Australasian Tuoba 
343 
shorter than the last two. Setae moderate 
throughout (Figure 25). Head capsule as long as 
broad the sides being convex (Figure 27). Basal 
plate present. Clypeus with 2+2 postantennary 
setae, 3+3-4 medial setae and 1-2 prelabral seta 
(Figure 26). Labrum with 4-6 pointed teeth on the 
midpiece and 1-3 on the side pieces (Figures 28, 
34). First maxilla with tips membranous and ciliate 
and 2-5+2-4 setae (plus micro-setae) on the central 
lobes and 0-2+0-3 setae (plus micro-setae) on the 
telopodites. Very rudimentary lappets on the 
telopodites. Secondary maxilla with a simple claw 
half the length of the last telomere which also bears 
3 setae (Figure 24). Forcipules rounded with the 
concavity smooth and no basal node, reaching to 
just short of the head capsule when closed. Chitin 
lines complete or nearly so (Figure 25). Sternites 
with pores on all segments in a spindle shaped 
group in the hind part of each segment also on the 
procoxa and metacoxa plus a few scattered across 
the front of the anterior segments. Carpophagus 
structure from the second to about segment 
twenty, the fossae occupying just under half the 
width of a sternite at their largest (Figure 33). 
Metatergite D-shaped, wider than long, the convex 
sides converging posteriorly and the posterior edge 
being straight or nearly so (Figure 32). Metastemite 
is rhomboidal, wider than long, all edges being 
slightly concave. Coxal glands opening into a pit 
partially covered by the metastemite, there being 
about 30 per side. The last legs of the female not 
much longer than tire walking legs (Figure 30), the 
last legs of the male slightly fatter than those of the 
female, but not much (Figure 31). Anal pores 
present. Claws present on last legs. 
Remarks 
Archey retained xyloplmgus in Geophilus (1936), in 
which he also described two species which are now 
regarded as Tasmanophilus (Jones, in preparation). 
He muddled specimens of this species with some 
Tasmanophilus spenceri and Tasmanophilus sp. which 
gave rise to the error that there were "oval median 
depressions present, deep on anterior segments, 
shallower on middle ones" in this genus. His paper 
also gave a diagrammatic representation of the last 
segment but the coxal pores were interpreted 
incorrectly. 
The name xylophagus changes to xylophaga to 
conform to the gender of the genus. 
Tuoba pallida sp. nov. 
Figures 35-43 
Material Examined 
Holotype 
9, Rockingham, Penguin Island, Western 
Australia, Australia, 2 July 1980, Silver Gull nest 
litter Larus novaehollandiae, S. and J. Peck, SBP WA 
80 (WAM 92/1358). 
Para types 
Australia: Western Australia: Id 3 9, same 
data as holotype (WAM 92/1359-61); 1 d, 1 9, 
Windy Harbour, 27 km S. of Northcliffe, 8 July 
1980, coast shrub litter, S. and J. Peck, SBP WA 101 
(WAM 92/1648-9). 
Description 
Maximum length 25 mm. 
Number of leg-bearing segments 55-59 (55 d, 57- 
59 9). 
Colour white throughout. Head capsule slightly 
longer than wide, anteriorly narrowed, the sides 
convex. Antennae about 4 times the length of the 
head capsule. The first segment broader than long, 
the second longer than broad (1.5:1) decreasing 
slightly until the penultimate segment, the last 
segment being just shorter than the preceding two. 
Sparsely covered with setae throughout (Figure 
37) . Clypeus consists of 2+2 anterolateral setae and 
a band of 3+4 intermediate setae. There are two 
areas of reduced areolation just distal of the 
labrum. Labrum not very clear but it is tripartite, 
with at least four teeth on the centre piece (Figure 
43). First maxillae with ciliate tips to the 
teleopodites and coxal processes and a small lappet 
on each side, setae are 3+3 on the teleopites and 
4+4 on the processes. Second maxillae with claws 
that appear to end in a bristle and surrounded by 4 
or 5 setae (Figure 41). Forcipules reach to just short 
of the head capsule when closed, small basal nodes 
present. Chitin lines complete or nearly so (Figure 
38) . Carpophagus structure reduced and almost 
absent, very hard to see. Pores on every segment 
as a posterior band except for the first where they 
form a circular group. Also pores on the procoxa 
and metacoxa and a few scattered across the front 
of the segment (Figure 42). Metatergite 
rhomboidal, the sides and posterior edge nearly 
straight (Figure 36), metastemite trapeziform, the 
sides being slightly concave. Coxal glands opening 
into a pit partially covered by the metastemite, 
there being about 6-8 per side. Last legs of male 
slightly swollen, about as long as the walking legs 
(Figure 39), less swollen in the female (Figure 35, 
36). Anal pores are apparently not present. Claws 
present on last legs. 
Remarks 
The four species of littoral centipedes which are 
known to occur in the region can easily be 
separated by leg numbers and the size of the last 
pair of legs. Tuoba Sydneyensis has 39-55 pairs of 
legs and the last legs are comparatively long. T. 
laticeps has 43-59 pairs of legs but the last legs are 
