Scolopendra germanica C. L. Koch, 1836

Doménech, Carles & Nagel, Peter, 2022, On the dates of publication of four European species of Scolopendra Linnaeus 1758 described by C. L. Koch (Myriapoda, Chilopoda), Zootaxa 5159 (1), pp. 125-135 : 130

Scolopendra germanica C. L. Koch, 1836

Original description:

Scolopendra germanica C. L. Koch 1836 [1 Oct.]. Index Tab. 2., Plate 9.2., Text 9.2 [1 page with header 9.2, subsequent page unpaginated] - In: Koch, C.L. (1836a) Deutschlands Crustaceen, Myriapoden und Arachniden. Ein Beitrag zur deutschen Fauna. Herausgegeben von Dr. Herrich-Schäffer, 9 tes Heft. Regensburg: Fr. Pustet.

Parallel publication in Koch (1836b) (see treatise on S. clavipes above).

The name S. germanica C. L. Koch, 1836 is herewith corrected from the misleading “1837” e.g. in Kraepelin (1903) and Attems (1930).

When describing and publishing his “ Scolopendra germanica ” in 1836, Koch indicated a possible identity with the earlier described and illustrated “ Cryptops hortensis ” in Leach (1817) [actually: Cryptops hortensis (Donovan, 1810) ] by relating to this reference and followed by a question mark. However, Koch has possibly never seen the reference “Zoological Miscellany” ( Leach 1817), because he made mistakes with the volume number (II or III) and already in 1836 he called C. hortensis “[species] n. 2 [in Leach]” (actually: C. hortensis is species no. 1 in Leach, Vol. III, p. 42, 1817). This concept ( S. germanica is a synonym of C. hortensis ) was adopted by prominent researchers like Kraepelin (1903) and Attems (1930).

Immediately after its description, Gervais (1837, p. 51) synonymized S. germanica Koch with Cryptops savignii Leach, 1817 (actually: C. savignyi Leach, 1817 , because of its prevailing usage: see Lewis 2014, Bonato et al. 2016). This classification was also adopted and maintained by Koch (1847) until his last work ( Koch 1863b).

During the following decades none of these taxonomic concepts was unanimously accepted. The classification of S. germanica C. L. Koch, 1836 is debated until date. Considered synonyms comprise C. hortensis (Donovan, 1810) , C. savignyi Leach, 1817 , and, predominantly, C. anomalans Newport, 1844 . Several relevant references do not mention S. germanica C. L. Koch, 1836 at all ( Lewis 2011, 2014; Bonato et al. 2016). A focused taxonomic study seems to be necessary to reveal the taxonomic status of this species and to resolve this historic taxonomic controversy.