Steneurytion morbosus is a species of centipede in the Geophilidae family. This species was first described in 1877 by New Zealand naturalist Frederick Hutton.[1][2] Authorities would later deem Pachymeroides alter, Zelanion paucipes, and Zelanion similis to be junior synonyms.[3] Some authorities do not include this species in the genus Steneurytion.[4]

Steneurytion morbosus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Steneurytion
Species:
S. morbosus
Binomial name
Steneurytion morbosus
(Hutton, 1877)[1]
Synonyms
  • Himantarium morbosum Hutton, 1877
  • Sepedonophilus morbosus (Hutton, 1877
  • Pachymeroides alter Chamberlin, 1920
  • Zelanion (Zelanoides) similis Chamberlin, 1920
  • Zelanion (Zelanoides) paucipes Chamberlin, 1920

Description

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The original description of this species notes a pale reddish yellow body with a reddish brown head and a length of 1.85 inches.[1] A more detailed description of the type material notes a female specimen with 39 pairs of legs and a maximum length of 43 mm.[5] A more recent description of the species based on a larger sample reports 39 to 41 segments.[3] The original descriptions of three junior synonyms, however, report 33, 37, and 39 pairs of legs.[6]

Distribution

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The species occurs in Victoria, south-eastern Australia, as well as in New Zealand.[2][7]

Behaviour

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The centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter, soil and rotting wood.[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Hutton, FW (1877). "Descriptions of new species of New-Zealand Myriopoda". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 20 (4): 114–117 [115] [109]. doi:10.1080/00222937708682205.
  2. ^ a b Bonato L.; Chagas Junior A.; Edgecombe G.D.; Lewis J.G.E.; Minelli A.; Pereira L.A.; Shelley R.M.; Stoev P.; Zapparoli M. (2016). "ChiloBase 2.0". A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Rosario Dioguardi and Giuseppe Cortese, University of Padua. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b Archey, Gilbert (1936). "Revision of the Chilopoda of New Zealand. Part 1". Records of the Auckland Institute and Museum. 2: 43–70. ISSN 0067-0464. JSTOR 42905967. Wikidata Q58676585.
  4. ^ Bonato, Lucio; Pereira, Luis A.; Minelli, Alessandro (2007-05-28). "Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on the centipede genera Chomatobius, Ityphilus, Hapleurytion, Plateurytion, and Steneurytion (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha)". Zootaxa. 1485 (1): 1–12 [8–9]. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1485.1.1.
  5. ^ Pocock, R.I. (1891). "Descriptions of some new Geophilidae in the collection of the British Museum". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. (6)8: 215–227 [221-222] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  6. ^ Chamberlin, Ralph V. (1920). "The Myriopoda of the Australian region". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. 64 (1): 1–269 [41–42, 46–47] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  7. ^ a b "Species Sepedonophilus morbosus (Hutton, 1877)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2023.