Morphology and distribution of the Middle Asian centipede genus Krateraspis Lignau, 1929 (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Mecistocephalidae)

Abstract

A comprehensive redescription of the poorly known mecistocephalid genus Krateraspis Lignau, 1929 and its two species is provided, based on the examination of type material and new specimens, as well as the critical evaluation of all published information. Krateraspis is confirmed differing from all other Mecistocephalidae especially for a peculiar pattern of areolation and setation of the clypeus. Records from 24 localities indicate that Krateraspis is limited to a narrow area of Middle Asia, from the Western Tian-Shan to the western offshoots of Pamir Mountains. Two species are morphologically distinguishable: K. meinerti (Sseliwanoff, 1881) and K. sselivanovi Titova, 1975. They differ mainly in details of the clypeus and maxillae, in the pattern of forcipular denticles, and in the number of legs. Tygarrup asiaticus Verhoeff, 1930 is confirmed as a junior synonym of K. meinerti, and a lectotype is designated for the former.

An updated synthesis of the Geophilomorpha (Chilopoda) of Asian Russia

“…The taxonomic status of most of these species has never been revised since they were originally described. Of all the species reported from Asian Russia, only nine are also known from European Russia, where, a total of 41 species from 17 genera have been reported so far ( Volkova 2016 ; Zuev and Evsyukov 2016 ; Dyachkov and Bonato 2022 ).…”

On new records of Geophilomorpha (Chilopoda) from Middle Asia

“…Distribution. Middle Asia: Tajikistan (Titova 1975;Dyachkov & Bonato 2022), Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan (both new).…”

“…The geophilomorph centipede fauna of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan has been studied since the second part of XIX century (Kessler 1874;Sseliwanoff 1879Sseliwanoff , 1881aSseliwanoff , 1881bSseliwanoff , 1884Pocock 1891;Silvestri 1895;Attems 1904;Chalande & Ribaut 1909;Lignau 1929aLignau , 1929bVerhoeff 1930;Crabill 1962Crabill , 1964Titova 1965Titova , 1969Titova , 1972aTitova , 1972bTitova , 1975aTitova , 1975bTitova , 1978Dobroruka 1979;Sabirova 1990;Jones 2001;Tuf 2007;Vsevolodova-Perel 2009;Bragina 2012Bragina , 2016. Our investigations have also expanded the knowledge of this fauna (Bragina et al 2020;Dyachkov 2018aDyachkov , 2018bDyachkov , 2019Dyachkov , 2020aDyachkov , 2020bDyachkov & Tuf 2018Dyachkov & Nedoev 2021;Dyachkov & Bonato 2022). Nevertheless, geophilomorph fauna of numerous territories in Middle Asia remains poorly studied.…”

On the Chilopoda fauna of the Pamir Mts, Tajikistan, with notes on the highest records of chilopod species in Middle Asia

“…Koch, 1835) (Geophilidae), Krateraspis meinerti (Sseliwanoff, 1881), K. sselivanovi Titova, 1975, Tygarrup muminabadicus Titova, 1965, and Bothriogaster signata (Kessler, 1874), Stigmatogaster sp. (both Himantariidae;Dyachkov 2020bDyachkov , 2022cDyachkov & Bonato 2022), and a sole scolopendromorph species, Scolopendra canidens Newport, 1844 (Scolopendridae; Dyachkov 2020b). The world's highest record of a chilopod species is for Lithobius hirsutipes khumbensis Eason, 1989 at 5545 m (the Himalaya;Eason 1989), but Janetschek (1990) provided data on lithobiids from up to 5700 m (also the Himalaya), whereas the habitat of Chilopoda usually ranges from up to 3500 m (Mt.…”