''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of soil centipedes 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, ...

largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as ''

Geophilus electricus ''Geophilus electricus'' is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found across temperate Europe, especially Britain and Ireland. Originally discovered and named ''Scolopendra electrica'' in 1758, it was later moved to its own gen ...

''. This genus has a

Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...

distribution.

Description

This genus is characterized by a claw-shaped ultimate pretarsus, complete or nearly complete coxo-

pleural The pleural cavity, or pleural space (or sometimes intrapleural space), is the potential space between the pulmonary pleurae, pleurae of the pleural sac that surrounds each lung. A small amount of serous fluid, serous pleural fluid is maintained ...

sutures at the

prosternum The prothorax is the foremost of the three segments in the thorax of an insect, and bears the first pair of legs. Its principal sclerites (exoskeletal plates) are the pronotum (dorsal), the prosternum (ventral), and the propleuron (lateral) on e ...

, and incomplete chitin-lines. Centipedes in this genus feature slightly elongate heads and labral intermediate parts with

tubercles In anatomy, a tubercle (literally 'small tuber', Latin for 'lump') is any round nodule, small eminence, or warty outgrowth found on external or internal organs of a plant or an animal. In plants A tubercle is generally a wart-like projection, b ...

, the

forcipules Forcipules are the modified, pincer-like, front legs of centipedes that are used to inject venom into prey. They are the only known examples of front legs acting as venom injectors. Nomenclature Forcipules go by a variety of names in both sci ...

are usually poorly elongate with a single small tubercle at the base of each tarsungulum, and the anterior trunk metasternites usually have an anterior medial socket and a posterior transversally elongate pore-field. Centipedes in this genus range from about 1 cm to about 8 cm in length. Several species in this genus are notable for their small sizes, including '' G. minimus'' (measuring 9.5 mm in length), '' G. pinivagus'' (10 mm), '' G. richardi'' (10 mm), '' G. pusillus'' (11 mm), and '' G. piae'' (11 mm). Other species are notable for their large sizes, including '' G. procerus'' (measuring 72 mm in length) and '' G. piedus'' (75 mm). Although centipedes in this genus can have as many as 89 pairs of legs (in '' G. caucasicus'', with 57 to 89 leg pairs), most species in this genus have a much smaller number of legs. For example, two species in this genus include centipedes with only 29 leg pairs, the lowest number recorded in the family Geophilidae: '' G. persephones'' (29 in the only specimen, a male) and '' G. richardi'' (29 or 31 in males and 33 in females). Several other species in this genus are known from specimens with notably few leg pairs in each sex, including '' G. ribauti'' (as few as 31 in males and 33 in females), ''G. hadesi'' (33 in both sexes), ''G. piae'' (as few as 35 in males and 37 in females), '' G. bipartitus'' (35 in males and 39 in females), and '' G. oligopus'' (37 or 39 in both sexes).

Species

This genus is the largest in the family Geophilidae, with about 140 species: *'' Geophilus admarinus'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus aenariensis'' Verhoeff, 1942 *'' Geophilus aetnensis'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus alaskanus'' Cook, 1904 *'' Geophilus algarum '' Brölemann, 1909 *'' Geophilus alzonis'' Attems, 1952 *'' Geophilus ampyx'' Crabill, 1954 *'' Geophilus angustatus'' Eschscholtz, 1823 *'' Geophilus anonyx'' Chamberlin, 1941 *'' Geophilus arenarius'' Meinert, 1870 *'' Geophilus atopodon'' Chamberlin, 1903 *'' Geophilus aztecus'' Humbert and Saussure, 1869 *''

Geophilus becki ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of Geophilomorpha, soil centipedes in the family (biology), family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with ''Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh En ...

'' Chamberlin, 1951 *'' Geophilus bipartitus'' Takakuwa, 1937 *'' Geophilus bluncki'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus bobolianus'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus bosniensis'' Verhoeff, 1895 *'' Geophilus brevicornis'' Wood, 1862 *'' Geophilus brunneus'' McNeill, 1887 *'' Geophilus carpophagus'' Leach, 1814 *''

Geophilus caucasicus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Sseliwanoff, 1884 *'' Geophilus cayugae'' Chamberlin, 1904 *'' Geophilus chalandei'' Brölemann, 1909 *'' Geophilus challangeri'' Pocock, 1891 *'' Geophilus claremontus'' Chamberlin, 1909 *'' Geophilus compactus'' Attems, 1934 *'' Geophilus crenulatus'' Silvestri, 1936 *'' Geophilus delotus'' Chamberlin, 1941 *'' Geophilus dentatus'' Takakuwa, 1936 *'' Geophilus duponti'' Silvestri, 1897 *'' Geophilus easoni'' Arthur et al. 2001 *'' Geophilus elazigus'' Chamberlin, 1952 *''

'' Linne,1758 *'' Geophilus embius'' Chamberlin, 1912 *'' Geophilus erzurumensis'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus eudontus'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus flavus'' De Geer, 1778 *'' Geophilus fossularum'' Verhoeff, 1943 *'' Geophilus fossuliferus'' Karsch, 1884 *'' Geophilus foveatus'' McNeill, 1887 *'' Geophilus frigidanus'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus fruitanus'' Chamberlin, 1928 *'' Geophilus fucorum'' Brölemann, 1900 *'' Geophilus gavoyi'' Chalande, 1910 *'' Geophilus geronimo'' Chamberlin, 1912 *'' Geophilus gigas'' Attems, 1951 *'' Geophilus glaber'' Bollman, 1887 *'' Geophilus glyptus'' Chamberlin, 1902 *'' Geophilus gracilis'' Meinert, 1870 *'' Geophilus guanophilus'' Verhoeff, 1939 *''

Geophilus hadesi ''Geophilus hadesi'' is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is a troglobite, spending its entire life cycle in a cave environment. This species and '' Geophilus persephones'' are the only two troglobites known i ...

'' Stoev et al. 2015 *'' Geophilus honozus'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus ibericus'' Attems, 1952 *'' Geophilus impressus'' C.L. Koch, 1847 *'' Geophilus indianae'' McNeill, 1887 *'' Geophilus infossulatus'' Attems, 1901 *'' Geophilus intermissus'' Silvestri, 1935 *'' Geophilus joyeuxi'' Léger and Duboscq, 1903 *'' Geophilus judaicus'' Verhoeff, 1934 *'' Geophilus kobelti'' Attems, 1903 *'' Geophilus koreanus'' Takakuwa, 1936 *'' Geophilus labrofissus'' Verhoeff, 1938 *'' Geophilus lanius'' Brölemann, 1896 *'' Geophilus leionyx'' Chamberlin, 1938 *'' Geophilus lemuricus'' Verhoeff, 1939 *'' Geophilus longicapillatus'' Verhoeff, 1937 *'' Geophilus madeirae'' Latzel, 1895 *'' Geophilus marginatus'' Lucas, 1849 *''

Geophilus minimus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus monoporus'' Takakuwa, 1934 *'' Geophilus mordax'' Meinert, 1886 *'' Geophilus multiporus'' Miyosi, 1955 *'' Geophilus mustiquensis'' Pocock, 1893 *'' Geophilus nanus'' Attems, 1952 *'' Geophilus nasintus'' Chamberlin, 1909 *'' Geophilus naxius'' Verhoeff, 1901 *'' Geophilus nealotus'' Chamberlin, 1902 *'' Geophilus nesiotes'' Attems, 1903 *'' Geophilus nicolanus'' Chamberlin, 1940 *'' Geophilus occidentalis'' Linnaeus, 1758 *'' Geophilus okolonae'' Bollman, 1888 *''

Geophilus oligopus ''Geophilus oligopus'' is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in several European countries, including Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovenia, and Romania. Althou ...

'' Attems, 1895 *'' Geophilus orae'' Verhoeff, 1943 *'' Geophilus oregonus'' Chamberlin, 1941 *'' Geophilus orientalis'' Seliwanoff, 1881 *'' Geophilus orientis'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus osquidatum'' Brölemann, 1909 *'' Geophilus oweni'' Brölemann, 1887 *'' Geophilus parki'' Auerbach, 1954 *'' Geophilus pauciporus'' Machado, 1952 *'' Geophilus pellekanus'' Attems, 1903 *''

Geophilus persephones ''Geophilus persephones'' is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae discovered in 1999. This species is named after Persephone, the queen of the underworld in Greek mythology, and found in caves in the Gouffre de la Pierre Saint- ...

'' Foddai & Minelli, 1999 *'' Geophilus phanus'' Chamberlin, 1943 *''

Geophilus piae ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Minelli, 1983 *''

Geophilus piedus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Chamberlin, 1930 *''

Geophilus pinivagus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus polyporus'' Takakuwa, 1942 *''

Geophilus procerus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1878 *'' Geophilus promontorii'' Verhoeff, 1928 *'' Geophilus proximus'' C.L.Koch, 1847 *'' Geophilus punicus'' Silvestri, 1896 *'' Geophilus pusillifrater'' Verhoeff, 1898 *'' Geophilus pusillus'' Meinert, 1870 *'' Geophilus pygmaeus'' Latzel, 1880 *'' Geophilus pyrenaicus'' Chalande, 1909 *'' Geophilus readae'' Jones, 2001 *'' Geophilus regnans'' Chamberlin, 1904 *'' Geophilus rex'' Chamberlin, 1912 *'' Geophilus rhomboideus'' Takakuwa, 1937 *''

Geophilus ribauti ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. The generic name first appeared in Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopaedia in 1814 as '' Geophi ...

'' Brölemann, 1908 *''

Geophilus richardi ''Geophilus richardi'' is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae. This centipede is found in France and Monaco in the Western Alps as well as in Italy and the Ionian islands. This species is notable as one of only two in the fami ...

'' Brölemann, 1904 *'' Geophilus ridleyi'' Pocock, 1890 *'' Geophilus rouncei'' Jones, 2001 *'' Geophilus secundus'' Chamberlin, 1912 *'' Geophilus serbicus'' Stojanović, Mitić, Antić, 2019 *'' Geophilus setiger'' Bollman, 1887 *'' Geophilus seurati'' Brölemann, 1924 *'' Geophilus shoshoneus'' Chamberlin, 1925 *'' Geophilus sibiricus'' Stuxberg, 1876 *'' Geophilus silesiacus'' Haase, 1881 *'' Geophilus simoporus'' Chamberlin, 1952 *'' Geophilus smithi'' Bollman, 1889 *'' Geophilus sounkyoensis'' Takakuwa, 1937 *'' Geophilus strictus'' Latzel, 1880 *'' Geophilus strigosus'' McNeill, 1887 *'' Geophilus studeri'' Rothenbühler, 1899 *'' Geophilus tampophor'' Chamberlin, 1953 *'' Geophilus tenellus'' L. Koch, 1882 *'' Geophilus tenuiculus'' C. L. Koch, 1878 *'' Geophilus terranovae Palmén, 1954 *'' Geophilus transitus'' Chamberlin, 1941 *'' Geophilus trichopus'' Muralewicz, 1926 *'' Geophilus truncorum'' Bergsøe and Meinert, 1866 *'' Geophilus ungviculatus'' Daday, 1889 *'' Geophilus varians'' McNeill, 1887 *'' Geophilus venezuelae'' Silvestri, 1897 *'' Geophilus vinciguerrae'' Silvestri, 1895 *'' Geophilus virginiensis'' Bollman, 1889 *'' Geophilus vittatus'' Raffinesque, 1820 *'' Geophilus winnetui'' Attems, 1947 *'' Geophilus yavapainus'' Chamberlin, 1941

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4039347 Centipede genera Taxa named by William Elford Leach