Mecistocephalus nannocornis

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Mecistocephalus nannocornis
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Mecistocephalidae
Genus: Mecistocephalus
Species:
M. nannocornis
Binomial name
Mecistocephalus nannocornis
Chamberlin, 1920

Mecistocephalus nannocornis is a species of soil centipede in the Mecistocephalidae family. [1] This centipede has only 45 pairs of legs, [2] [3] the minimum number recorded in the genus Mecistocephalus . [4] This centipede was the second species in this genus to be discovered with such a modest number of legs. [5]

Contents

Discovery and taxonomy

This species was first described in 1920 by the American biologist Ralph V. Chamberlin. [2] He based the original description of this species on a female holotype found by the American biologist Charles F. Baker on Mount Makiling on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This holotype is deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. [5]

In 1961, the Japanese myriapodologist Keizaburo Shinohara described M. manazurensis as a new species in the same genus. [6] Shinohara based this description on specimens collected from the town of Manazuru in the Kanagawa prefecture on the island of Honshu in Japan. [6] [5] In 2007, the Italian biologists Marco Uliana, Lucio Bonato, and Alessandro Minelli deemed M. manazurensis to be a junior synonym of M. nannocornis. [5] Some authorities consider these centipedes to be the same species, [7] but other authorities continue to list both as valid species, [8] [9] although some also acknowledge that these centipedes are probably the same species. [10]

Distribution

This centipede is found not only in the Philippines but also in Taiwan and Singapore, [1] where this species has been recorded in the Bukit Timah area. [11] Including M. manazurensis as a junior synonym, M. nannocornis is also found on the island of Honshu in Japan. [5]

Phylogeny

A phylogenetic analysis of the family Mecistocephalidae based on morphology places M. nannocornis in a clade with M. spissus , [12] which was the first species in the genus Mecistocephalus to be discovered with only 45 leg pairs. [5] This analysis also places this clade on the most basal branch of a phylogenetic tree of this genus, with a sister group formed by all the other species in this genus together in a separate clade. This analysis suggests that the common ancestor of the centipedes in this genus had 45 leg pairs and that the species in this sister group evolved through a process that added segments and increased the number of legs. [12]

Description

This species is orange with dark patches in at least some specimens. This centipede has 45 leg pairs and can reach 27 mm in length. [5] The head is notably short relative to its width, [2] with a length/width ratio of only 1.5. [5] The antennae are also short, [2] about 2.5 times longer than the head is wide. [5] Each of the second maxillae end in a claw. The sternum of the last leg-bearing segment is shaped like a trapezoid that is slightly wider than long, with a width/length ratio of 1.1. [5] The basal element of each ultimate leg features numerous pores of moderate size. [2] [13]

Although both this species and its close relative M. spissus have only 45 leg pairs, there are also clear differences. [5] For example, M. spissus features a greater number of teeth on the four articles of the forcipules, with two on the first article, one on the second, one on the third, and two (one ventral and one dorsal) on the fourth. [14] [13] The species M. nannocornis has only one distal tooth on the first article, a tubercle on the second, one tooth on the third, and no distinct tooth on the fourth. [5] Furthermore, M. spissus has a more elongated head, with a length/width ratio of 1.7 to 1.8, [14] whereas M. nannocornis has a head with a length/width ratio of only 1.5. [5]

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">Himantariidae</span> Family of centipedes

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.

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

Mecistocephalidae is a monophyletic family of centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha. It is the only family in the suborder Placodesmata. Most species in this family live in tropical or subtropical regions, but some occur in temperate regions. This family is the third most diverse in the order Geophiliomorpha, with about 170 species, including about 130 species in the genus Mecistocephalus.

<i>Tygarrup</i> Genus of Mecistocephalidae centipedes

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.

Arrup is a genus of centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae, native to Europe and Asia as far as Japan. Centipedes in this genus feature small telopodites on the second maxillae, the head and forcipular segment are elongate, the clypeus is almost completely areolate, and the poison glands in adult males are often deep inside the forcipules. These centipedes range from 1 cm to 5 cm in length. All species in this genus have 41 leg-bearing segments. Most are soil-dwellers but Arrup akiyoshiensis is a troglobiont.

Agnostrup is a genus of centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae, native to Europe and Asia. Centipedes in this genus feature small telopodites without claws on the second maxillae and a robust basal denticle on the forcipular tarsungulum. These centipedes range from 2 cm to 3 cm in length. All species in this genus have 41 leg-bearing segments.

<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.

Mecistocephalus is the largest genus of centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae, with about 140 species. This genus is among the most diverse and widespread of all the genera in the order Geophilomorpha. The British entomologist George Newport first proposed this genus in 1843 to contain a group of centipedes marked by an unusual elongation of the head.

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. 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.

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.

Mecistocephalus spissus is a species of soil centipede in the Mecistocephalidae family. The American biologist Horatio Curtis Wood first described this species in 1862 based on type material found in Kauai or Oahu in Hawaii. This centipede has only 45 pairs of legs, the minimum number recorded in the genus Mecistocephalus. This species was the first in this genus to be discovered with such a modest number of legs.

Mecistocephalus gigas is a species of soil centipede in the Mecistocephalidae family. This genus was described in 1887 by German entomologist Erich Haase. This centipede features 51 pairs of legs rather than the 49 leg pairs usually observed in the genus Mecistocephalus.

Dicellophilus is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae. This genus was introduced by the American biologist Orator F. Cook in 1896 to contain the species D. limatus, which he explicitly designated as the type species. This genus contains four species and is notable for the highly disjunct geographic distribution of these species.

Dicellophilus carniolensis is a species of soil centipede in the family Mecistocephalidae. This centipede is well known and found in central Europe. This species features 43 pairs of legs, a number rarely found in the family Mecistocephalidae and recorded in only one other genus in this family: In the genus Tygarrup, an undescribed species found in the Andaman Islands also has 43 leg pairs.

Mecistocephalus angusticeps is species of soil centipede in the family Mecistocephalidae. This centipede is found in Kenya, Seychelles, and the Chagos Archipelago. This species features only 47 pairs of legs rather than the 49 leg pairs usually observed in the genus Mecistocephalus.

Krateraspis is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Mecistocephalidae. Centipedes in this genus are found in Central Asia. This genus contains only two species, K. meinerti, with 45 pairs of legs, and K. sselivanovi, with 53 leg pairs. The species K. sselivanovi 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.

Mecistocephalus evansi is a species of soil centipede in the family Mecistocephalidae. This centipede is notable for featuring 51 pairs of legs rather than the 49 leg pairs usually observed in the genus Mecistocephalus. This species was first described by the French myriapodologist Henry W. Brolemann in 1922. He based the original description of this species on a single female specimen found in the Maysan governorate on the Tigris river in Iraq.

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.

References

  1. 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). "Mecistocephalus nannocornis Chamberlin, 1920". ChiloBase 2.0 - A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chamberlin, Ralph V. (1920). "On Chilopods of the Family Mecistocephalidae". The Canadian Entomologist. 52 (8): 184–189 [187]. doi:10.4039/Ent52184-8. ISSN   1918-3240.
  3. ↑ Attems, Carl (1929). Attems, Karl (ed.). Lfg. 52 Myriapoda, 1: Geophilomorpha (in German). De Gruyter. p. 130. doi:10.1515/9783111430638. ISBN   978-3-11-143063-8.
  4. ↑ Bonato, Lucio; DáNyi, LáSzló; Minelli, Alessandro (2010). "Morphology and phylogeny of Dicellophilus, a centipede genus with a highly disjunct distribution (Chilopoda: Mecistocephalidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 158 (3): 501–532 [515]. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00557.x.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Uliana, Marco; Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro (2007-01-22). "The Mecistocephalidae of the Japanese and Taiwanese islands (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha)". Zootaxa. 1396 (1): 1–84 [30-32]. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1396.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334.
  6. 1 2 Shinohara, Keizaburo (1961). "Taxonomical and morphological studies of Myriapoda VII. Two new species of Mecistocephalidae (Chilopoda)". Zoological Magazine, Tokyo (in Japanese with English summary). 70: 212–216.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  7. ↑ "ITIS - Report: Mecistocephalus manazurensis". www.itis.gov. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  8. ↑ 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). "Mecistocephalus manazurensis Shinohara, 1961". ChiloBase 2.0 - A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  9. ↑ "Mecistocephalus manazurensis Shinohara, 1961 | COL". www.catalogueoflife.org. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  10. ↑ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Mecistocephalus manazurensis Shinohara, 1961". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  11. ↑ Decker, Peter (2013). Annotated Checklist of the Millipedes (Diplopoda) and Centipedes (Chilopoda) of Singapore (PDF). Singapore: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. p. 20. ISBN   978-981-07-6327-5.
  12. 1 2 Bonato, Lucio; Foddai, Donatella; Minelli, Alessandro (2003). "Evolutionary trends and patterns in centipede segment number based on a cladistic analysis of Mecistocephalidae (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha)". Systematic Entomology. 28 (4): 539–579. doi:10.1046/j.1365-3113.2003.00217.x. ISSN   0307-6970.
  13. 1 2 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.
  14. 1 2 Bonato, Lucio; Foddai, Donatella; Minelli, Alessandro (2004). "The Centipede Order Geophilomorpha in the Hawaiian Islands (Chilopoda)" (PDF). Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 78: 13–32 [15].
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