Mecophilus tupiniquim

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Mecophilus tupiniquim
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Mecophilus
Species:
M. tupiniquim
Binomial name
Mecophilus tupiniquim
Calvanese, Brescovit & Bonato, 2019

Mecophilus tupiniquim is a species of soil centipede in the subfamily Aphilodontinae, a clade formerly known as the family Aphilodontidae [1] but now deemed a subfamily within the family Geophilidae. [2] [3] This centipede is notable for its small size (reaching only 7.5 mm in length) and modest number of legs (only 35 pairs). [4] This species is found in Brazil. [2] [4]

Contents

Discovery

This species was first described by the biologists Victor C. Calvanese, Antonio D. Brescovit, and Lucio Bonato in 2019. They based the original 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]

Description

This species ranges from 7 mm to 7.5 mm in length and has only 35 pairs of legs in each sex. The antennae do not taper toward the tips, and each of the second maxillae has three articles. Both the cephalic plate (the dorsal side of the head) and the forcipular tergite are shaped like rectangles with rounded corners. The forcipular pretergite (the sclerite anterior to the main tergite of the forcipular segment) is long relative to the cephalic plate. [2] [5]

The distal denticle of the first article of the forcipule is close to the denticle of the second article. The forcipular coxosternite (the sclerite that corresponds to both the sternite of the forcupular segment and the sclerites at the base of the forcipules) and the sternite of the first leg-bearing segment are each longer than wide. Each of the ultimate legs in the male ends with a single tarsal article and no terminal claw or spine, but each of these legs in the female ends with two tarsal articles and a claw. [2] [5]

This species shares a distinctive set of traits with the other two species in the genus Mecophilus , M. carioca and M. neotropicus . For example, all three species feature an elongated first sternite as well as an elongated forcipular pretergite and an elongated forcipular coxosternite. Furthermore, in all three species, there is no terminal claw on the ultimate legs of the male. [4]

The species M. tupiniquim may be distinguished from the other two Mecophilus species based on the denticle on the ultimate article of the forcipule. In M. tupiniquim, this denticle is at the base of the article, whereas in the species M. neotropicus, this denticle is in the middle of the article. [4] [5] Furthermore, this denticle is also larger in M. tupiniquim than in M. neotropicus. [2] In M. carioca, this denticle is even smaller and less conspicuous than in M. neotropicus. Moreover, the ultimate legs of the female of M. tupiniquim features a terminal claw, whereas the female of M. carioca does not. [4]

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.

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

Oryidae is a monophyletic family of soil centipedes belonging to the superfamily Himantarioidea.

Linotaeniidae are a monophyletic clade of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae found mostly in the temperate regions of the Holarctic as well as the south Andes. Species in the clade Linotaeniidae are characterized by a body that usually tapers toward the anterior tip; mandibles with a single pectinate lamella; second maxillae with coxo-sternite usually undivided and claws without projections; forcipular segment short, with tergite remarkably wide, forcipules evidently tapering; coxal organs opening through distinct pores on the ventral surface of the coxo-pleura. The number of legs in this clade varies within as well as among species and ranges from as few as 31 pairs of legs to as many as 83 leg pairs. Compared to most families in the suborder Adesmata, this clade features a modest number of leg-bearing segments and limited variation in this number within each species.

<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.

Geophilus arenarius is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in Algeria. As part of the carpophagus species-complex, this species is closely related to both G. carpophagus and G. easoni.

Diphyonyx is a genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae found in the Palearctic region. They are notable for the unusually shaped claws on the anterior part of the trunk, which are swollen and have anterior spurs enlarged into elongate projections. Centipedes in this genus have a forcipular coxosternite with a pair of anterior tubercles and feature no sternal pores. Most coxal organs open into a single pit on each coxopleuron. These centipedes range from 4 cm to 6 cm in length and have 65 to 81 pairs of legs.

<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.

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 spissus is a species of 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, and was the first species in this genus to be discovered with such a modest number of legs.

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.

Schendyla antici is a species of soil centipede in the family Schendylidae. This species is notable as one of only six species in the order Geophilomorpha to feature centipedes with only 29 pairs of legs, which is also the minimum number recorded in the genus Schendyla. No other species in this genus features so few legs.

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

Geophilus oligopus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in several European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovenia, and Romania. Although this centipede has been described as having an Alpine-Dinaric distribution, this species has also been found in the Carpathian mountains and may be more widespread than previously thought.

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.

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 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. 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 tupiniquim Calvanese, Brescovit, Bonato, 2019". ChiloBase 2.0 - A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 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 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.