Order CRATEROSTIGMOMORPHA

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Introduction

There has been some confusion as to whether Craterostigmomorpha should be accorded the rank of order or suborder, as it exhibits characteristics of both lithobioid and scolopendroid centipedes (Lewis 1981: 4; Hoffmann 1982: 683). It is accepted as an order by Lewis (1981) and more recent authors because it differs so significantly from Lithobiomorpha and Scolopendromorpha. Indeed, the ordinal separation of Craterostigmus is justified by its cladistic position (as sister to the Epimorpha sensu stricto [Scolopendromorpha + Geophilomorpha] Epimorpha sensu lato includes the Craterostigmomorpha) c.f. Edgecombe et al. 1999, fig. 1A]). Assigning it to any of the other orders would be to recognise a paraphyletic group (Shear & Bonamo 1988; Edgecombe et al. 1999).

Diagnostic features include: cephalic plate not attached to the tergite of the first body segment; no ventral pores on the coxae of the posterior five sets of legs; a long apical spine present on the trochanter of the 14th and 15th pairs of legs. The final leg-bearing segment is longer than it is wide (Hoffmann 1982: 683).

General References

Edgecombe, G.D., Giribet, G. & Wheeler, W.C. 1999. Phylogeny of Chilopoda: combining 18S and 28S rRNA sequences and morphology. Boletin de la Sociedad Entomologica Aragonesa 26: 321-331

Hoffmann, R.L. 1982. Chilopoda. pp. 681-688 in Parker, S. (ed.). Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms. New York : McGraw-Hill Vol. 2.

Lewis, J.G.E. 1981. The Biology of Centipedes. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press vii 476 pp.

Shear, W.A. & Bonamo, P.M. 1988. Devonobiomorpha, a new order of centipedes (Chilopoda) from the middle Devonian of Gilboa, New York State, USA, and the phylogeny of centipede orders. American Museum Novitates 2927: 1-30

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