Maoriella
Genus of centipedes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maoriella is a genus of centipedes in the family Geophilidae. It was described by Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems in 1903.[1][2] Species in this genus are found in New Zealand, Australia, and Tahiti.[3]
| Maoriella | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Chilopoda |
| Order: | Geophilomorpha |
| Family: | Geophilidae |
| Genus: | Maoriella Attems, 1903[1] |
| Type species | |
| Maoriella aucklandica Attems, 1903 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
The head and forcipules in this genus are very elongate, the coxosternite of the second maxillae is divided mid-longitudinally without sclerotized ridges, and the sternal pores are arranged in two pairs of groups. Centipedes in this genus range from about 3 cm to 9 cm in length and have 41 to 91 pairs of legs.[3] The large species Maoriella aucklandica can reach 90 mm in length and can have as many as 91 leg pairs, the maximum number in this genus.[4] The small species M. zelanica measures 28 mm in length[5] and can have as few as 41 leg pairs, the minimum number in this genus.[6]
Species
There are six valid species:[2]
- Maoriella aucklandica Attems, 1903
- Maoriella australis Archey, 1936
- Maoriella ecdema Crabill, 1964
- Maoriella edentata (Attems, 1947)
- Maoriella macrostigma Attems, 1903
- Maoriella zelanica (Chamberlin, 1920)
