Eupolybothrus Verhoeff, 1907

C. A. W. Jeekel, 1967, On two Italian Lithobius species described by Silvestri, with taxonomic notes on the genus Eupolybothrus Verhoeff (Chilopoda, Lithobiida), BEAUFORTIA SERIES OF MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATIONS 14, No. 175, pp. 165-175 : 172-173

Subgenus Eupolybothrus Verhoeff, 1907 , s. str.

The type-species, Lithobius grossipes C. L. Koch, 1847 , is generally considered to be a junior synonym of E. fasciatus (Newport, 1845) . Around this species the majority of described species, subspecies and varieties of the genus can be arranged, so that Eupolybothrus s. str. is numerically the largest of the recognized subgenera. Geographically it has also the largest range, extending from southeastern France, Switzerland and southeastern Germany, throughout Italy and the Balkans, to Turkey and Syria, and the species are likely to be the dominant forms of the genus in collections from this area. Relatively few species have been described from caves.

The subgenus is characterized by the absence of a VCm spine on the 15th leg, which has a double claw. VCa spines almost always absent. Triangular projections present on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th tergites, rarely reduced or absent on the 6th and 7th. Male gonopods long.

For a long time E. fasciatus has been considered to have a range largely agreeing with the area of the subgenus. But, as Verhoeff (1941) has pointed out, most of the earlier fasciatus records are probably referable to forms of the group of E. apenninigenus ( Broelemann, 1894) . It seems likely that E. fasciatus is restricted to northern Italy and northern Jugoslavia and adjacent Central Europe. According to Verhoeff the only other form belonging to the fasciatus group is E. baldensis (Verhoeff, 1937) .

In one group with E. apenninigenus belong E. apenninigenus ssp. presbanus (Verhoeff, 1941) , E. a. ssp. planinarum (Verhoeff, 1943) , E. a. ssp. cribellatus (Verhoeff, 1944) , E. a. ssp. coxodentatus (Verhoeff, 1941) , E. a. ssp. bilselii (Verhoeff, 1941) , E. a. var. fasciatograecus (Verhoeff, 1901) . E. alhanicus (Verhoeff, 1934) , E. slorkani (Verhoeff, 1934) , and, probably, E. a. ssp. anoplus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. a. ssp. mesobius Chamberlin, 1952 , E. acigolensis Chamberlin, 1952 , E. agamus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. gamus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. lamprus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. mediolus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. segregans Chamberlin, 1952 , E. sternethus Chamberlin, 1952 , E. syngenes Chamberlin, 1952 , and E. telus Chamberlin, 1952 .

Two subspecies and a number of varieties have been associated with fasciatus , but probably they belong to the apenninigenus group. In fact, the name bosniensis Latzel may, after a re-examination of the type material, prove to be the correct name for apenninigenus . Pending a revision of the types the names of these subspecies and varieties are E. fasciatus ssp. bosniensis (Latzel, 1888) , E. f. ssp. bosniensis var. calabrensis (Attems, 1929) , E. f. ssp. bosniensis var. flavescens (Verhoeff, 1900) , E. f. ssp. bosniensis var. postsulcatus (Verhoeff, 1901) , E. f. ssp. graecus (Verhoeff, 1899) , E. f. ssp. graecus var. pictus (Attems, 1902) , E. f. ssp. graecus var. unicolor (Attems, 1902) .

Of the remaining forms referable to Eupolybothrus s. str. may be mentioned E. praecursor (Attems, 1902) , E. p. ssp. alarichi (Attems, 1934) , E. mesopotamius (Verhoeff, 1944) , E. athenarum (Kanellis, 1959) , E. dubius (Manfredi, 1948) , E. longicornis (Risso, 1826) , E. l. ssp. martini (Brolemann, 1896) , E. gloriastygis (Absolon, 1935) , and E. andreevi Matic, 1964 .

Although the number of described srecies in this subgenus is quite impressive, the number of well recognizable forms is small, and no doubt a revision of the types will result here in a considerable clean-up.