Mecistocephalus Newport, 1843

Pan, Yang-Yang, Fan, Jia-Bo, You, Chun-Xue & Jiang, Chao, 2024, Identification of two new species of Mecistocephalus (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Mecistocephalidae) from southern China and the re-description of Mecistocephalus smithii Pocock, 1895, ZooKeys 1218, pp. 1-23 : 1-23

Genus Mecistocephalus Newport, 1843

Diagnosis.

Mecistocephalids with at least 45 leg-bearing segments. Two clypeal plagulae, separated by a mid-longitudinal stripe. Spiculum usually present. Buccae with setae at least in the posterior half. Posterior alae of the labrum smooth. Coxosternum of the first maxillae divided, with a mid-longitudinal suture. Coxosternum of the second maxillae undivided; groove from the metameric pore reaching the lateral margin of the coxosternum. Telopodites of the second maxillae well developed, overreaching those of the first maxillae; pretarsus present. Forcipular trochanteroprefemur with a distal tooth and often with another tooth at approximately mid-length. Sternal sulcus of trunk segments furcate or not. Last leg-bearing segment: Coxopleura usually without a macropore distinct from other pores; legs usually as slender in males as in females, with or without one or two short apical spines ( Uliana et al. 2007).