The Geophilidae are a polyphyletic, cosmopolitan family of soil centipedes in the superfamily Geophiloidea containing the mostly defunct clades Aphilodontidae, Dignathodontidae, Linotaeniidae, Chilenophilinae, and Macronicophilidae.
Geophilus is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with Brachygeophilus. It is a mostly holarctic genus characterized by a claw-shaped ultimate pretarsus, anterior porefields, complete or nearly complete coxo-pleural sutures at the prosternum, and incomplete chitin-lines. Centipedes in this genus range from 1 cm to 8 cm in length. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as Geophilus electricus.
Geophilus electricus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found across temperate Europe, especially Britain and Ireland. Originally discovered and named Scolopendra electrica in 1758, it was later moved to its own genus, Geophilus. As the first species described in this genus, it is considered by some to be the type species. It is yellowish-orange in color and can grow up to 45 millimeters, with 55 to 75 leg pairs, a distinct carpophagus fossae on the anterior sternites, and a distinctive arrangement of the coxal pores of the last leg pair. Like many geophilomorphans, G. electricus has been known to glow in the dark, most likely as a defensive maneuver.
Geophilus admarinus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. It's found in southeast Alaska under stones near the low tide mark and is capable of surviving prolonged submersion underwater.
Geophilus algarum is a species of centipede in the family Geophilidae found in the littoral zone on the French Atlantic and Channel Coasts. It has one subspecies, G. algarum var. decipiens, which can be identified by lack of a dorsal coxal pore. The male of this species has 53 pairs of legs; females have 53 to 59.
Geophilus fucorum is a halophilic species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in the French Mediterranean, Corsica, Italy, and Greece. Males of this species have 49 to 53 pairs of legs; females have 51 to 55.
Geophilus mordax, also called the pitted soil centipede, is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in North America, especially Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, and Florida. It grows up to 50 millimeters in length, though it averages 25–40, has 49–53 leg pairs in males and 49–57 in females, and is bright red in color. G. mordax also bears 3–5 labral teeth, a short and robust apical claw of the second maxillae, an exposed prebasal plate, and a large, consolidated sacculi.
Geophilus cayugae is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in New York, Virginia, and North Carolina. It grows up to 68 millimeters in length, though it averages 25–40, has 57–65 leg pairs in males and 63–67 in females, and is bright whitish yellow in color. G. cayugae can be identified by its well-developed paxilli, weakly consolidated sacculi, and concealed prebasal plate combined with lack of consolidated prebasal areas. It's found beneath rocks and other debris in high elevation montane regions.
Geophilus oweni is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio. It grows up to 40 millimeters in length, has 67-73 leg pairs in males and 71-77 in females, and varies from bright to faded yellow in color. G. oweni can be identified by its numerous leg pairs, lack of consolidated sacculi, prelabral consolidated areas, and long, thin second maxillary apical claws. G. missouriensis was found to be synonymous with G. oweni.
Geophilus varians is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in North America, particularly from South Carolina to Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. It grows up to 40 millimeters, though it averages 30-35, ranges in color from light faded orange to yellow or whitish yellow with a deeper and brighter head, and has 53-59 leg pairs in males and 55-61 in females, as well as a complete lack of consolidated paxilli and sacculi, concealed prebasal plate, and unusually long ultimate legs.
Geophilus atopodon is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Beulah, New Mexico. Its body is uniformly light brown, up to 25 millimeters long and rather thick, narrowed posteriorly, with 49–51 leg pairs, a discrete frontal plate, and a long claw of the anal legs.
Geophilus becki is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Cabrillo Beach, California near San Pedro under rocks and kelp at the water's edge. It grows up to 50 millimeters long and is generally orange-yellow in color with clear yellow legs and 61-63 leg pairs.
Geophilus glaber is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found beneath logs and other debris in California. It grows up to 53 millimeters long, with a discrete frontal plate, large anal pores, and slender feet of the last legs. The female of this species has 53 or 55 pairs of legs.
Diphyonyx conjungens, formerly Geophilus conjungens, is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae that has been recorded in the Balkan Peninsula, Anatolia, the southern Sporades islands, the most eastern parts of Turkish Armenia, the Pontic and Tauric mountains, and Crimea. It grows up to 60 millimeters long and bears 69–81 leg pairs, as well as 1–2 stout tubercles and 2–4 slender filaments on the mid-part of the labrum, an absence of condyles between the anterior trunk sterna, and a single, isolated pore on each coxo-pleuron.
Geophilus nicolanus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found on San Nicholas Island, California. It's dark brown in color and grows up to 62 millimeters long, with 63 leg pairs, a concealed prebasal plate, numerous coxal pores, and a very wide final ventral plate with convex sides.
Geophilus tampophor is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Oregon. It was originally placed in the genus Brachygeophilus, however it was later moved to Geophilus. Like G. anonyx, it differs from other western American geophiliids by having prehensorial claws armed at the base, however unlike G. anonyx it possesses armed anal claws and a lesser number of legs.
Geophilus truncorum is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found across Western Europe, though it reaches as far as Poland, Italy, and Morocco. This centipede is relatively small, growing up to 20mm in length, with a yellow or orangeish brown body and dark yellow or brown head, denser and shorter hair than most Geophilus species, a main plate almost as elongated as in G. flavus (115:100), and distinct carpophagus fossae on the anterior sternites. Males of this species have 35 to 41 pairs of legs; females have 37 to 41.
Geophilus bosniensis is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae endemic to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It grows up to 30 millimeters and has 75 leg pairs, as well as sternites unseparated in the median but with a suture line, and sternal pore areas in the trunk segments only. Overall, the identity and phyletic position of this centipede are uncertain.
Geophilus claremontus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Claremont, California, after which it was named. It was incorrectly placed in the genus Brachygeophilus in 1929 by Attems, most likely based on the lack of sternal pores.
Geophilus erzurumensis is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found only in Erzurum, Turkey, which it is named after.
