It is the largest centipede species in the world, with a length exceeding 30 centimetres (12 in).

[2] Records from Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hispaniola (both Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Mexico, Puerto Rico and Honduras are assumed to be accidental introductions or labelling errors.

It is capable of overpowering not only other invertebrates such as large insects, worms, snails, spiders, millipedes, scorpions, and even tarantulas, but also small vertebrates including small lizards, frogs (up to 95 millimetres [3+3⁄4 in] long), snakes (up to 25 centimetres [10 in] long), sparrow-sized birds, mice, and bats.

[4][5] Large individuals of S. gigantea have been known to employ unique strategies to catch bats with muscular strength.

In 2014, a four-year-old child in Venezuela died after being bitten by a giant centipede which was hidden inside an open soda can.