Records of the Western Australian Museum 17: 411-415 (1996). 
A new genus of centipede, Australoschendyla (Chilopoda: 
Geophilomorpha: Schendylidae), from Western Australia 
R.E. Jones 
14 Post Office Road, Dersingham, King's Lynn, Norfolk PE31 6HP, England 
Abstract - A new centipede genus Australoschendyla and two new species, A. 
capensis and A. albanyensis, (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha), are described 
from the Exmouth and Albany areas in Western Australia. 
INTRODUCTION 
Geophilomorph centipedes in the family 
Schendylidae are characterised by their mandibles 
having both a dentate and a pectinate lamina. Until 
now the only schendylid centipede known from 
Australia was the introduced European species 
Schendyla nentorensis (C.L. Koch 1837), found in 
Tasmania. (R. Mesibov, pers. comm). In the 
collections of the Western Australian Museum are 
several very small geophilomorphs of one species 
collected in Cape Range near Exmouth and of 
another species from the Bluff near Albany. They 
are clearly schendylids from the structure of the 
mandibles. 
Schendylid taxonomy is complicated by the fact 
that it relies on factors to distinguish between 
genera that are not necessarily distinctive only of 
those genera. The two new Western Australian 
species are clearly closely related yet they do not 
key out to an existing genus in any guides (Attems 
1929,1947; Chamberlin 1947; Crabill 1961). 
The Western Australian specimens have both one 
and two coxal pores per coxa in the same genus 
whereas the keys differentiate between either one 
or two as the sole number for a genus. The genus 
Schendylurus, from Africa and South America, is 
similar in some respects but Schendylurus species 
all have two coxal pores per coxa and lack the well 
developed claws on the last legs that the new 
species have (Brolemann and Ribaut 1912). For 
discussions about whether the presence or absence 
of features like claws on the last legs is in fact a 
valid generic one and a discussion of some other 
schendylid taxonomic matters, see Hoffman and 
Pereira (1991), Pereira and Hoffman (1993,1995). 
The two new species are very similar and rather 
than choose an existing genus and redefine it to 
include them, I have placed them in the new genus, 
Australoschendyla. 
All specimens are lodged in the Western 
Australian Museum, Perth (WAM). 
SYSTEMATICS 
Family Schendylidae 
Australoschendyla gen. nov. 
Type species 
Australoschendyla capensis sp. nov. 
Diagnosis 
Very small schendylid centipedes with one or 
two coxal pores per coxa. Second maxillary 
telopodites with claws with spines on the 
dorsomedial edge. Last legs with claws. 
Description 
Very small centipedes, white to yellowish white 
in alcohol, with a trace of yellowish brown on the 
forcipular segment. Labrum consists of sidepieces 
with several pointed fimbriae, midpiece an arch of 
blunt teeth. First maxillae with lateral palpi and 
articulated telopodites. Anterior border of the 
second maxillary coxosternite concave with no 
notch. Secondary maxillary telopodites with well 
developed apical claws which have spines on the 
dorsomedial edge (Figures 9, 12). Mandible of 
typical schendylid form with both pectinate and 
dentate laminae. Lamina basalis visible (Figures 2, 
10). Forcipular coxosternite without chitinlines 
(pleurograms), the anterior border concave. The 
poison-claws have a number of incisures giving 
them a distinctly crenulate appearance. Poison 
calyx situated in the tibia/tarsus. Sternal pore- 
groups are present. Claws of all legs except the last 
pair with a ventral spiniform spur (Figures 7, 13). 
Telopodites of the last legs with apical claws. Anal 
pores absent. 
Australoschendyla capensis sp. nov. 
Figures 1—11 
Material Examined 
Holotype 
9, Cape Peninsula, site TL-6, Western Australia, 
