Ballophilidae | |
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Ballophilus hounselli | |
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Family: | Ballophilidae |
Ballophilidae is a monophyletic group of centipedes belonging to the order Geophilomorpha and superfamily Himantarioidea. [1] [2] Authorities now dismiss this group as a family, citing phylogenetic analysis, and instead refer to this clade as Ballophilinae, a possible subfamily within the family Schendylidae. [2] [3] Centipedes in this clade differ from others in the family Schendylidae by having bodies tapered toward the anterior tip, short heads, slender forcipules that are well apart, and an undivided lamina for the female gonopods. [4] Centipedes in this clade are found in most tropical regions. [4]
The number of legs in this clade varies within as well as among species and ranges from 37 to 113 pairs of legs. [4] Two species in this clade can have as few as 37 leg pairs, Ballophilus pallidus [5] and Leucolinum trinidadense, [6] and one species, Ityphilus grandis , can have as many as 113 pairs. [7] Species in this clade tend to have more leg-bearing segments and greater intraspecific variability in this number than generally found in the family Schendylidae. [8] Some species in this clade are notable for their small sizes, including L. trinadadense (reaching only 9 mm in length), [6] Caritohallex minyrrhopus (10 mm), [9] B. pallidus (11 mm), [5] and Taeniolinum panamicum (11 mm). [10] [11]
Genera: [1]
Himantariidae is a monophyletic family of centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha and superfamily Himantarioidea, found almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere. Centipedes in this family feature a short head with a concave labral margin bearing a row of denticles, a single dentate lamella and some pectinate lamellae on each mandible, second maxillae with strongly tapering telopodites and slightly spatulate claws, and a stout forcipular segment with short forcipules and a wide tergite; the ultimate legs usually have no pretarsus, and the female gonopods are distinct and biarticulate.
Geophilus is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with Brachygeophilus. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as Geophilus electricus. This genus has a Holarctic distribution.
Schendylidae is a family of centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha found in the Americas, the Palearctic region, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and southeast Asia, and also on some Pacific islands.
Strigamia is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Linotaeniidae found in temperate parts of the Holarctic region. Members of this family can be identified by their anteriorly tapering bodies, the extra claw on the forcipules, scattered coxal pores, and the distinctly swollen ultimate legs of the males. The generic name is from Latin striga, "strip," referring to its strip of bristles.
Tygarrup is a genus of centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae, found mainly in southeast Asia and from the Seychelles to Hawaii. Although species in this genus can have either 43 or 45 leg-bearing segments, most of these species have 45 leg pairs. An undescribed Tygarrup species found in the Andaman Islands has 43 leg pairs. Centipedes in this genus are sometimes melanised in patches, and sternal glands are present the males of most species. These centipedes range from 2 cm to 6 cm in length. Tygarrup javanicus is one of the smallest of the mecistocephalid species and has become an invasive in greenhouses in Europe.
Afrotaenia is a monotypic genus of centipedes with only one species, Afrotaenia machadoi, found in Angola. This species features trunk metasternites without patterned pore-fields, only scattered pores, and claws on the ultimate legs. The original description of this species is based on two rust-colored specimens, including a female measuring about 20 mm in length with 59 pairs of legs.
Ballophilus is the largest genus of centipedes in the clade Ballophilidae. Species in this genus are found in tropical and subtropical regions, mainly in Africa and southeast Asia.
Zelanophilidae is a family of centipedes belonging to the order Geophilomorpha and superfamily Geophiloidea. Centipedes in this family are found in the Australasian region.
Australiophilus is a genus of two species of centipedes, in the family Zelanophilidae. This genus was described by German myriapodologist Karl Wilhelm Verhoeff in 1925. Centipedes in this genus are found in Australia and New Zealand.
Schendyla is a genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae found in the west Palearctic region. This genus was described by Danish entomologists Vilhelm Bergsøe and Frederik Vilhelm August Meinert in 1866. Centipedes in this genus feature only a few spines on the claws of the second maxillae, two pores on each coxopleuron, and ultimate legs without claws or with only rudimentary claws.
Australiophilus ferrugineus is a species of centipede in the Zelanophilidae family. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described in 1877 by New Zealand biologist Frederick Hutton. Since then, authorities have recognized two junior synonyms, deeming Geophilus huttoni a synonym in 1936 and Geophilus polyporus a synonym in 2014.
Tasmanophilus spenceri is a species of centipede in the Zelanophilidae family. It is endemic to New Zealand. It was first described in 1901 by British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock. The species epithet spenceri honours British-Australian evolutionary biologist Baldwin Spencer.
Maoriella is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems in 1903. Species in this genus are found in New Zealand, Australia, and Tahiti.
Pectiniunguis is a genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae. This genus was described by American naturalist Charles Harvey Bollman in 1889. Centipedes in this genus feature second maxillae with claws fringed by two rows of filaments, transversally elliptical sternal pore-fields on almost all trunk segments, two pores on each coxopleuron, and ultimate legs without claws.
Ityphilus is a genus of centipedes in the clade Ballophilidae. It was described by American myriapodologist Orator Fuller Cook in 1899. Centipedes in this genus feature distinctly club-like antennae, well marked sclerotized lines on the forcipular coxosternite, and two pores on each coxopleuron. These centipedes range from about 1 cm to about 9 cm in length and have 41 to 113 pairs of legs. The dwarf species Ityphilus donatellae ranges from 8.5 to 11 mm in length and can have as few as 41 leg pairs, the minimum number found in this genus. The large species I. grandis can reach 93 mm in length and have as many as 113 leg pairs, the maximum number found in the clade Ballophilidae.
Marsikomerus is a genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae. It was described by Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems in 1938. Species in this genus are found in Mexico and in the United States.
Steneurytion hawaiiensis is a species of centipede in the Geophilidae family. It was described in 1953 by American myriapodologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin. This species is known from a single male specimen measuring 28 mm in length with 39 pairs of legs.
Nesomerium is a monotypic genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described in 1953 by American myriapodologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin. The sole species is Nesomerium hawaiiense Chamberlin, 1953. Since the original description of this species based on a single specimen, no other specimens have been referred to this species or this genus, and some authorities express doubts about the validity of these taxa and their placement in the family Geophilidae.
Mecistocephalus waikaneus is a species of centipede in the Mecistocephalidae family. It was described in 1953 by American myriapodologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin. This species is yellow, has 49 pairs of legs, and can reach 30 mm in length.
Dinogeophilus is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Schendylidae. This genus contains only two species, Dinogeophilus pauropus and D. oligopodus, which range from 4.5 to 5.5 mm in length. These species are notable as the smallest not only in the order Geophilomorpha but also among all epimorphic centipedes. The species D. oligopodus is also notable as one of only six species of soil centipedes to feature only 29 pairs of legs and one of only two species to include females with only 29 pairs, the minimum number recorded for females in the order Geophilomorpha.