''Pachymerinus'' is a
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
centipede
Centipedes (from Neo-Latin , "hundred", and Latin , "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', "lip", and Neo-Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, ...
s 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, ...
. It was described by Italian
entomologist
Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...
Filippo Silvestri
Filippo Silvestri (22 June 1873 – 10 June 1949) was an Italian entomologist. He specialised in world Protura, Thysanura, Diplura and Isoptera, but also worked on Hymenoptera, Myriapoda and Italian Diptera. He is also noted for describing a ...
in 1905.
Centipedes in this genus feature elongate heads, elongate
forcipule
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 ...
s with
denticles, scattered coxal pores, and few sternal pores, if any; the intermediate part of the
labrum is narrow and has no denticles. These centipedes range from about 3 cm to 8 cm in length, have 47 to 81 pairs of legs, and are found in
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
and southeast
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
.
The Australian species ''
Pachymerinus froggatti'' is notable for its relatively small size, measuring only 28 mm in length.
The larger Chilean species ''P. porteri'' measures 46 mm in length but can have as few as 47 leg pairs (47 to 49 in males, 47 to 51 in females),
the minimum number recorded in this genus. The Chilean species ''P. pluripes'' measures only 32 mm in length but can have 79 or 81 leg pairs,
the maximum number recorded in this genus. The Chilean species ''P. canaliculatus'' is known from a female specimen with 75 leg pairs and is notable for its large size, measuring 75 mm in length.
Species
Valid species:
* ''
Pachymerinus abbreviates''
Silvestri, 1905
* ''
Pachymerinus australis''
Chamberlin, 1920
* ''
Pachymerinus canaliculatus''
(Gervais, 1849)
* ''
Pachymerinus froggatti''
Brolemann, 1912
* ''
Pachymerinus millepunctatus''
(Gervais, 1847)
* ''
Pachymerinus multiporus''
Demange, 1963
* ''
Pachymerinus pluripes''
(Silvestri, 1899)
* ''
Pachymerinus porteri''
(Silvestri, 1899)
References
Centipede genera
Taxa described in 1905
Taxa named by Filippo Silvestri
{{Centipede-stub