Tasmanophilus spp.

(Order Geophilomorpha, family Geophilidae)

Check:
 
(a) 41(rarely 39)-75 leg-pairs
(b) coxopleural suture oblique, complete
(c) in most specimens, a tooth at the base of the apical claw and on the femuroid
(d) in many specimens, a distinct pit-like depression on the anterior sternites
(e) numerous pores on all surfaces of last leg coxopleuron.

Left:  Maxillipedes, ventral view, showing teeth (t) on apical claw and femuroid.
Centre top:  Head, dorsal view.
Centre bottom :  Head, left lateral view, showing coxopleural suture (cs).
Right top:  Sternites 12 and 13 of mature female, showing location of sternal pits (p).
Right bottom:  Last segments, left lateral view, showing pore area (pa) on coxopleuron.

This is a taxonomically difficult group of centipedes on which Dick Jones (King's Lynn, UK) has been working for some years. There may be five Tasmanian species. The one illustrated above seems to be the most widespread and common. It grows to nearly 60 mm long (when fully extended). Tasmanophilus spp. are soil-burrowing and deep-litter centipedes which are less often seen under bark and in leaf litter. They are common in the Midlands and other dry areas where Zelanion spp. are rare. Female Tasmanophilus have been found brooding their eggs in spring and their young in early autumn.

Localities for Tasmanophilus spp.  Scale bar = 100 km.

More information:
 
Biology - Edgecombe & Giribet (2003b)
Distribution, conservation and general - Fahlander (1939), Mesibov (1986), Mesibov (1997)