Family HENICOPIDAE

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Introduction

The family Henicopidae contains two subfamilies, based on a phylogenetic analysis by Edgecombe et al. (2002). The Anopsobiinae contains 7 genera (Anopsobius, Dichelobius [=Tasmanobius], Catanopsobius, Rhodobius, Ghilaroviella, Shikokuobius and Anopsobiella) and at least 14 described species. Three genera and two described species are reported from Australia. Elsewhere, species have been recorded from South Africa, Chile, New Caledonia The Falkland Islands and New Zealand (Hoffmann, 1989, 682), as well as Japan, Tajikistan and Rhodes. The Henicopinae, containing 10 genera and about 80 species (of which 4 genera and 9 species are recorded from Australia) are also recorded from New Zealand, New Caledonia, North America, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Kirghizia, South Africa and Chile. This subfamily includes the cosmopolitan genus Lamyctes. Attems (1928: 52) and other authors have regarded the Henicopiinae as containing two tribes: Henicopini and Zygethobiini. These taxa are of uncertain status since Edgecombe et al. (2002) provided evidence that they were not monophyletic.

Henicopids are less than 15 mm long, have 15 pairs of legs, 19 body segments, antennae with 19 or more segments and may have no eyes or up to eight ocelli on each side of the head. The male genitalia are four-jointed (Attems 1928: 53; Hoffmann 1982: 682). Parthenogenicy is known for Lamyctinus coeculus (Hoffmann 1982: 682).

General References

Attems, C.G. 1928. The Myriopoda of South Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 26: 1-431

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.

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