Tachythereua hispanica (Meinert, 1886)

Stoev, Pavel & Geoffroy, Jean-Jacques, 2004, An annotated catalogue of the scutigeromorph centipedes in the collection of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (France) (Chilopoda: Scutigeromorpha), Zootaxa 635, pp. 1-12 : 4-5

Tachythereua hispanica (Meinert, 1886)

Scutigera Hispanica Meinert, 1886a: 105 .

Tachythereua maroccana Verhoeff, 1905a: 12 , 54, 56, figs 8–9 [type loc. Morocco: Tanger and Casablanca, two males, 16 females, one juvenile, syntypes, Nos 3866–3868, ZMB]. Tachythereua maroccana var. spinosa Ribaut, 1911: 419 [type loc. Morocco: Beni­Snassen: Aïn Sfa, syntypes: two females, MNHN] New Synonym!

Type locality: Spain: Sevilla.

Lectotype: female (M. Würmli designated), No 13/ 689, ZMUC. Paralectotypes: two specimens (one female), ZMUC.

Material examined: The MNHN houses specimens identified by H.W. Brolemann from Morocco (Kenitra), as well as the syntypes of T. marrocana var. spinosa from Aïn Sfa.

New record: adult M & F, A. Oued Laouem, in front of Chaouem, 20.v.1965, J.­M. Betsch leg.

General distribution: Morocco ( Tanger; Casablanca; Aïn Sfa; Kenitra; Oued Ykem; Boulhaut; Haute Reraya, 1 250 m). Spain (Carratraca; Cordoba; Algeciras near Gibraltar; Carmona; Cinca de Pina; Sevilla). Unknown locality: A. Oued Laouem.

Remarks: Meinert (1886a) described Scutigera hispanica from Sevilla in Spain. Similarly to the fate of some other of his species (see also the remarks under T. microstoma ), S. hispanica remained in complete oblivion for more than 115 years. Just recently, it appeared in the paper of Unsöld & Melzer (2003), but as Tachythereua hispanica , without further explanation for this taxonomic alteration. The monotypic genus Tachythereua includes only maroccana – the type specimens described by Verhoeff (1905a) from Tanger and Casablanca in Morocco, and subsequently found in other regions of the country, as well as in southern Spain ( Würmli, 1973). While studying the scutigeromorphs preserved in the ZMUC in November­December, 2001, the senior author (P.S.) examined the types of Scutigera hispanica Meinert, 1886 – 3 specimens: one adult female, lectotype, M. Würmli designated; and two paralectotypes (one female), labelled “ Scutigera hispanica Mein. , Spanien spec. orig. 13/ 689” and second label “ Tachythereua hispanica (Meinert, 1886) , M. Würmli det., 1974”. Undoubtedly, Marcus Würmli was the first to recognise the true identity of hispanica , although he never published his observations. Our re­examination of the lectotype also confirmed that hispanica is conspecific with Tachythereua maroccana , having priority over it by nineteen years. Perhaps Unsöld & Melzer (2003) found similar labels left by Würmli while studying the scutigeromorphs in the Zoologische Staatssammlung, München, in 1970s.

Tachythereua maroccana var. spinosa was distinguished from the type form solely on the presence of more tergal spines ( Ribaut, 1911). This character alone could hardly justify the erection of a new variety or subspecies, that is why we propose the following new synonymy: Tachythereua hispanica (Meinert, 1886) = Tachythereua marrocana var. spinosa Ribaut, 1911 New Synonym.