A new species of the rare genus Endogeophilus from southern France, with a key to the European genera of Geophilidae s.l. (Chilopoda)

Abstract

The geophilid centipede Endogeophilus alberti sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on a single specimen collected from Provence, southern France. It is very similar to E. ichnusae Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016, which is known only from three specimens from south-western Sardinia, and was the only species in the genus Endogeophilus Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016. Both species share a remarkably narrow body, very short setae, and an unusually high number of legs, which are relatively stout. All these traits are rare among geophilids and suggest an endogeic life style. Despite of the very few specimens available for comparison and the difficulties to distinguish inter-specific differences from intra-specific variation, the two species differ at least in the shape of the pretarsi of the second maxillae and the shape of the forcipules. A revised diagnosis of the genus Endogeophilus is also provided, with an identification key to all genera of Geophilidae s.l. recorded so far in Europe, based on selected characters to evaluate without anatomical dissection and illustrated with original pictures.