A new species of Ityphilus (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae) from the tropical rainforest of French Guiana, northern South America

Abstract

Ityphilus geoffroyi sp. nov. (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Ballophilidae) is herein described and illustrated from the holotype female, paratype male and additional non type specimens collected in French Guiana. The new species is characterized by having the internal edge of the forcipular tarsungulum partially serrate; antennae apically distinctly thickened; ventral pore-fields present in an uninterrupted series along the entire body length; all pore-fields undivided; and sternite of leg-bearing segment 1 bearing a pore-field. It is compared in detail with I. demoraisi Pereira, Minelli & Barbieri, 1995 (from Brazil) and I. guianensis Chamberlin, 1921 (from Guyana) which share these five combined traits and have a roughly similar range of leg-bearing segments. Ityphilus geoffroyi sp. nov. is only the fourth geophilomorph centipede recorded from this vast French overseas Department in northern South America, the others being I. betschi Pereira, 2010 (Ballophilidae), Schendylops tropicus (Brölemann & Ribaut, 1911) (Schendylidae), and Ribautia proxima Pereira, Minelli & Barbieri, 1995 (Geophilidae).