A new soil centipede from South-East Asia with a unique arrangement of ventral glands, and a revised synopsis of Gonibregmatidae (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha).

Binh Thi Thanh Tran,Hoa Thi Xuan Tran,Lucio Bonato

doi:10.3897/zookeys.838.33131

Abstract

A new gonibregmatid centipede, Vinaphilusunicusgen. n., sp. n., is described based on two females from a single location in northern Vietnam. The new genus and species are distinguished mainly by the arrangement of the ventral pore-fields, which is unique among all Chilopoda. A critically revised synopsis of the Gonibregmatidae is also given. In particular, three species are provisionally recognized in Himatosoma Pocock, 1891: H.bidivisum Silvestri, 1919, H.porosum Pocock, 1891 (= H.typicumtridivisum Silvestri, 1919, syn. n.), and H.typicum Pocock, 1891. The genera Dschangelophilus Verhoeff, 1937 and Tweediphilus Verhoeff, 1937, with their species D.coloratus Verhoeff, 1937 and T.malaccanus Verhoeff, 1937, are moved to the Gonibregmatidae, whereas Geoporophilusaporus Attems, 1930 is moved to the Oryidae as Orphnaeusaporus (Attems, 1930), comb. n.

Highlights

Gonibregmatids are frequent members of the centipede communities inhabiting the soils throughout southern Asia (Lewis 1981, Bonato and Zapparoli 2011)
Two specimens were found as representatives of a new species of Gonibregmatidae, which deserves to be distinguished in a new genus
Taxonomic position Considering the most recent comprehensive classification of Geophilomorpha (Bonato 2011) and an even more recent tentative reassessment after a phylogenetic analysis (Bonato et al 2014), the new species described here is confidently recognisable as belonging to the Geophiloidea

Summary

Introduction

Gonibregmatids are frequent members of the centipede communities inhabiting the soils throughout southern Asia (Lewis 1981, Bonato and Zapparoli 2011) They are among the largest and most elongated geophilomorphs, often more than 10 cm long when adults (Bonato 2011). Because of their conspicuous body size, gonibregmatids were among the first centipedes reported from tropical regions (since Newport 1843a, 1843b). They are still one of the least known centipede groups, even with regards to morphology and species diversity. A few other incompletely described species of gonibregmatids have been separated in other nominal genera: Disargus Cook, 1896, Geoporophilus Silvestri, 1919, and Sogophagus Chamberlin, 1912

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