''Geophilus carpophagus'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

soil centipede Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an a ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Geophilidae The Geophilidae are a polyphyletic, cosmopolitan family of soil centipedes in the superfamily Geophiloidea containing the mostly defunct clades Aphilodontidae, Dignathodontidae, Linotaeniidae, Chilenophilinae, and Macronicophilidae. Species in ...

, widely considered to be a

type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...

of the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Geophilus ''Geophilus '' is a large, heterogeneous genus of soil centipedes in the family Geophilidae largely considered to be synonymous with '' Brachygeophilus''. It is a mostly holarctic genus characterized by a claw-shaped ultimate pretarsus, anteri ...

'' (along with '' G. electricus''). It grows up to 60 millimeters in length, with an orange/tan body bearing a distinctive purplish marbled pattern (also seen in '' Henia vesuviana''). Males of this species have 51 to 55 pairs of legs; females have 53 to 57.

Taxonomy

Recent studies indicate that ''G. carpophagus'' is actually a group of closely related species (dubbed the carpophagus species-complex). So far only three species have been clearly defined; ''G. carpophagus'' (Leach, 1814), '' G. easoni'' (Arthur, et al., 2001) from Europe, and '' G. arenarius'' (Meinert, 1870) from North Africa.

Habitat

''Geophilus carpophagus'' is most commonly found across southeast England, though specimens have also been found in mainland Europe, North Africa, and the Canarie Islands, with a viable population discovered in Finland in 2018. In the north of England, it becomes entirely coastal, where it can be found in cliff sites above the high tide mark. Away from the coast, it is usually found living 1 meter or more above the ground in rocks, walls, buildings, and trees. ''G. carpophagus'' seemingly has stronger adhesive abilities than ''G. easoni'', presumably to help with climbing. ''G. carpophagus'' nests in drier sites than most other British

geophilomorpha The centipedes or Chilopoda are divided into the following orders. Scutigeromorpha The Scutigeromorpha are anamorphic, reaching 15 leg-bearing segments in length. Also known as house centipedes, they are very fast creatures, and able to withstan ...

ns, which may be connected to its reduced size and number of coxal pores compared to ''G. easoni''.

Behavior

''Geophilus carpophagus'' has a less aggressive defense response than ''G. easoni'' (recoiling instead of rearing and bearing poison claws). In laboratory cultures, mothers that were deliberately disturbed and left their brood would return to coil around it again, a behavior that has never been observed in any other geophilomorph species.

References

{{Improve categories, date=February 2022 carpophagus Myriapods of Europe Animals described in 1815 Taxa named by William Elford Leach