The Craterostigmomorpha are the least diverse centipede clade, comprising only two extant species, both in the genus '' Craterostigmus''.

Centipede

Their geographic range is restricted to

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

. There is a single ocellus on each side of the head capsule. They have a distinct body plan; their

anamorphosis Anamorphosis is a distorted projection that requires the viewer to occupy a specific vantage point, use special devices, or both to view a recognizable image. It is used in painting, photography, sculpture and installation, toys, and film speci ...

comprises a single stage: in their first moult, they grow from having 12 trunk segments to having 15. Adult centipedes in this order, like those in

Scutigeromorpha Scutigeromorpha is an order of Centipede, centipedes also known as house centipedes. These centipedes are found in the temperate and tropical parts of every continent except Antarctica, with their distribution significantly expanded by the intro ...

and Lithobiomorpha, have 15 leg-bearing segments. Their low diversity and intermediate position between the primitive anamorphic centipedes and the derived Epimorpha has led to them being likened to the

platypus The platypus (''Ornithorhynchus anatinus''), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic, egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative or monotypi ...

. They represent the survivors of a once diverse clade. Maternal brooding unites the Craterostigmomorpha with the Epimorpha into the

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

Phylactometria which includes Craterostigmomorpha,

Scolopendromorpha Scolopendromorpha is an order of centipedes also known as tropical centipedes or bark centipedes. This order includes about 700 species in five families. These centipedes are found nearly worldwide, with tropical and subtropical regions providing ...

, and

Geophilomorpha Geophilomorpha is an order of centipedes commonly known as soil centipedes. The name "Geophilomorpha" is from Ancient Greek roots meaning "formed to love the earth." This group is the most diverse centipede order, with 230 genera. These centiped ...

. This trait is thought to be closely linked with the presence of sternal pores, which secrete sticky or noxious secretions, which mainly serve to repel predators and

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

s. The presence of these pores on the

Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a period (geology), geologic period and system (stratigraphy), system of the Paleozoic era (geology), era during the Phanerozoic eon (geology), eon, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the preceding Silurian per ...

''Devonobius'' which is included in own order Devonobiomorpha permits its inclusion in this clade, allowing its divergence of Lithobiomorpha from Phylactometria to be dated to .

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q11680915 Myriapod orders Centipedes Centipedes of Oceania