Seabird chicks fall foul of giant centipedes

BBC Wildlife|October 2021

Petrels are among the unexpectedly varied diet of the very hungry arthropods.

- Simon Birch

Seabird chicks fall foul of giant centipedes

Researchers have found evidence of giant, carnivorous centipedes killing and eating up to 3,700 black-winged petrel chicks annually on a remote South Pacific island. It is believed that this is the first time that such behaviour has been documented.

Phillip Island centipedes (Cormocephalus coynei) can grow to almost 30cm in length. They subdue their prey by using two pincer-like appendages, called forcipules, to inject a toxic venom into their prey, which, apart from seabird chicks, includes geckos, skinks and crickets.

この記事は BBC Wildlife の October 2021 版に掲載されています。

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この記事は BBC Wildlife の October 2021 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアムストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

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