Geophilus electricus

Geophilus electricus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Chilopoda
Order: Geophilomorpha
Family: Geophilidae
Genus: Geophilus
Species:
G. electricus
Binomial name
Geophilus electricus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
  • Scolopendra electrica Linnaeus, 1758

Geophilus electricus is a species of soil centipede in the family Geophilidae found across temperate Europe, especially Britain and Ireland.[1] Originally discovered and named Scolopendra electrica in 1758, it was later moved to its own genus, Geophilus.[2] As the first species described in this genus, it is considered by some to be the type species (along with Geophilus carpophagus).[3] It is yellowish-orange in color and can grow up to 45 millimeters, with 55 to 75 leg pairs[4] (more than other similar Geophilus species), a distinct carpophagus fossae on the anterior sternites, and a distinctive arrangement of the coxal pores of the last leg pair.[1] Like many geophilomorphans, G. electricus has been known to glow in the dark, most likely as a defensive maneuver.[5][6]

  1. ^ a b "Geophilus electricus (Linné, 1758)". British Myriapod and Isopod Group. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  2. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). "Caroli Linnaei...Systema naturae per regna tria naturae :secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis". Systema Naturae. 1 (10): 638. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.542. hdl:10366/131929. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  3. ^ Crabill, Ralph E. (1954). "A conspectus of the northeastern North American species of Geophilus (Chilopoda Geophilomorpha Geophilidae)". Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 56: 172–188.
  4. ^ Bonato, Lucio; Zapparoli, Marzio; Drago, Leandro; Minelli, Alessandro (2016). "An unusually elongate endogeic centipede from Sardinia (Chilopoda: Geophilidae)". European Journal of Taxonomy (231): 1–19. doi:10.5852/EJT.2016.231. hdl:11577/3189380. S2CID 58911978.
  5. ^ Rosenberg, Jörg; Meyer-Rochow, Victor B. (2009). BIOLUMINESCENCE IN FOCUS - a collection of illuminating essays (1st ed.). Research Signpost. pp. 139–146. ISBN 978-81-308-0357-9. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  6. ^ Ridley, H.N (1936). "The Luminous Secretion of the Centipede Geophilus Electricus (L.) as a Defence Against the Attack of Beetles, Etc". Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. 11 (3–5): 48. doi:10.1111/j.1365-3032.1936.tb00861.x. Retrieved 24 October 2021.