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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Centipedes (Chilopoda) » Soil Centipedes (Geophilomorpha) » Geophilidae » Pachymerium » Long-jawed Shore-crawler (Pachymerium ferrugineum)

Species Pachymerium ferrugineum - Long-jawed Shore-crawler

millipede - Pachymerium ferrugineum
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)
Class Chilopoda (Centipedes)
Order Geophilomorpha (Soil Centipedes)
Family Geophilidae
Genus Pachymerium
Species ferrugineum (Long-jawed Shore-crawler)
Other Common Names
As far as I know, no soil centipedes have official common names. I made this one up, to refer to the elongate fangs and the fact that this species often occurs in the intertidal zone.
Explanation of Names
Pachymerium ferrugineum (C.L. Koch 1835)
Identification
43-45 pairs of legs
fangs extend forward beyond the anterior margin of the head
prosternum with 2 small teeth between the bases of the fangs (only visible under a microscope)
Range
widespread in w. Palaearctic(1); also Japan, Alaska, Mexico [info from Wikipedia, not checked. =v=]
Habitat
In soil, beneath rocks and debris, often in moist areas. This species is well-known for often inhabiting the intertidal zone where it can tolerate long periods of immersion in salt water.
Food
Small invertebrates. In the intertidal zone they eat barnacles, amphipods, polychaete worms, etc.
Works Cited
1.de Jong Y.S.D.M. et al. (2014) Fauna Europaea - all European animal species on the web. Biodiversity Data Journal 2: e4034.
Contributed by Joseph DeSisto Alling on 11 April, 2015 - 10:11pm
Additional contributions by v belov
Last updated 10 March, 2017 - 3:33pm

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