Steneurytion morbosus

Steneurytion morbosus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Myriapoda
Class:	Chilopoda
Order:	Geophilomorpha
Family:	Geophilidae
Genus:	Steneurytion
Species:	S. morbosus
Binomial name
Steneurytion morbosus (Hutton, 1877) [1]
Synonyms
Himantarium morbosumHutton, 1877 Sepedonophilus morbosus(Hutton, 1877 Pachymeroides alterChamberlin, 1920 Zelanion (Zelanoides) similisChamberlin, 1920 Zelanion (Zelanoides) paucipesChamberlin, 1920

Steneurytion morbosus is a species of centipede in the Geophilidae family. This species was first described in 1877 by New Zealand naturalist Frederick Hutton. ^{[1] [2]} Authorities would later deem Pachymeroides alter, Zelanion paucipes, and Zelanion similis to be junior synonyms. ^[3] Some authorities do not include this species in the genus Steneurytion. ^[4]

Description

The original description of this species notes a pale reddish yellow body with a reddish brown head and a length of 1.85 inches. ^[1] A more detailed description of the type material notes a female specimen with 39 pairs of legs and a maximum length of 43 mm. ^[5] A more recent description of the species based on a larger sample reports 39 to 41 segments. ^[3] The original descriptions of three junior synonyms, however, report 33, 37, and 39 pairs of legs. ^[6]

Distribution

The species occurs in Victoria, south-eastern Australia, as well as in New Zealand. ^{[2] [7]}

Behaviour

The centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter, soil and rotting wood. ^[7]

References

1. Hutton, FW (1877). "Descriptions of new species of New-Zealand Myriopoda". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 20 (4): 114–117 [115] [109]. doi:10.1080/00222937708682205.
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 26 February 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; Pereira, Luis A.; Minelli, Alessandro (2007-05-28). "Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the centipede genera Chomatobius, Ityphilus, Hapleurytion, Plateurytion, and Steneurytion (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha)" . Zootaxa. 1485 (1): 1–12 [8–9]. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1485.1.1.
5. Pocock, R.I. (1891). "Descriptions of some new Geophilidae in the collection of the British Museum". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. (6)8: 215–227 [221-222] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
6. Chamberlin, Ralph V. (1920). "The Myriopoda of the Australian region". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. 64 (1): 1–269 [41–42, 46–47] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
7. "Species Sepedonophilus morbosus (Hutton, 1877)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2023.