Tasmanophilus opinatus

Tasmanophilus opinatus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Myriapoda
Class:	Chilopoda
Order:	Geophilomorpha
Family:	Zelanophilidae
Genus:	Tasmanophilus
Species:	T. opinatus
Binomial name
Tasmanophilus opinatus (Newport, 1845) [1]
Synonyms
Arthronomalus opinatusNewport, 1845 Tasmaniophilus nichollsiiVerhoeff, 1937 Tasmanophilus tasmanianusChamberlin, 1920

Tasmanophilus opinatus is a species of centipede in the Zelanophilidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and was first described in 1845 by British entomologist George Newport. ^{[1] [2]}

Description

The original description of this species is based on two damaged syntypes missing their posterior ends. ^[3] A description of another specimen reports a deep orange-yellow color, a length of 54 mm, and 69 pairs of legs. ^[4]

Distribution

The species occurs in south-eastern Australia, in Victoria and Tasmania. ^[5]

Behaviour

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

References

1. Newport, G (1845). "Monograph of the class Myriapoda order Chilopoda; with observations on the general arrangement of the Articulata". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 19: 265–302, 349–439 [433].
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. Crabill, R.E. (1962). "Concerning Chilopod Types in the British Museum (Natural History). Part I (Chilopoda : Geophilomorpha : Scolopendromorpha)". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 5 (56): 505-510 [509].
4. Pocock, R.I. (1901). "The Chilopoda or Centipedes of the Australian Continent". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. (7) 8: 451-463 [461] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
5. "Species Tasmanophilus opinatus (Newport, 1845)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2023.