Mecophilus

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Mecophilus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Subfamily: Aphilodontinae
Genus: Mecophilus
Silvestri, 1909
Type species
Mecophilus neotropicus
Silvestri, 1909
Species

Mecophilus is a genus of soil centipedes in the subfamily Aphilodontinae, a clade formerly known as the family Aphilodontidae [1] but now deemed a subfamily within the family Geophilidae. [2] [3] The species in this genus are among the smallest centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha, reaching only 8 mm in length. [4] This genus is also notable for featuring the fewest legs (only 33 or 35 pairs) in the subfamily Aphilodontinae. [4] The species in this genus are found in the Atlantic Forest in south and southeastern Brazil. [2] [4]

Contents

Discovery

This genus was created by the Italian entomologist Filippo Silvestri in 1909 to contain the newly discovered type species M. neotropicus. [5] This species is known only from the holotype, found in Foz do Iguaçu in the state of Paraná in Brazil. [2] Although Silvestri described this holotype as a female, [5] this specimen has since proved to be a male upon examination. [2] The holotype is deposited in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria in Genova, Italy. [4]

In 2019, the biologists Victor C. Calvanese, Antonio D. Brescovit, and Lucio Bonato described the second species in this genus to be discovered, M. tupiniquim . [3] [2] They based their description of this species on a female holotype and four male paratypes. Calvanese collected all five specimens from Morro do Cruzeiro in São Roque in the state of São Paulo in Brazil in 2017. The type specimens are deposited in the Instituto Butantan in São Paulo, Brazil. The name of this species is an adjective that means "originating in Brazil" in the Tupi-Guarani language. [2]

In 2022, Calvanese and Brescovit described the third species in this genus to be discovered, M. carioca . They based their description of this species on two males and two females, including a female holotype. All four specimens were found in Parque Nacional de Itatiaia in Itatiaia in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The holotype and two paratypes for this species are deposited in the Instituto Butantan. The name of this species means "house of the white man" in the Tupi language and is a tribute to the city of Rio de Janeiro; the local indigenous people used this term to refer to the city and its residents. [4]

Description

All three species are notable for their small sizes. The holotype of the type species M. neotropicus measures only 8 mm in length. [5] The specimens of M. tupiniquim are even smaller, ranging from 7 mm to 7.5 mm in length. Finally, M. carioca is the smallest species in this genus, with specimens ranging from only 6.5 mm to 7 mm in length. [4]

All three species also have notably few legs. All specimens in this genus have only 35 pairs of legs, except for one male specimen of M. carioca that has only 33 leg pairs, the minimum number recorded in the subfamily Aphilodontinae. Outside of the genus Mecophilus, no species in this subfamily features 35 or fewer leg pairs. [4]

The species in this genus feature an elongated first sternite as well as an elongate forcipular pretergite (the sclerite anterior to the main tergite of the forcipular segment) and an elongate forcipular coxosternite (the sclerite that corresponds to both the sternite of the forcupular segment and the sclerites at the base of the forcipules). [4] [6] In all three species in this genus, there is no terminal claw on the ultimate legs of the male. The female of the species M. tupiniquim does feature this terminal claw, but the female of the species M. carioca does not, while females of the species M. neotropicus remain unknown. [4]

The three species in this genus may be distinguished from one another based on the denticle on the ultimate article of the forcipule. [4] [6] In M. neotropicus, this denticle is in the middle of the article, whereas in the other two species, the denticle is at the base of the article. Furthermore, in M. carioca, this denticle is small, whereas in the other two species, the denticle is conspicuous. [4] This denticle is also larger in M. tupiniquim than in M. neotropicus. [2]

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.

Pachymerium is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae found mainly in the west Palearctic region and in south Africa. Centipedes in this genus feature an elongate head, scattered coxal pores, and sternal pores in a pair of anterior groups and a posterior transverse band; the forcipular coxosternite is broad, and the ultimate article of the forcipule has a prominent basal denticle.

<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.

<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">Aphilodontidae</span> Family of centipedes

Aphilodontidae is a monophyletic clade of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae found in South America and South Africa. These centipedes are closely related to Geoperingueyia and characterized by shieldlike setae on the front of the head, lateral parts of the flattened cuticle above the mouthparts, and combined forcipular trochanteroprefemur and femur. The number of legs in this clade varies within species as well as among species and ranges from as few as 33 pairs of legs to as many as 93 pairs. The three species in the Brazilian genus Mecophilus have the fewest legs and smallest size in this clade. The two species with the fewest legs in the Neotropical genus Aphilodon also feature notably modest numbers: A. meganae and A. indespectus. A. meganae is also notable for its small size, the smallest in its genus. Species with more legs also exhibit greater variation in the number of leg pairs. The largest species in this clade can reach 70 mm in length.

Pachymerinus is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by Italian entomologist Filippo Silvestri in 1905. Centipedes in this genus feature elongate heads, elongate forcipules with denticles, scattered coxal pores, and few sternal pores, if any; the intermediate part of the labrum is narrow and has no denticles. These centipedes range from about 3 cm to 8 cm in length, have 47 to 81 pairs of legs, and are found in Chile and southeast Australia. The Australian species Pachymerinus froggatti is notable for its relatively small size, measuring only 28 mm in length. The larger Chilean species P. porteri measures 46 mm in length but can have as few as 47 leg pairs, the minimum number recorded in this genus. The Chilean species P. pluripes measures only 32 mm in length but can have 79 or 81 leg pairs, the maximum number recorded in this genus. The Chilean species P. canaliculatus is known from a female specimen with 75 leg pairs and is notable for its large size, measuring 75 mm in length.

<i>Ribautia</i> Genus of centipedes

Ribautia is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. This genus was described by French myriapodologist Henry Wilfred Brolemann in 1909. Centipedes in this genus are found in South America, tropical Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian peninsula, Australia, New Zealand, and Melanesia.

Tasmanophilus is a genus of centipedes in the family Zelanophilidae. This genus was described by American biologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1920. Centipedes in this genus are found in Australia and New Zealand. This genus contains only two species.

Pachymerellus zygethus is a species of centipede in the Geophilidae family. It is endemic to Australia and New Zealand, and was first described in 1920 by American biologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin.

Tuoba is a genus of 17 species of centipedes, in the family Geophilidae. This genus was described by American biologist Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1920. These centipedes are found in coastal regions and islands in the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Dinogeophilus oligopodus is a species of soil centipede in the family Schendylidae. 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. 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.

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.

Alloschizotaenia is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae. This genus contains only three valid species. Centipedes in this genus are found in central and east Africa.

Alloschizotaenia bipora is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This species was first described in 1952 by the Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems.

References

  1. ↑ Bonato, Lucio; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Zapparoli, Marzio (2011). "Chilopoda – Taxonomic overview". In Minelli, Alessandro (ed.). The Myriapoda. Volume 1. Leiden: Brill. pp. 363–443 [407-408]. ISBN   978-90-04-18826-6. OCLC   812207443.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Calvanese, Victor C.; Brescovit, Antonio D.; Bonato, Lucio (2019-11-15). "Revision of the Neotropical species of Aphilodontinae (Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae), with eight new species and a first phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily". Zootaxa. 4698 (1): 1–72. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4698.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334.
  3. 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). "Mecophilus Silvestri, 1909". ChiloBase 2.0 - A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Calvanese, Victor C.; Brescovit, Antonio D. (2022-01-18). "A new species of Mecophilus (Geophilidae: Aphilodontinae), with the first report of the genus from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil". Zootaxa. 5092 (1): 134–142. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5092.1.8. ISSN   1175-5334.
  5. 1 2 3 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.
  6. 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.
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