Family CRATEROSTIGMIDAE

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Introduction

The family Craterostigmidae comprises only one species, Craterostigmus tasmanianus Pocock, which occurs in Tasmania and New Zealand. However, it was suggested by Lewis (1981: 428) that these geographically isolated populations may represent separate species. The type specimen of this family is 37 mm long (Lewis 1981: 36) and older specimens may reach 50 mm (Mesibov, 1994: 54). The family is characterised by a reduced cephalic plate (Hoffmann 1982: 683), an elongate head, one pair of ocelli, and antennae with either 17 or 18 segments (Lewis 1981:36). The maxillipedes extend out in front of the head capsule and the 1st and 2nd maxillae are similar to those of the Scolopendromorpha (Lewis 1981: 36). This characteristic, along with the flattening of the head, suggest that they may feed by capturing prey within crevices and dragging it out to eat it (Manton 1965: 313).

A unique feature of the family is the presence of a pointed capsule at the posterior end, which encloses the anal and genital area. No other centipede is known to have this feature. Members of the family have 21 tergites and only 15 pairs of legs, also an unusual feature, as most species (except the Scutigeridae) have an equal number of tergites and leg pairs (Edgecombe 2001: 47).

Craterostigmus tasmanianus is active throughout the year. It is found in forest throughout Tasmania from sea level to at least 1300 meters. Eggs are laid in clutches of 50–60 and females can be found brooding eggs and young between September and April (Mesibov, 1994).

General References

Edgecombe, G. 2001. Centipedes: the great Australian bite. Nature Australia Autumn: 42-51

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.

Manton, S.M. 1965. The evolution of anthropod locomotory mechanisms. Part 8. Functional requirement and body design in Chilopoda, together with a comparative account of their skeletomuscular systems and an appendix on the comparison between burrowing forces of annelids and chilopods and its bearing upon the evolution of the anthropodan haemocoel. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 46: 251-483

Mesibov, R. 1994. Tasmania and its Myriapods. Bulletin of the British Myriapod Group 10: 51-58

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