This glossary describes the terms used in formal descriptions of spiders; where applicable these terms are used in describing other arachnids.
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.
Chileana is a genus of soil centipedes in the clade Linotaeniidae and family Geophilidae found in southern Chile. It currently has only one species, C. araucanensis. Females of this species are about 30mm long, with a pale yellow body and a red head; bearing 12–15 pleural pores; long, tapering antennae with sparse basal sections and rather hairy distal sections; and a labrum with four median tubercles bearing a few cilia on the sides. Males have 10 pleural pores, thick ultimate legs armed with claws, and 43 leg pairs.
Geophilus proximus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in the northern part of the Palearctic and widespread across the entire Baltic basin, though it reaches as far as the Arctic Circle and has been introduced through human agency to northern, central, and eastern parts of Kazakhstan. It was recorded once with certainty in Britain from Unst in the Shetland Islands; distribution in the rest of Europe is difficult to assess because of frequent misidentifications of the species. Populations from northern Europe are mostly parthenogenetic.
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 alaskanus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Alaska. It bears similarities to Mecistocephalus attenuatus, however unlike M. attenuatus, it has oblong cephalic lamina, unarmed coxae, and unarmed claw at base. G. alaskanus is dull orange-brown in color, grows to about 30 millimeters, and has 53 leg pairs with the first pair being very small and the last pair being distinctly larger than the others. It also possesses coalesced frontal lamina, unexposed basal lamina broader than the cephalic, a prehensorial sternum that's broader than it is long, distinct lateral grooves, obsolete prosternal teeth, a smooth, bare dorsal surface except for two faint impressed lines, and a small pleurae of the last segment marked with 8–10 pigmented pores of which the posterior one of the ventral face is larger than the others and sunk in a deep cavity.
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 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 anonyx is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Oregon. It was originally placed in the genus Brachygeophilus based on the lack of sternal pores, a character shared with the type species B. truncorum, however it was later moved to Geophilus.
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 okolonae is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Okolona, Arkansas. It grows up to 40 millimeters long and has 61-63 leg pairs. G. okolonae differs from other North American species by the exposed prebasal plates and absence of coxal pores.
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.
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 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 koreanus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in North Korea. It's yellow in color and grows up to 30 millimeters long, with 69 leg pairs, a clypeus rather longer than wide, filiform antennae, central part of the labrum with 8 teeth, maxilla completely fused without median suture, tergite bifurcate, final leg tarsus bipartite, and a clawed pratarsus. It's similar to G. strictus, though the latter differs by the middle part of the labrum bearing a large number of very small teeth, and the final hip bearing a large number of pores.
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.
