A further contribution to the knowledge of Pectiniunguis minutus (Demange, 1968), a little known dwarf schendylid centipede from western equatorial Africa (Chilopoda: geophilomorpha)

Abstract

The geophilomorph centipede Pectiniunguis minutus (Demange, 1968), a little known dwarf schendylid from Gabon (Western equatorial Africa), is redescribed and illustrated based on the type material and an additional non-type specimen preserved in the collections of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris. P. minutus can be easily differentiated from all the other species currently assigned to the genus Pectiniunguis, by the very low number of leg-bearing segments (35 in the males, 37 or 39 in the females) and very small body size (12-16 mm in length). P. minutus is also distinguished by having ventral pore-fields on the anterior region of the body only, this character being shared by a single species of the genus, i.e., P. ascendens Pereira, Minelli & Barbieri, 1994, from the Neotropics (Brazil: State of Amazonas) with which a morphological comparison is given. Comments about other dwarf centipede species belonging to several families of the order Geophilomorpha, are also added.

First record of the endemic Neotropical genusHyphydrophilus(Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae) from Argentina, with description ofH. minelliisp. nov., a new centipede with small tentorial process, inhabiting the Yungas

“…A detailed account of the epimorphic centipedes, for which the maximum body length measured in adults is 11 mm or less, can be found in Bonato et al (2015). Several other species with reduced body size are known to occur for diverse families of the Geophilomorpha (see Crabill 1960;Pereira et al 1994Pereira et al , 1995Pereira et al , 2000Foddai & Minelli 1999;Minelli et al 2000;Foddai et al 2003;Minelli 2003;Uliana et al 2007;Pereira 2009Pereira , 2011Pereira , 2012Pereira , 2013aPereira , 2013bPereira , 2013cPereira , 2014aPereira , 2014bMoretto et al 2015).…”

A new species ofRibautiaBrölemann, 1909 (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae) from Peruvian Amazonia, with a key to the Neotropical species of the genus with coxal organs grouped in clusters

“…nov. (with 12 mm body length), a few other Neotropical species of Ribautia have a similar small body size (see Pereira 2014). Several other occurrences of species with reduced body size are known for the Geophilomorpha; besides the Geophilidae, this is known to occur in some genera of the Aphilodontidae, Ballophilidae, Linotaeniidae, Macronicophilidae, Mecistocephalidae, and Schendylidae (see Foddai & Minelli 1999;Minelli et al 2000;Pereira et al 2000;Foddai et al 2003;Minelli 2003;Uliana et al 2007;Pereira 2009Pereira , 2011Pereira , 2012Pereira , 2013aPereira , 2013cPereira , 2013dPereira , 2014.…”

First report of geophilid centipedes of the genus Ribautia <br />(Myriapoda: Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha) from the Atlantic Forest biome, with description of a new miniature species from Misiones Province, Northeastern Argentina

“…tropica (Brölemann, 1898); and R. silvana Kraus, 1954 (all 14 mm long). Several other occurrences of species with reduced body size are known for the Geophilomorpha; besides the Geophilidae, this is known to occur in some genera of the Aphilodontidae, Ballophilidae, Linotaeniidae, Macronocophilidae, Mecistocephalidae, and Schendylidae (see Foddai & Minelli 1999;Foddai et al 2003;Minelli 2003;Minelli et al 2000;Pereira 2009Pereira , 2011Pereira , 2012Pereira , 2013aPereira , 2013cPereira , 2013dPereira et al 2000;Uliana et al 2007).…”