Geomerinus Explained

Geomerinus is a monotypic genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by French myriapodologist Henry Wilfred Brolemann in 1912. Its sole species is Geomerinus curtipes, originally described as Geophilus curtipes by Erich Haase in 1887.^[1] It is endemic to Australia.^[2]

Description

This species features an elongate head and elongate forcipules, very small claws on the second maxillae, and no sternal pores; the ultimate leg-bearing segment has a narrow metasternite, scattered coxal pores, and legs with a single tarsal article.^[3] The original description of this species by Haase is based on a female specimen measuring 45 mm in length with 71 pairs of legs. The description by Brolemann is based on a larger female specimen measuring 67 mm in length, also with 71 leg pairs.

Distribution

The species occurs in north-eastern coastal Queensland and south-eastern coastal New South Wales.^[4]

Behaviour

The centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter, soil and rotting wood.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Haase . Erich . 1887 . Die Indisch-Australischen Myriopoden. Pt. I. Chilopoden . Abhandlungen und Berichte des Königlichen Zoologischen und. Anthropologisch- Ethnographischen Museums zu Dresden . German . 1 . 5 . 1-118 [109] . Biodiversity Heritage Library.
2. Web site: 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. 23 February 2023.
3. Book: Bonato . Lucio . The Myriapoda. Volume 1 . Edgecombe . Gregory D. . Zapparoli . Marzio . Brill . 2011 . 978-90-04-18826-6 . Minelli . Alessandro . Leiden . 363–443 . Chilopoda – Taxonomic overview . 812207443.
4. Web site: Species Geomerinus curtipes (Haase, 1887). . 2010. Australian Faunal Directory . Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia . 22 February 2023.