Pachymerellus zygethus

Pachymerellus zygethus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Myriapoda
Class:	Chilopoda
Order:	Geophilomorpha
Family:	Geophilidae
Genus:	Pachymerellus
Species:	P. zygethus
Binomial name
Pachymerellus zygethus Chamberlin, 1920 [1]

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. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Description

This species features small denticles on the forcipular coxosternite and tarsungula, no sternal pores, and scattered coxal pores; the second maxillae have claws with small filaments. ^[4] The original description of this species is based on a specimen measuring about 35 mm in length with 55 pairs of legs, ^[1] but the number of segments in this species can range from as few as 47 to as many as 65. ^[3]

Distribution

The species occurs in Tasmania and New Zealand. ^{[3] [5]}

Behaviour

The centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter, soil and rotting wood. ^[5]

References

1. Chamberlin, RV (1920). "The Myriopoda of the Australian region". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard College. 64: 1–269 [52].
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 1 March 2023.
3. Archey, Gilbert (1936). "Revision of the Chilopoda of New Zealand. Part 1". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum . 2: 43–70. ISSN   0067-0464. JSTOR   42905967. Wikidata   Q58676585.
4. Bonato, Lucio; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Zapparoli, Marzio (2011). "Chilopoda – Taxonomic overview". In Minelli, Alessandro (ed.). The Myriapoda. Volume 1. Leiden: Brill. pp. 363–443. ISBN   978-90-04-18826-6. OCLC   812207443.
5. "Species Pachymerellus zygethus Chamberlin, 1920". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2023.