Geophilus duponti

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Geophilus duponti
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Geophilus
Species:
G. duponti
Binomial name
Geophilus duponti
Silvestri, 1897 [1]

Geophilus duponti is a species of centipede in the Geophilidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and was first described in 1897 by Italian entomologist Filippo Silvestri. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

The original description is based on a female specimen measuring 55 mm in length with 73 pairs of legs. [1] [3]

Distribution

The species occurs in eastern New South Wales. [4] The type locality is Sydney. [2]

Behaviour

The centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter, soil and rotting wood. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

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.

<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. 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 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, this species has only 29 pairs of legs, one of only two species in the Geophilidae family to have so few leg pairs.

Acanthogeophilus spiniger is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Northwest Africa. The original description of this species is based on a male specimen measuring 27 mm in length with 71 pairs of legs. It was first assigned to the genus Geophilus, but was moved to Acanthogeophilus in 1999 by Foddai and Minelli. Like other species in its genus, it is characterized by incomplete chitin lines, complete coxopleural sutures, stout legs, and a claw-like pretarsus.

Geophilus gracilis is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found most commonly in Britain and Ireland, though specimens have also been recorded in Chile, France, Greece, and Algeria. It lives under mud and stones along the coast near or below the high tide mark, grows up to 30 millimeters in length, and is bright yellow in color with a darker reddish head. Males of this species have 51 to 57 pairs of legs; females have 51 to 61 leg pairs. This species is often confused with G. flavus and, in coastal locations, G. osquidatum.

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 osquidatum is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in western Europe, from mainland Spain through western France to Britain and Ireland, though it's also been recorded in Italy, Czech Republic, and Germany. Males of this species have 51 to 57 pairs of legs; females have 53 to 63 leg pairs. This species grows up to 30 millimeters and is bright yellow with a darker reddish head. Because of this, it's often confused with G. flavus and G. gracilis. Its subspecies, G. osquidatum porosum, was found synonymous with G. flavus. In Britain, G. osquidatum is found in a wide range of habitats including woodland, grassland, and coastal shingle as well as gardens and waste ground.

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 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 aztecus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Mexico and Guatemala. The original description of this species is based on a dark red specimen measuring 44 mm in length with antennae moniliform at the apex. This species can reach 52 mm in length and has 57 or 59 pairs 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 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.

Geophilus punicus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in the Western Mediterranean, specifically Italy and North Africa (Tunisia). It's an epigeic species, though its habitat preferences are unknown apart from one record from caves, indicating it may also be a trogloxene. The original description of this species is based on male specimens with 43 pairs of legs.

Geophilus crenulatus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in a ravine above the Hemis monastery in India, 3525 meters above sea level. It was originally thought to be a subspecies of G. intermissus and named Geophilus intermissus var. crenulata. The original description of this species is based on a specimen measuring 22 mm in length with 57 pairs of legs.

Geophilus intermissus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in India around the Himalayas. The original description of this species is based on a female specimen measuring 35 mm in length, with 57 pairs of legs, a yellowish red anterior, and especially thin tarsi on the last leg pair.

Geomerinus is a monotypic genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by French myriapodologist Henry Wilfred Brolemann in 1912. Its sole species is Geomerinus curtipes, originally described as Geophilus curtipes by Erich Haase in 1887. It is endemic to Australia.

Pachymerinus is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by Italian entomologist Filippo Silvestri in 1905. Centipedes in this genus range from 3 cm to 8 cm in length, have 47 to 81 pairs of legs, and are found in Chile and southeast Australia.

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.

Paracryptops is a genus of centipedes in the family Cryptopidae. It was described in 1891 by British myriapodologist Reginald Innes Pocock.

Scutigerina is a genus of centipedes in the family Scutigerinidae. It was described in 1904 by Italian myriapodologist Filippo Silvestri.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Silvestri, F (1897). "Description des espèces nouvelles de myriapodes du Musée royal d'Histoire naturelle de Bruxelles". Annales de la Société Entomologique de Belgique. 41: 345–362 [345].
  2. 1 2 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). "ChiloBase 2.0". A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Rosario Dioguardi and Giuseppe Cortese, University of Padua. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  3. Attems, Carl (1929). Lfg. 52 Myriapoda, 1: Geophilomorpha (in German). De Gruyter. p. 181. doi:10.1515/9783111430638. ISBN   978-3-11-143063-8.
  4. 1 2 "Species Geophilus duponti Silvestri, 1897". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2023.