''Geophilus aetnensis'' is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of soil centipede in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Geophilidae Geophilidae is a family of soil centipedes in the superfamily Geophiloidea and the order Geophilomorpha. In 2014, a phylogenetic analysis based on morphological and molecular data found this family to be polyphyletic. To avoid this polyphyly, ...

found in Europe and northern Asia, excluding China. As described by Verhoeff in 1928, it grows up to 28 millimeters and has 53 leg pairs, 4 sensory setae each on the 2nd-4th front sternites, slightly notched maxillae, and very faint sternal pits on the thorax as well as poorly developed sternal grooves.

Taxonomy

''G. aetnensis'' is frequently mistaken with '' G. impressus'' and was found to be synonymous with its subspecies ''G. insculptus debilis''. Some consider '' G. gavoyi'' to be a synonym of ''G. aetnensis'', but this is not official.

References

aetnensis Myriapods of Europe Arthropods of Asia Animals described in 1928 {{Centipede-stub