Zelanion spp.

(Order Geophilomorpha, ?family Chilenophilidae)

Check:
 
(a)  37 or 39 leg-pairs in most specimens (range 29 to 41 in group)
(b)  coxopleural suture more or less longitudinal
(c)  small tooth at base of apical claw and on femuroid
(d)  small pores on ventral and lateral, but not dorsal surface of last leg coxopleuron.

Left:  Head, ventral view, showing teeth (t) on apical claw and femuroid.
Right top:  Head, dorsal view.
Right bottom :  Head, left lateral view, showing coxopleural suture (cs).
Bottom:  Last segments, left lateral view, showing pore area (pa) on coxopleuron.

There are at least two species in this group in Tasmania, but they have not yet been carefully studied. I place them tentatively in 'Zelanion' because of their close resemblance to New Zealand species in that genus (Archey 1936). Chamberlin (1920) may have described two of the group from Tasmania as Pachymeroides alter and P. mimeticus, but his descriptions are sketchy and I have not seen the type specimens.

Zelanion spp. are readily found under moss, bark and stones across most of Tasmania. However, they do not seem to be as common in dry areas as Tasmanophilus spp. Female Zelanion have been seen brooding their eggs in spring. I have seen specimens nearly 40 mm long when fully extended, but most individuals collected by hand will be closer to 20 mm. Live Zelanion are red-brown in body colour, while specimens preserved in alcohol are yellow with a red-brown head.

Localities for Zelanion spp.  Scale bar = 100 km.

More information:
 
Biology - Edgecombe & Giribet (2003b)
Distribution, conservation and general - Todd and Horwitz (1990)