Geophilus truncorum

Geophilus truncorum is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae[2] found across Western Europe, though it reaches as far as Poland, Italy, and Morocco.[3] This centipede is relatively small, growing up to 20mm in length, with a yellow or orangeish brown body and dark yellow or brown head,[4] denser and shorter hair than most Geophilus species, a main plate almost as elongated as in G. flavus (115:100),[5] and distinct carpophagus fossae on the anterior sternites.[6] This species is superficially similar to Schendyla nemorensis,[4] though unlike G. truncorum, this species lacks carpophagus fossae and claws on its last legs.[6] Males of this species have 37 or 39 pairs of legs; females have 39 or 41.[7][8]

Geophilus truncorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Geophilus
Species:
G. truncorum
Binomial name
Geophilus truncorum
Bergsøe & Meinert, 1866
Synonyms
  • Brachygeophilus truncorum
  • Geophilus pusillimus[1]

Habitat

G. truncorum is most often found beneath bark, leaf litter, and in dead and decaying wood, particularly in pine Pinus woodland, and oak Quercus woodland,[3] though there seems to be no strong preference for woodland types. It's also found at coastal sites and moorland, where it is associated with bracken. It has only a slight bias toward inland habitats (51.4% inland vs. 48.6% coastal). Although most records are from ruraI sites, it can be also be found in more populated areas, though rarely inside buildings. G. truncorum lives in altitudes up to 2000ft and shows a marked tendency to appear within 3m above ground. Its preferred soil types are sandy/pure sand (about 29.9% of specimens found in sandy soil), clays (28.5%), peat (23.9%), and loam (17.9%); 33.8% are found in calcareous (calcium-carbonate rich) soil, 66.2% in non—calcareous soil.[9]

References
  1. Eason, E.H (1961). "On the synonymy of some British centipedes". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 4 (43): 385–391. doi:10.1080/00222936108651125. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  2. "Geophilus truncorum Bergsøe & Meinert, 1866". ChiloBase 2.0. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  3. Gregory, Steve J.; Lewis, John G.E (2015). "Geophilomorph centipedes (Chilopoda: Geophilomorha) from north-west Spain and northern Portugal collected by the British Myriapod and Isopod Group in 2004". Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group. 28. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  4. "Geophilus truncorum (Bergsoë & Meinert, 1886)". Eakring Birds. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  5. Friedrich, Meinert; V., Bergsoe (1866). "Danmarks Geophiler". Naturhistorisk Tidsskrift. 3 (4): 81–103. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  6. "Geophilus truncorum Bergsoë & Meinert, 1886". BMIG. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  7. Iorio, Etienne (2008). "Contribution à l'étude des chilopodes (Chilopoda) des Alpes–Maritimes, incluant une clé d'identification des lithobiomorphes Lithobiidae de Provence–Alpes–Côte d'Azur". Bulletin de la Société Linnéenne de Provence (in French). 59: 127–190.
  8. Bonato, Lucio; Minelli, Alessandro (2014). "Chilopoda Geophilomorpha of Europe: a revised list of species, with taxonomic and nomenclatorial notes". Zootaxa. 3770: 1–136. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3770.1.1. PMID 24871280. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  9. Keay, A.N; Barber, A.D (1988). Provisional atlas of the centipedes of the British Isles (PDF). Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre. p. 127. ISBN 1870393082.
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