Eupolybothrus (Schizopolybothrus) caesar (Verhoeff, 1899), Verhoeff, 1899

Pavel Stoev, 2000, On centipedes (Chilopoda) of Albania, 2, Arthropoda Selecta 9 (3), pp. 199-206 : 203

Eupolybothrus (Schizopolybothrus) caesar (Verhoeff, 1899)

Eupolybothrus caesar valonensis (Verhoeff, 1905) , syn.n.

MATERIAL: 1 subadult ♂, Shkodër Distr., Mali Tarabosh Mt. , karstic terrain, 100 m alt., 24.11.2000, A. Zhalov leg.; 1 adult ♀, Korce Distr ., Pustec ( Liqena ) Village , Gubilishteto Cave (Sink-hole), 6.10.1994, P. Beron & T. Ivanova leg.; 1 subadult ♂, Korce Distr ., Kamnik Village , under stones, 7.05.1994, P. Stoev leg.; 1 ♀, Tirana , Botanical Gardens , under stones, 8.05.1995, S. Golovatch, P. Stoev & B. Petrov leg.; 1 adult ♀, 1 subadult, Ionian coast, Dhermi Village , 100 m alt., leaf litter, 11.05.1995, S. Golovatch, P. Stoev & B. Petrov leg .

REMARKS: Based only on a male and a female from Valona (= Vlorë), Verhoeff [1905] described a new subspecies of Polybothrus (= Eupolybothrus ) caesar , which he named caesar valonensis . Later, Jeekel [1967] included valonensis in his key to species or subspecies of the subgenus Schizopolybothrus . Verhoeff distinguished valonensis from the nominate form by a set of insignificant characters which appear to strongly vary in Lithobiidae . These are the number of antennomeres, ocelli and prosternal teeth, and the spinulation pattern of the legs. In my study on the centipedes of Albania, I have been able to examine a dozen specimens from different regions of the country, all being referable to E. caesar caesar . So I propose a new subjective synonym: Eupolybothrus caesar valonensis (Verhoeff, 1905) = Eupolybothrus caesar caesar (Verhoeff, 1899) , syn.n. There are three other taxa belonging to the caesar-group of Eupolybothrus : E. spiniger (Latzel, 1888) , E. acherontis (Verhoeff, 1900) , and E. acherontis wardaranus (Verhoeff, 1937) . The original description of E. spiniger is identical to that of caesar and, being an earlier available name, in case of formal synonymy, spiniger must be preferred over caesar .

CHOROTYPE: West Balkan .