Anopsobiinae spp.

(Order Lithobiomorpha, family Henicopidae, subfamily Anopsobiinae)

Check:
 
(a)  15 antennomeres
(b)  no eyes
(c)  5+5, 6+6 or 7+7 teeth on coxosternite
(d)  large spine on leg 14 prefemur, leg 15 coxa and prefemur
(e)  usually 2 coxal pores, on legs 14 and 15 only.

Left:  Last segments, ventral view, showing coxal pores (cp) and large spines (s).
Right:  Maxillipedes, ventral view.

Anopsobiinae are currently being revised by Greg Edgecombe (Australian Museum). Tasmania has at least two widespread species fitting the description above, in two genera. A Tasmanian anopsobiine was described as Tasmanobius relictus by Chamberlin (1920), but the type is in poor condition and it is not clear which of our species should be referred to by that name. Edgecombe (2004b) has placed this species in the genus Dichelobius, which also has species on the Australian mainland.

These diminutive centipedes (rarely more than 10 mm long) can be very abundant in moss and leaf litter in wet forest at low elevations, but seem to avoid the high country and dry habitats. When disturbed they sometimes curl up in a tight spiral and 'play dead', making them hard to see.

Localities for Anopsobiinae spp.  Scale bar = 100 km.

More information:
 
Taxonomy - Chamberlin (1920), Edgecombe (2004b)
Biology - Edgecombe et al. (1999), Edgecombe et al. (2002), Edgecombe (2003a), Edgecombe & Giribet (2003c)
Distribution, conservation and general - Mesibov (1986)