Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch, 1884

Thofern, Detlef, Dupérré, Nadine & Harms, Danilo, 2021, An annotated type catalogue of the centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda) held in the Zoological Museum Hamburg, Zootaxa 4977 (1), pp. 1-103 : 25-26

24. Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch, 1884

Karsch 1884 a: 56–57, plate 14, figs. 39, 40 (as Geophilus fossuliferus n. spec.)

Type locality and specimens. Vaterland [ Homeland ]: S. Thomé. [ São Tomé] .

Dimensions. Körperlänge [body length] 36 mm bei 67 Beinpaaren [leg pairs].

Type material. Syntypes 3 ( ZMH-A0000560-561 , ZMH-A00006387 ). SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE: São Tomé (city) [0°20’10’’N, 6°43’50’’E] .

Preservation. 2 jars (Second jar with two vials and microvials). Jar 1 ( ZMH-A 0000560): Label 1. Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch, Original, Coll. Greef , Mus. Marburg d. 1.IX.1901, St Thomé; Label 2. Geophilus fossuliferus n. sp. Karsch. St. Thomé; Label 3. Lectotype + 2 paratypes Karsch Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch , “desig.: R. Crabill, 12. V.60, Hamburg“, Nota: When found this date, anterior part of paratype “B” was missing, having been removed by some prior person, possibly by Karsch. This part is apparently lost. (See above). Head and mouthparts of Lectotype are on separate microscope slide, ♀. v. Present opinion: G. fossuliferus Karsch lectotype is referable as junior synonym to Mecistocephalus maxillaris (Gervais) . Paratype “A” is evidently junior synonym of Mecis. insularis (Lucas).— R. Crabill, 12. V.60. (Crabill handwriting). Jar 2 ( ZMH-A 0000561, ZMH-A 00006387): Label 1. HAMBURG SYNTYPES, Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch (= Mecistocephalus ) (typed on a label with the imprint: U.S. N.M. Collection); Label 2. These Specimens do not agree with the original description. REC: Nov. 63; Vial 1. Label 1. Syntype Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch ; Microvial 1. Label 1. PARATYPE “A”, REC.: 12. V.60; Vial 2. Label 1. Syntype Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch, Coll. Greef , Mus. Marburg, St. Thomé, 1.IX.1901 dedit (handwriting on a label with the imprint: det R.E. Crabill); Microvial 2. Label 1. LECTOTYPE Rec: 12. V.60.

Old type catalogue. Weidner (1960), p. 62, No. 15. Syntypes 3.

Type status. Karsch (1884) did not specify the number of specimens in his original description. 3 microscope slides are held at the ZMH (note on file card: “3 Präp. Lectotype, Crabill rev. et präp. Mai 1960.”). All specimens are syntypes .

Additional type material. There is another specimen from São Tomé and Príncipe at the ZMB (no. 928). All listed specimens are syntypes .

Collection remarks. The specimens came from the Collection Greef at the Museum Marburg (Zoologische Sammlung der Universität Marburg).

Taxonomic remarks. This species is almost certainly misplaced in Geophilus . According to Minelli (pers. com.) Crabill never published his identification of this nominal species as a Mecistocephalus . We provisionally list it under this genus although the taxonomic transfer is pending.

Current systematic position. Geophilus fossuliferus Karsch, 1884 (uncertain identity).