Arthropleura is a genus of extinct, 0.3–2.6 meter (1–8.5 feet) long arthropods related to modern day centipedes and millipedes, native to the upper Carboniferous (340 to 280 million years ago) of what is now northeastern North America and Scotland. The larger species are the largest known land invertebrates of all time.

Fossilized footprints from Arthropleura have been found in many places. These appear as long, parallel rows of small prints, which show that it moved quickly across the forest floor, swerving to avoid obstacles, such as trees and rocks.

Arthropleura was able to grow larger than modern arthropods, partly because of the greater partial pressure of oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere at that time, and because of the lack of large terrestrial vertebrate predators.

Yes, the largest species of this order was an eight and a half foot long centipede. Whimper.

Bottom scale photo via on YouTube.
Via Wikipedia.