Cormocephalus westwoodi

Cormocephalus westwoodi is a species of centipedes in the family Scolopendridae. The species was previously considered by many names in many regions of the world, where some synonyms are still exists valid in certain countries. Five subspecies are currently recognized.

Cormocephalus westwoodi
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Myriapoda
Class:	Chilopoda
Order:	Scolopendromorpha
Family:	Scolopendridae
Genus:	Cormocephalus
Species:	C. westwoodi
Binomial name
Cormocephalus westwoodi Newport, (1844)
Synonyms
Cormocephalus dispar Porat 1871 Cormocephalus dispar dispar Cormocephalus elegans Kraepelin 1903 Cormocephalus elegans elegans Cormocephalus fangaroka Saussure & Zehntner 1902 Cormocephalus foecundus Newport 1845 Cormocephalus huttoni Pocock 1893 Cormocephalus lanatipes Kohlrausch 1878 Cormocephalus longicornis Porat 1871 Cormocephalus monilicornis Porat 1876 Cormocephalus pallipes Newport 1845 Cormocephalus purpureus Pocock 1893 Cormocephalus rugulosus Porat 1871 Cormocephalus sarasinorum Haase 1887 Cormocephalus violaceus Newport 1845 Cormocephalus westwoodi microdens Scolopendra puncticeps Gervais 1847 Scolopendra violacescens Gervais 1847

Subspecies

• Cormocephalus westwoodi anceps
• Cormocephalus westwoodi lambertoni
• Cormocephalus westwoodi nubigenus
• Cormocephalus westwoodi ribauti
• Cormocephalus westwoodi westwoodi

Ecology and description

Like other bark centipedes, C. westwoodi also prefer to live under rocks, barks and litter. It is the largest centipede found in Tasmania, reaching 60 mm in length. It is also used as a pet in Oceanian countries. The species often confused with Cormocephalus aurantiipes.

References

• Newport G. (1844). A list of the species of Myriapoda order Chilopoda contained in the cabinets of the British Museum with synoptic descriptions of forty-seven new species - Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 13: 94-101, see p. 100.
• Schileyko A.A., Stagl V. (2004). The collection of scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda) in the Natural History Museum in Vienna: a critical re-evaluation of former taxonomic identifications - Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie B, 105B: 67-137, see p. 81.