Dinogeophilus oligopodus

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Dinogeophilus oligopodus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Schendylidae
Genus: Dinogeophilus
Species:
D. oligopodus
Binomial name
Dinogeophilus oligopodus
Pereira, 1984

Dinogeophilus oligopodus is a species of soil centipede in the family Schendylidae. [1] This centipede ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 mm in length, the smallest size recorded not only in the order Geophilomorpha but also in any epimorphic order of centipedes. [2] This species is also notable as one of only six species in the order Geophilomorpha 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 this order. [3]

Contents

Discovery and distribution

The zoologist Luis Alberto Pereira first described this species in 1984, based on five specimens collected near Puerto Iguazu, close to the Paraná river, in the Missiones province of Argentina. [4] [2] These specimens include a male holotype, three male paratypes, and one female allotype. These specimens were found in soil rich with humus, with leaf litter and abundant roots from jungle vegetation. [4] Since the original description of D. oligopodus, Pereira and three biologists from the University of Padua (Lucio Bonato, Alessandro Minelli, and Leandro Drago) examined seven more specimens (two males and five females) collected from La Plata in Argentina. All twelve specimens are adults or at least subadults, based on an examination of the size and shape of the gonopods. [2]

Description

This species ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 mm in length, but most specimens are only 4.5 mm long. [2] The male holotype measures 5 mm in length with a maximum width of 0.2 mm. Both males and females of this species have 29 pairs of legs. The body is whitish, but the head and forcipular segment are light yellow. [4] The ultimate legs are markedly inflated compared to the other legs. The other legs each feature three accessory spines (one anterior spine and two posterior spines). [2]

This species shares a distinctive set of features with Dinogeophius pauropus , the only other species in the genus Dinogeophilus . For example, both species have a single lamella on each mandible, second maxillae that are flattened and rounded at the distal end, incomplete chitin-lines on the sternum of the forcipular segment, forcipules with denticles along the intermediate part of the ultimate article, and a telson without anal pores. Furthermore, a longitudinally elongate elliptical cluster of pores appears on the ventral surface of each of the anterior leg-bearing segments after the first, but these pore-fields are limited to the anterior fourth of the trunk. Moreover, each of the ultimate legs features a single pore on the coxopleuron and ends in a single tiny spine rather than a claw. [2] [5]

Based on a comparison with the only known specimen of D. pauropus (a male), the species D. oligopodus may be distinguished based on other traits. Whereas D. pauropus features tubercles on the surface of its most posterior leg-bearing segments, these tubercles are absent in D. oligopodus. These two species also feature different numbers of legs: Whereas D. oligopodus has 29 pairs of legs in each sex, D. pauropus has 31 leg pairs in the male specimen. [2] [4]

Phylogeny

The Italian entomologist Filippo Silvestri originally described Dinogeophilus as a genus in the family Geophilidae in 1909. [6] Authorities continued to regard this genus as a member of that family for more than a century, until Bonato, Minelli, Drago, and Pereira reassessed the phylogenetic position of this genus in 2015. Using new specimens collected by Pereira, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular data, Bonato and his colleagues placed this genus in the family Schendylidae instead. Analysis of the molecular evidence consistently found Dinogophilus nested among the Schendylidae in a phylogenetic tree. [7]

Related Research Articles

Nannarrup is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae; this genus includes a single species, Nannarrup hoffmani, also known as Hoffman's dwarf centipede. This centipede was discovered in Central Park in New York City and was the first new species to be discovered in that park in more than a century. This species is the smallest species in the family Mecistocephalidae, reaching only 10.3 mm in length, and has only 41 pairs of legs, the minimum number recorded in this family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geophilidae</span> Family of centipedes

Geophilidae is a family of soil centipedes in the superfamily Geophiloidea and the order Geophilomorpha. In 2014, a phylogenetic analysis based on morphological and molecular data found this family to be polyphyletic. To avoid this polyphyly, authorities dismissed the families Aphilodontidae, Dignathodontidae, Linotaeniidae, and Macronicophilidae, which are now deemed to be junior synonyms for Geophilidae. Authorities also moved some genera from Geophilidae to form the family Zelanophildae in order to avoid the polyphyly of the family Geophilidae. The family Geophilidae now includes more than 650 species in more than 120 genera. This family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species found almost worldwide.

<i>Geophilus hadesi</i> Species of centipede

Geophilus hadesi is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is a troglobite, spending its entire life cycle in a cave environment. This species and Geophilus persephones are the only two troglobites known in the order Geophilomorpha. The species G. hadesi is named after Hades, god of the underworld in Greek mythology and the husband of Persephone, the namesake of the first troglobite discovered among the soil centipedes. The species G. hadesi has been observed in a cave as far as 1,100 meters below the surface, the deepest underground that any centipede has ever been recorded.

<i>Geophilus</i> Genus of centipedes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schendylidae</span> Family of centipedes

Schendylidae is a family of soil centipedes in the superfamily Himantarioidea and the order Geophilomorpha. These centipedes are found in the Americas, the Palearctic region, Africa, Madagascar, Australia, and southeast Asia, and also on some Pacific islands. This family was first proposed by the American biologist Orator F. Cook in 1896.

Geophilus persephones is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae discovered in 1999. This species is named after Persephone, the queen of the underworld in Greek mythology, and found in caves in the Gouffre de la Pierre Saint-Martin. It has elongated antennae and legs as well as abundant sensory setae, and like other geophilomorhps it lacks sight, has a flattened trunk, and is well adapted to underground life. This species was the first troglomorphic geophilomorph ever discovered and one of the only two in existence along with Geophilus hadesi. Known from a single male specimen measuring 16.2 mm in length, G. persephones has only 29 pairs of legs, one of only two species in the Geophilidae family to feature so few leg pairs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballophilidae</span> Family of centipedes

Ballophilidae is a monophyletic group of centipedes belonging to the order Geophilomorpha and superfamily Himantarioidea. 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. 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. Centipedes in this clade are found in most tropical regions.

Geophilus arenarius is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in Algeria. As part of the carpophagus species-complex, this species is closely related to both G. carpophagus and G. easoni.

Geophilus richardi is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in France and Monaco in the Western Alps and on the Italian mainland, Sicily, Sardinia, and the Ionian Islands. This species is notable as one of only two in the family Geophilidae to include centipedes with as few as 29 leg pairs.

Geophilus pusillus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Algeria. It grows up to 11 millimeters in length. The original description of this species is based on ten specimens: five male specimens from Algeria with 31 pairs of legs, and five specimens from Germany. Records from the Alpstein mountains indicate that G. pusillus is a soil-dwelling species that prefers humus-rich soil, but these records deserve confirmation. Some authorities consider the specimens recorded from Europe to be specimens of G. ribauti that have been misidentified as specimens of the Algerian species G. pusillus.

Schendyla is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Schendylidae. These centipedes are found in the west Palearctic region. This genus was described by Danish entomologists Vilhelm Bergsøe and Frederik Vilhelm August Meinert in 1866. This genus now includes more than 20 species.

Marsikomerus is a genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae. This genus was described by Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems in 1938. Species in this genus are found in Mexico and in the United States.

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.

Schendylops is the largest genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae, containing more than 60 species. This genus was first proposed by the American biologist Orator F. Cook in 1899 for the type species originally named Schendyla grandidieri in 1897. Most species in this genus are found in the Neotropical region, but a dozen species are found in Africa and Madagascar. These species live in diverse habitats, ranging from sea level to high altitudes, e.g., at 4,500 m (14,800 ft) above sea level in the Andes mountains.

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 in any epimorphic order of 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.

Mecophilus is a genus of soil centipedes in the subfamily Aphilodontinae, a clade formerly known as the family Aphilodontidae but now deemed a subfamily within the family Geophilidae. The species in this genus are among the smallest centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha, reaching only 8 mm in length. This genus is also notable for featuring the fewest legs in the subfamily Aphilodontinae. The species in this genus are found in the Atlantic Forest in south and southeastern Brazil.

Schendylops oligopus is a species of soil centipede in the family Schendylidae. This species is notable as one of only two species in the order Geophilomorpha known to include centipedes with only 27 pairs of legs, the minimum number recorded in this order. Furthermore, S. oligopus was the first species in this order found to feature so few legs.

Krateraspis sselivanovi is a species of soil centipede in the family Mecistocephalidae. This centipede is found in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. This species is notable for featuring 53 leg pairs without any intraspecific variation. This number of legs is rarely observed in the family Mecistocephalidae and also appears to be the maximum number evidently fixed by species in the class Chilopoda.

Mecophilus tupiniquim is a species of soil centipede in the subfamily Aphilodontinae, a clade formerly known as the family Aphilodontidae but now deemed a subfamily within the family Geophilidae. This centipede is notable for its small size and modest number of legs. This species is found in Brazil.

Escaryus is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Schendylidae. These centipedes are notable as schendylids adapted to colder temperatures and restricted to cool climates and high latitudes. With more than 30 species, this genus is easily the largest group of such centipedes in the family Schendylidae. Most schendylids are limited to tropical or subtropical regions.

References

  1. ↑ Bonato, L.; Chagas Junior, A.; Edgecombe, G.D.; Lewis, J.G.E.; Minelli, A.; Pereira, L.A.; Shelley, R.M.; Stoev, P.; Zapparoli, M. (2016). "Dinogeophilus oligopodus Pereira, 1984". ChiloBase 2.0 - A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro; Drago, Leandro; Pereira, Luis Alberto (2015-09-25). "The phylogenetic position of Dinogeophilus and a new evolutionary framework for the smallest epimorphic centipedes (Chilopoda: Epimorpha)". Contributions to Zoology. 84 (3): 237–253. doi:10.1163/18759866-08403004. hdl: 11577/3146565 . ISSN   1875-9866.
  3. ↑ Stojanović, Dalibor Z.; Šević, Mirko; Makarov, Slobodan E. (2024-03-07). "A new dwarf schendylid centipede (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Schendylidae) with a low number of legs from Serbia, Balkan Peninsula". Zootaxa. 5419 (3): 401–418. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5419.3.5. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   38480317.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Pereira, Luis Alberto (1984). "Estudios sobre geofilomorfos neotropicales. X. Contribución al conocimiento del género Dinogeophilus Silvestri 1909 (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae)" (PDF). Bollettino del Laboratorio di Entomologia Agraria "Filippo Silvestri" (in Spanish). 41: 119–138.
  5. ↑ Bonato, Lucio; Edgecombe, Gregory; Lewis, John; Minelli, Alessandro; Pereira, Luis; Shelley, Rowland; Zapparoli, Marzio (2010-11-18). "A common terminology for the external anatomy of centipedes (Chilopoda)". ZooKeys (69): 17–51. Bibcode:2010ZooK...69...17B. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.69.737 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   3088443 . PMID   21594038.
  6. ↑ Silvestri, F. (1909). "Descrizioni preliminari di vari artropodi specialmente d'America" (PDF). Rendiconti della R. Accademia dei Lincei. Classe di Scienze Fisiche Matematiche e Naturali (in Italian). 18 (1): 267–271 [269–270].
  7. ↑ Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro; Drago, Leandro; Pereira, Luis Alberto (2015-09-25). "The phylogenetic position of Dinogeophilus and a new evolutionary framework for the smallest epimorphic centipedes (Chilopoda: Epimorpha)". Contributions to Zoology. 84 (3): 237–253. doi:10.1163/18759866-08403004. hdl: 11577/3146565 . ISSN   1875-9866.
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