- Source: Schendylops
Schendylops is the largest genus of centipedes in the family Schendylidae, containing more than 60 species. This genus was first proposed by the American biologist Orator F. Cook in 1899 for the type species originally named Schendyla grandidieri in 1897. Most species in this genus are found in the Neotropical region, but a dozen species are found in Africa and Madagascar. These species live in diverse habitats, ranging from sea level (e.g., in the Caribbean region) to high altitudes, e.g., at 4,500 m (14,800 ft) above sea level in the Andes mountains.
Description
Centipedes in this genus feature two rows of filaments on the claws of the second maxillae, sternal pore fields on leg-bearing segments, two pores on each coxopleuron, and ultimate legs with seven segments but no claw. The pleurites of the second maxillae are not fused to the coxosternum. Species in this genus range from 1 to 7 cm (0.39 to 2.76 in) in length and have from 27 to 87 pairs of legs.
This genus is notable for including the two species that feature the fewest legs (27 pairs) in the order Geophilomorpha. Both of these species are found in Brazil: males in the species Schendylops ramirezi have only 27 pairs of legs, while females have 29, and males in the species S. oligopus have 27 or 29 (usually 29), while females have 31. Furthermore, S. ramirezi is one of only two species in this order in which females have only 29 leg pairs (the other species, which is in the genus Dinogeophilus, has 29 in each sex). Both S. ramirezi and S. oligopus are also notable for their small sizes, reaching only 7 mm and 10 mm in length, respectively.
Males of the African species S. caledonicus have from 83 to 85 leg pairs, while females have from 83 to as many as 87 pairs, the maximum recorded in this genus. This species is also notable for its large size, reaching 65 mm (2.6 in) in length. Other species in this genus noted for their large size include the African species S. maroccanus, which can reach 60 mm (2.4 in) in length, and S. attemsi, which can reach 63 mm (2.5 in) in length.
Species
This genus contains more than 60 species, including the following: