602 CLASS III. MYRIAPODA. 



attainment of the adult form (epimorphosis). As in Diplopods 

 the tracheae are in all cases not laid down until the larval period. 

 The Chilopods are active creatures which avoid light and prey 

 upon other animals, though some of them may occasionally eat 

 vegetable food. They bite their prey with the poison claws 

 and kill it by the secretion of the poison-gland, which flows into 

 the wound. Certain tropical species of large size are able to 

 inflict wounds which are dangerous even to man. 



Tribe 1. PLEUROSTIGMA 



With tracheal openings on the pleural area. The number of sterna 

 never exceeds that of the terga. 



Fain. 1. Geophilidae. With long, mult [segmented vermiform body, 

 short antennae of 14 segments, short legs, stigmata on all the postcephalic 

 segments except the first and last. The number of segments usually 

 variable in the same species. The labial palps are 3-jointed. The anal 

 legs are short and eyes are absent. The sternal plates are usually per- 

 forated by pores of the sternal glands, the secretion of which causes the 

 phosphorescence found in some species. They live in the surface soil or 

 under stones, etc. ; cosmopolitan. Geophilus Leach, G. condylogaster 

 Latzei, Britain ; G. longicornis Leach, Britain ; G. electricus Mein., 

 Britain. Mecistocephalus Newp. Orphnaeus Mein. Himantarium C. Koch. 

 Gonibregmatus Newp. Scolioplanes Bergs, o. Mein. Scotophiius Mein. 

 Stiymatogaster Latzei. Orya Mein. Himantherium Karsch. 



Fam. 2. Scolopendridae.* With 21 or 23 leg-bearing segments ; 

 tergum of the basilar segment more or less completely fused with that of 

 the first leg-bearing segment ; antennae much shorter than the body, with 

 17 to 34 segments ; ocelli either four on each side or absent ; 9, 10, 11, or 

 19 pairs of stigmata present ; palp of the 2nd maxilla with 3 joints and a 

 claw ; the anal legs are long and their basal segment fused with the pleural 

 sclerite ; agile forms, for the most part inhabiting warm countries. They 

 leave the egg provided with the full number of legs. The bite of the large 

 forms is dangerous to man. They live under stones, etc., or in holes, but 

 emerge at night. 



Sub-fam. 1. Cryptopinae. Without eyes (at most a clear spot 

 on the edge of the head) ; tarsus unsegmented or indistinctly seg- 

 mented ; tibiae with one or two spurs or with the under side beset 

 with bristles. Cosmopolitan. Cryptops Leach : Theatops Newp. ; 

 Plutonium Cav. ; Newportia Gerv. 



Sub-fam. 2. Otostigminae. With four eyes on each side ; stig- 

 mata oval or round, placed obliquely to the long axis of body in 

 anterior segments ; tarsal spurs usually present ; cephalic tergum 

 never projecting over first postcephalic tergum. Australia, Asia. 

 Africa, and warm parts of America. Otostigmus For. ; Alipes Imh. : 

 Rhysida Wood. 



Sub-fam. 3. Seolopendrinae. With four eyes on each side ; 

 stigmata triangular or slit-like, placed parallel to long axis of body ; 

 tarsal spurs absent or only one ; cephalic tergum projecting back 



* K. Kraepelin Revision der Scolopendriden. Hamburg, 1903. 



