Six new species of Aphilodon centipedes (Geophilidae: Aphilodontinae) from Brazil

After recent sampling in the Southeast and Northeast of Brazil, six new species of Aphilodon are described and illustrated based on males and females. From the Atlantic Forest biome, Aphilodon foraminis n. sp., A. aiuruocae n. sp., A. acutus n. sp. and A. rectitibia n. sp. were registered in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Aphilodon cangaceiro n. sp. is the first record of Aphilodontinae for the state of Piauí and was sampled in the Caatinga biome. Aphilodon bahianus n. sp. is the first species of Aphilodontinae known for the state of Bahia, being registered from the Atlantic Forest and in the Caatinga biomes. Additionally, some morphological characteristics of all known species of Aphilodon and their distributions are compared.

A new species of Mecophilus (Geophilidae: Aphilodontinae), with the first report of the genus from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mecophilus carioca n. sp. is described based on males and females recently sampled in the Parque Nacional de Itatiaia, and is the first record of the genus from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The specimens were analyzed in both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and photos and schematic illustrations are provided. The known distribution of the three species of Mecophilus are presented in a map.

Revision of the Neotropical species of Aphilodontinae (Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae), with eight new species and a first phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily

Aphilodontinae are a well distinct but poorly known group of soil centipedes (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae) inhabiting two disjunct areas in South America and South Africa respectively. A comprehensive revision of the Neotropical species is presented based on the examination of >150 specimens, the phylogenetic analysis of the entire subfamily based on 47 morphological characters, and the description of eight new species from Southeastern Brazil. The Aphilodontinae were confirmed a monophyletic clade within Geophilidae and closely related to Geoperingueyia, with which they share synapomorphic characters in the labrum, second maxillae and forcipules. Particular groups of clypeal setae, inconspicuous lateral parts of labrum and coalescent forcipular throchanteroprefemur and femur were recovered as synapomorphies of the Aphilodontinae. Four monophyletic genera are recognized within the subfamily Aphilodontinae Silvestri, 1909 (1908) (= Brasilophilidae Verhoeff, 1908; = Mecistaucheninae Verhoeff, 1925 n. syn.), three exclusively Neotropical and one exclusively South African. The Neotropical genera are: Aphilodon Silvestri, 1898 (= Mecistauchenus Brölemann, 1907 n. syn.; = Brasilophilus Verhoeff, 1908 n. syn.), with ten species (including A. caboclos n. sp., A. indespectus n. sp., A. meganae n. sp., A. pereirai n. sp. and A. silvestrii n. sp.), characterized by a small terminal spine on the ultimate legs, in both males and females; Mecophilus Silvestri, 1909, with two species (including M. tupiniquim n. sp.), characterized by elongated forcipular segment and first leg-bearing segment; Mairata n. gen., with two species (M. butantan n. sp. and M. itatiaiensis n. sp.), characterized by the partial reduction of the distal article of the second maxillary telopodite and a particular shape of ultimate legs, in both males and females. The South African genus, Philacroterium Attems, 1926, comprises eleven known species (including P. weberi (Silvestri, 1909) n. comb., P. caffrarium (Verhoeff, 1937) n. comb., P. porosum (Verhoeff, 1937) n. comb., P. brevipes (Verhoeff, 1938) n. comb., P. bidentatum (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. longipes (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. macronyx (Lawrence, 1955) n. comb., P. maritimum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb., P. pauciporum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb. and P. transvaalicum (Lawrence, 1963) n. comb.) and is characterized by vestigial lateral parts of the labrum and the complete suppression of the distal article of the telopodites of the second maxillae. Identification keys are provided for the Aphilodontinae genera and for the species of Aphilodon, Mecophilus and Mairata n. gen. The known occurrence of Aphilodon in Brazil is extended from the states of São Paulo and Mato Grosso to the states of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, that of Mecophilus from the state of Paraná to the state of São Paulo.

First report of a blue hue Schendylops (Geophilomorpha, Schendylidae), with a description of a new species from Southeastern Brazil

The first report of a blue colored body in schendylid specimens is presented based on a description of Schendylops turmalina sp. nov. recorded from Southeastern Brazil. The female holotype is described and illustrated, and the variations observed in male paratypes and in a juvenile male from the same locality are given. The new species is characterized by having adults with an uninterrupted series of sternal pore-fields, from the first to the penultimate leg-bearing segments, undivided on the anterior and posterior part of the body and divided into two sub-symmetrical areas in the middle region. This characteristic can also be observed in Schendylops tropicus, S. coscaroni, S. parahyhae, S. inquilinus, S. grismadoi and S. demelloi. However, in addition to the blue hue present between the first and ultimate leg-bearing segments, S. turmalina sp. nov. differs from all the aforementioned species in having the following unique characteristics: antennae less than 2.5 times the length of the cephalic plate in both male and female; posterior margin of mid-part of labrum nearstraight; forcipular tarsungulum with the internal edge serrate; tarsus 2 of the ultimate pair of legs with an apical tubercle which has two pore-like sensilla and is surrounded by two larger sensilla.