Prince Albert II centipede (Endogeophilus alberti), a new species in the extremely rare genus

NEWS - Geophilid centipede, Prince Albert II centipede (Endogeophilus alberti), was described based on a single specimen collected from Provence, southern France, which is similar to E. ichnusae Bonato, Zapparoli, Drago & Minelli, 2016, and is known by only three specimens from southwestern Sardinia as the only species in the genus Endogeophilus.

Both species have a very narrow body, very short setae, numerous outer legs and are relatively stout. All these traits are rare among geophilids and suggest an endogeic lifestyle. The two species differ in the shape of the pretarsi of the second maxilla and the shape of the forcipules, although specimens are very few and it is difficult to distinguish between species from intraspecific variation.

Provence is one of the most surveyed areas in Europe for centipedes, but some sectors are still poorly studied. The new species was discovered in southern Provence, about 2 km from the coast, while the known range of E. ichnusae is limited to southwestern Sardinia. The two areas are more than 450 km apart and separated by a wide sea channel.

E. alberti is only known from the type site and a single specimen collected in the shaded maquis by Arbutus unedo L., 1753 and several large Quercus suber L., 1753. It was found after sieving with a Winkler tool at a depth of 10-20 cm in the soil. The species is dedicated to Prince Albert II de Monaco whose foundation has supported the fieldwork of this research.

E. alberti is found in the marginal area (“zone d’adhésion”) of the Port-Cros National Park which was poorly studied before 2022, except for coastal habitats. It appears that E. alberti has a narrow distribution, probably restricted to the Maures mountains and its surroundings, which means that detections are very low compared to most other centipedes.

This renowned biodiversity hotspot in Europe is seriously threatened by demographic pressures and various human impacts, in particular the habitats in the southern Maures have been disturbed by urbanization, artificialization and forest fires. This impact also concerns several species of centipedes (Chilopoda) which are already considered endangered.

Original research

Iorio É, Bonato L (2024). A new species of the rare genus Endogeophilus from southern France, with a key to the European genera of Geophilidae s.l. (Chilopoda). ZooKeys 1213: 199-224, DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1213.133171

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