Mecistocephalus gracilis is a species of centipede in the Mecistocephalidae family. It is endemic to Australia, and was first described in 1925 by German myriapodologist Karl Wilhelm Verhoeff.[1][2]
| Mecistocephalus gracilis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Chilopoda |
| Order: | Geophilomorpha |
| Family: | Mecistocephalidae |
| Genus: | Mecistocephalus |
| Species: | M. gracilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Mecistocephalus gracilis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
editThis species ranges from 34 mm to 39 mm in length[3] and has 47 pairs of legs.[4]
Distribution
editThe species occurs in the Kimberley district of far north Western Australia.[5][1]
Behaviour
editThe centipedes are solitary terrestrial predators that inhabit plant litter and soil.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c Verhoeff, KW (1925). "Results of Dr. E. Mjöberg's Swedish Scientific Expeditions to Australia 1910-1913. 39. Chilopoda". Arkiv för Zoologi. 17A (3): 1–62 [47].
- ^ Bonato L.; Chagas Junior A.; Edgecombe G.D.; Lewis J.G.E.; Minelli A.; Pereira L.A.; Shelley R.M.; Stoev P.; Zapparoli M. (2016). "ChiloBase 2.0". A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). Rosario Dioguardi and Giuseppe Cortese, University of Padua. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
- ^ Attems, Carl (1929). Lfg. 52 Myriapoda, 1: Geophilomorpha (in German). De Gruyter. p. 140. doi:10.1515/9783111430638. ISBN 978-3-11-143063-8.
- ^ Verhoeff, K.W. (1937). "Chilopoden aus Malacca nach den Objecten des Raffles Museum in Singapore" (PDF). Bulletin of the Raffles Museum (in German). 13: 198-270 [231] – via National University of Singapore.
- ^ a b "Species Mecistocephalus gracilis (Verhoeff, 1925)". Australian Faunal Directory. Dept of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australia. 2010. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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