlas Beetle
Chalcosoma atlas
The Atlas beetle is a very large species of beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, found in Southeast Asia. Males have three prominent horns. The species is named for Atlas, the giant of Greek mythology who supported the skies.
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invertebrate
Rhinoceros Beetle
Oryctes rhinoceros
Oryctes rhinoceros, also known as coconut rhinoceros beetle, Asiatic rhinoceros beetle, and coconut palm rhinoceros beetle, is a large species of beetle, belonging to the rhinoceros beetles subfamily Dynastinae. Oryctes rhinoceros attacks coconut palms and other palms such as the economically important oil palm. It can cause serious damage to the developing fronds (leaves) up to death of the palm. The beetle breeds in decaying palm trunks or other organic matter like sawdust or compost heaps.
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invertebrate
Stag Beetle
Lucanus cervus
Lucanus cervus, known as the European stag beetle, or the greater stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle in Western Europe, and is the eponymous example of the genus. L. cervus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.
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invertebrate
Giant Stag Beetle
Dorcus titanus
Serrognathus titanus is a species of beetle in the family Lucanidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1835. Huang and Chen (2013) separated Serognathus from the genus Dorcus by representing morphological characters and DNA analysis.
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