Geophilus pusillus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found in Algeria.[1] It grows up to 11 millimeters in length.[2] The original description of this species is based on ten specimens: five male specimens from Algeria with 31 pairs of legs, and five specimens from Germany (four males with 33 leg pairs and one female with 35 leg pairs).[3][4] Records from the Alpstein mountains indicate that G. pusillus is a soil-dwelling species (burrowing as deep as 30 cm) that prefers humus-rich soil,[5] but these records deserve confirmation.[1] Some authorities consider the specimens recorded from Europe to be specimens of G. ribauti that have been misidentified as specimens of the Algerian species G. pusillus.[4]

Geophilus pusillus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Geophilus
Species:
G. pusillus
Binomial name
Geophilus pusillus
Meinert, 1870

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Geophilus pusillus Meinert, 1870". ChiloBase 2.0. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  2. ^ Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro; Drago, Leandro; Pereira, Luis A. (2015). "The phylogenetic position of Dinogeophilus and a new evolutionary framework for the smallest epimorphic centipedes (Chilopoda: Epimorpha)". Contributions to Zoology. 84 (3): 237–253. doi:10.1163/18759866-08403004. hdl:11577/3146565. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
  3. ^ Meinert, F. (1870). "Myriapoda Musaei Hauniensis: Bitrag til Myriapodernes morphologi og systematik". Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift. (3)7: 1–128 [68].
  4. ^ a b Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro (2014-03-03). "Chilopoda Geophilomorpha of Europe: a revised list of species, with taxonomic and nomenclatorial notes". Zootaxa. 3770 (1): 1-136 [86]. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3770.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334.
  5. ^ Ambuhl, G.; Wartmann, Bernhard (1901–1902). "D. exkurisonsgebiet bergell". Jahrbuch der St. Gallischen Naturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft für das Vereinsjahr. Retrieved 15 February 2022.