Centipede Diversity in Reserved Forests of Southern Kerala: A Preliminary Observation

Authors

  • Rahul Krishnan
     Research Scholar, Department of Zoology, University of Kerala
  • G. Prasad
     Professor and Head, Department of Zoology, University of Kerala

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v123/i2S/2023/172528

Keywords:

Centipedes, Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, Scutigeromorpha

Abstract

The present study focuses on the southern districts of Kerala, viz., the reserved forests of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta for the period from May, 2021 to June, 2022. Representatives of three orders belonging to three families, six genera and 14 species have been recorded. The dominant orders reported are Scolopendromorpha, followed by Scutigeromorpha. Within Scolopendromorpha, the genera Rhysida and Digitipes are the most abundant and enjoy a rich distribution in these areas.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2023-07-01

How to Cite

Krishnan, R., & Prasad, G. (2023). Centipede Diversity in Reserved Forests of Southern Kerala: A Preliminary Observation. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 123(2S), 341–348. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v123/i2S/2023/172528

Issue

Volume 123, Issue 2S, Special Issue 2023

Section

Articles
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

Aswathi, K., Dhanya, B., & Sureshan, P. M. (2017). Systematic account on two major soil macrofauna, scorpions (Arachnida: Scorpiones) and centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India. Indian Forester, 143(10), 1027-1036.

Balan, D., & Sureshan, P. M. (2017). Influence of seasonal and edaphic factors on the diversity of scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) and general observations on their ecology from Kerala, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 9(7), 10386-10395.

Balan, D., & Sureshan, P. M. (2018). Taxonomic Studies on Scolopendrid centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) of Kerala State, India. Occasional Paper No. 389. Zoological Survey of India.

Bonato, L., & Minelli, A. (2004). The centipede genus Mecistocephalus Newport 1843 in the Indian peninsula (Chilopoda Geophilomorpha Mecistocephalidae). Tropical Zoology, 17(1), 15-63.

Bonato L, Chagas Jr A, Edgecombe G, Lewis J, Minelli A, Pereira L, Shelley R, Stoev P, Zapparoli M. ChiloBase 2.0–A World Catalogue of Centipedes (Chilopoda). In: Available online at: http://chilobase.biologia.unipd.it [Accessed 09/04/2023]. 2023.

Druce, D., Hamer, M., & Slotow, R. (2007). Patterns of millipede (Diplopoda), centipede (Chilopoda) and scorpion (Scorpionida) diversity in savanna habitats within the Greater Makalali Conservancy, South Africa. African Zoology, 42(2), 204-215.

Edgecombe, G. D., & Giribet, G. (2007). Evolutionary biology of centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda). Annu. Rev. Entomol., 52, 151-170.

Joshi, J., & Edgecombe, G. D. (2013). Revision of the scolopendrid centipede Digitipes Attems, 1930, from India (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha): reconciling molecular and morphological estimates of species diversity. Zootaxa, 3626(1), 99-145.

Joshi, J., & Edgecombe, G. D. (2019). Molecular phylogeny and systematics of the centipede genus Ethmostigmus Pocock (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) from peninsular India. Invertebrate Systematics, 32(6), 1316-1335.

Joshi, J., Karanth, P. K., & Edgecombe, G. D. (2020). The out-of-India hypothesis: evidence from an ancient centipede genus, Rhysida (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) from the Oriental Region, and systematics of Indian species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 189(3), 828-861.

Khanna, V. (2008). National Register of the valid species of Scolopendrid centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) in India. Biosystematica, 1(2): 33–45.

Khanna, V., & Yadav, B. E. (1997). Indian species of genus Scolopendra Linn, (chilopoda: Scolopendridae) with description of a new species.

Lewis, J.G.E. (1972). The population density and biomass of the centipede Scolopendra amazonica (Bücherl) (Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae) in sahel savannah Nigeria. Entomologists Monthly Magazine 108: 16–18.

Menta, C., & Remelli, S. (2020). Soil health and arthropods: From complex system to worthwhile investigation. Insects, 11(1), 54.

Sureshan, P. M., Khanna, V., & Radhakrishnan, C. (2006). Additional distributional records of scolopendrid centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) from Kerala. Zoos’ Print Journal, 21(6), 2285-2291.

Sureshan, P. M., Yadav, B. E., & Radhakrishnan, C. (2003). An illustrated key to the identification of centipedes (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha) of Kerala. Zoos Print Journal, 19, 1401-1407.

Würmli M. (1979). Taxonomic problems in the genus Thereuopoda (Chilopoda Scutigeromorpha: Scutigeridae): the role of post maturational moultings. In: Myriapod Biology. Ed. Camatini M., Academic Press, London. pp. 39–48.

Yadav, B. E. (1993). Scolopendridae (Chilopoda) of Western Ghat with some first records from the State of Maharashtra, India. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 93, 321-328.