Skolopewraps with dark bodies and vivid orange legs and heads are monstrous mucade centipedes. They frequently have dragon similar characteristics. The maximum limit for yōkai mucade is not known, however, their non-monstrous relatives may reach 20 cm in length. Omukade is nasty and very hostile like his younger relatives are. A normal mucous bite is poisonous and unpleasant, but seldom deadly. Toward mukade, by contrast, is considerably stronger and more poisonous. They were even renowned as dragons of torture.

An exoskeleton of ōmukade is so hard that weapons cannot be penetrated. But they have one flaw: they are harmful to human saliva. A weapon covered in saliva may puncture and harm the armor.

• Towards mukade is quite unusual. They pose a threat to everyone in the region. Throughout history, it has been the job of courageous soldiers to exterminate these creatures.

In Shiga Prefecture, there’s a renowned bridge called Seta no Karahashi. On the bridge a long time ago a large serpent arrived, without moving. The peasants were so terrified they could not cross the snake.

Hidesato observed a huge centipede winding around his top as he reached Mount Mikami. It had been so long that seven and a half times the corpse circled around the mountain. He shot his arrows on it till there was only one arrow, but he could not pierce the armor of the beast. In his saliva, Hidesato covered the point of the arrow and asked Hashiman, the deity of soldiers. His arrow came true this time, bringing the ōmukade down.

The King of the Dragon’s daughter was so appreciated by Fujiwara no Hidesato that she gave her wonderful gifts: a rice bag that was never empty no matter how much rice it took; a silk bucket that was never cut, no matter how much; and a cooking pot that always made the best flavor of food without a need for fire. The thankful dragon king also informed Hidesato the secret that he would vanquish Taira no Masakado, the rebel Hidesato was accused of killing.

New Species of ‘Horrific Amphibious Centipedes Named After Local Dragon God

What began as a little pest study became an unexpected (and perhaps scary) discovery of a whole new type of amphibian centipede, in Okinawa, Japan. The species was appropriately named after the local god of the dragon.

Researchers at the Metropolitan University of Tokyo got a little-known report about curiously big amphibious centipede assaulting nearby freshwater creeks. Curious, they went out with the expectation that some samples would be returned to establish their identification.

When the predators eventually met, they measured around eight inches in length and the DNA tests verified the new species. This is the first finding in more than 143 years of a new Japanese centipede. This is also the third species of new kind of big, amphibious centipedes which have lately been verified worldwide.

Centipede partly named after infamous Japanese yokai 

Due to its frightening look and location, the researchers opted to name it from old Japanese folklore: Ryujin-omukade.

Ryujin is a frequent word for dragon gods, but omukade is famous for yokai (supernatural monsters). The omukade are commonly represented in anime, video games, and Japanese films as gigantic, man-minded monsters. A special tale states that dragon gods are afraid of omukade because they can infect their ears and inflict awful agony.

In fact, in the hopes of scaring the dragon gods that are responsible for the violent winds, local people are even blowing flags that are fashioned as the omukade. (It is exactly the opposite of a Japanese mainlander, who usually sees centipedes as unfortunate omens and deadly plagues!)

Amphibious centipede discovery prompts further exploration

Okinawa is one of the most sensitive and under explosive regions of the country’s biodiversity and yet part of the Ryukyu Archipelago. It is for this reason that the Ryujin-omukade has long escaped scientists.

However, it is also endangered by urbanization and human activities as well as other vulnerable ecosystems worldwide. This amphibious species centipede is only the last addition to the list of endangered animals found solely in Okinawa.

In addition, despite the extra hazards for local species, the local population is under considerable domestic pressure to boost its tourism. The lack of usage by invasive species to tackle these problems has likewise been very controversial. Apart from farming, fishing in and around the waters of the island adds its own share of the problems of sustainability. In addition, local people are grown and forged for food by the freshwater gushes upon which Ryujin-omukade preys.

Nevertheless, the finding of a new species offers optimism that much may still be learned provided these ecosystems are managed with great care and respect. The Commission should increase the efforts to safeguard the regions against the effects of human activity and to promote research activities that might learn more about the unique, endemic life on the islands.