Scolopendra canidens Newport, 1844

Akkari, Nesrine, Stoev, Pavel & Lewis, John, 2008, The scolopendromorph centipedes (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha) of Tunisia: taxonomy, distribution and habitats, ZooKeys 3 (3), pp. 77-102 : 80-83

Scolopendra canidens Newport, 1844

Figs 1-7

Scolopendra dalmatica var. africana Verhoeff, 1891 , Berliner entomologische Zeitschrift, 36: 69.

Scolopendra mediterranea var. africana: Verhoeff 1893 , Berliner entomologische Zeitschrift, 38: 319, fig. a.

Scolopendra oraniensis: Pocock 1892 , Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London: 25.

Scolopendra oraniensis: Silvestri 1896 , Naturalista Siciliano, An. I, (Nuova Serie), 8: 150.

Scolopendra canidens: Kraepelin 1903 , Mitteilungen aus dem Naturhistorischen Museum in Hamburg, 20: 248, fig. 157.

Scolopendra canidens and S. oraniensis: Brölemann 1904 , Bulletin du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle 6: 318.

Scolopendra canidens and S. oraniensis: Brolemann 1921 , Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles du Maroc, I (3-6): 104-105.

Scolopendra canidens canidens: Attems 1930 , Das Tierreich, 54: 36.

Scolopendra canidens and S. canidens oraniensis: Brolemann 1932 , Bulletin de la Société d’Histoire Naturelle d’Afrique du Nord, 23 (2): 52.

Scolopendra canidens canidens and S. clavipes : Turk 1955, Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 12, vol. 8: 281.

Scolopendra canidens canidens and S. clavipes: Cloudsley-Thompson 1956 , Annals and Magazine of Natural History, ser. 12, vol. 9: 328.

Scolopendra canidens canidens and S. canidens cyrenaica: Dobroruka 1968 , Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines 78(3-4): 203.

Scolopendra canidens: Würmli 1980 , Sitzungsberichte der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 189: 346, Abb. 10, 26.

Scolopendra canidens: Lewis 1985 , Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 55 (1): 128, fig. 11, map 2.

Material examined. 1 juv., Sousse, N35°49.57 / E10°38.19, alt. 11 m, 17.2.2004 ; 1 ad., same locality, 22.3.2004 ; 1 juv., Le Kef, N36°11.44 / E08°44.39, alt. 623 m, 24.10.2003 ; 2 ex., Sfax, Agareb Steppe , N34°44.13 / E10°32.15, alt. 68 m, olive orchard, under stones, 25.11.2003 ; 1 juv., Mahdia Distr., Bekalta , N35°37.06 / E11°00.44, alt. 12 m, border of agricultural land, under stones, 30.10.2003 ; 1 ad., 3 juv., Sousse Distr., Sidi Khalifa, N36°15.18 / E10°26.48, alt. 1 m, open area, 17.2.2004 ; 2 ex., Monastir, N35°46.43 / E10°49.48, alt. 6 m, 22.12.2004 ; 1 ex., Sousse Distr., Bou Ficha , N36°17.55 / E10°27.30, alt. 6 m, 22.3.2005 ; 1 ex., Hergla , N36°01.53 / E10°30.37, alt. 3 m, coast, 23.3.2005 ; 2 ad., 2 subad., Sidi Bouzid Distr., Bou Hedma N.P., N34°30.28 / E09°35.46, alt. 574 m, semi dry area dominated by Acacia raddiana , 20.3.2006 ; 1 subad., Nabeul Distr., Korba , N36°34.36 / E10°51.02, alt. 3 m, coast, 12.11.2006 ; 12 ex., Sfax Distr., Kerkennah Island, Chargui , N34°42.34 / E11°09.14, alt. 3 m, sandy open area, with scattered palm trees, under stones, 20.3.2007 ; 2 ad., Kebili, Fatnassa Oasis , May 2007 ; 1 ad., Zaouit El Hareth Oasis , 20.5.2007 ; 1 ad., Makthar, 12.5.2005; 2 juv., Kairouan Distr. , Oueslatia, Aouinettes, 3.3.2005; 1 ex. , Djerba Island, N33°52.09 / E10°50.42, alt. 10 m, 10.7.2003; 1 ex. , Bizerta Distr. , Ichkeul N.P., N37°09 / E9°5, maquis with Olea europaea , Pistacia lentiscus and Smilax aspersa , 8.2.2004; 6 juv. , Kairouan Distr. , 6 km of Oueslatia, N35°51.785 / E09°30.972, alt. 581 m, sparse olive trees, Roman ruins, bush, open area, stone debris, under stones, 6.3.2008; 1 ad., 1 juv. , Sbeitla, 30 km NW Kasserine, inside the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Sifetoula, under stones, 7.3.2008; 4 ex. , Kasserine Distr. , Chambi N.P., surrounding of the park’s guest house, N35°10.139 / E08°40.486, alt. 950 m, sparse trees, bush, Pinus halepensis , under stones, 7.3.2008; 1 ad., 3 juv. , same locality, alt. 950-1000 m, Pinus halepensis , Stipa tenacissima , Thuya , under stones, logs and leaf litter of Pinus halepensis , 8.3.2008; 1 juv. , inside Chambi N.P., N35°11.901 / E08°39.505, alt. 1291 m, Pinus halepensis , Quercus ilex , Stipa tenacissima , slope, under stones and leaf litter, 9.3.2008; 1 ad., Chambi peak and its surroundings, N35°12.285 / E08°40.653, alt. 1500-1540 m, Pinus halepensis , Quercus ilex , Stipa tenacissima , under stones and leaf litter, 9.3.2008; 1 ad., 1 juv., Gafsa Distr. , Jebel Bou Ramli, N34°30.877 / E08°39.731, alt. 512 m, deserted rocky plain at the foot of the mountain, scattered trees, Opuntia and palm trees, under stones, 10.3.2008; 1 ad. , Kebili Distr. , Tombar, 6 km of Kebili, N33°43.463 / E08°54.349, alt. 14 m, oasis, palm trees, under stones, 12.3.2008; 2 ad. , Kebili Distr. , 10-20 km of Douz towards Matmata, N33°27.647 / E09°11.466, alt. 92, pure desert, sand, under stones, 12.3.2008; 5 ad., 3 juv. , Gabes Distr. , Matmata, N33°32.450 / E09°59.054, alt. 384 m, arid biotope, shrubs and stones, under stones, 12.3.2008; 2 ad., 1 juv. , Gabes Distr. , Matmata, N33°32.450 / E09°59.055, alt. 384 m, arid biotope, shrubs and stones, under stones, 13.3.2008; 2 ad. , Tataouine Distr. , surroundings of Tataouine city, N32°55.506 / E10°26.913, alt. 293 m, arid biotope, slope, stones, scattered trees of Pinus (planted), under stones, 13.3.2008; 3 ad. , same district, Ksar Ouled Soltane, N32°47.281 / E10°30.784, alt. 453 m, arid biotope, rocks, stones, close to the village, under stones, 14.3.2008; 1 ad., Tataouine Distr. , between Chenini and Douiret (mainly around Douiret), N32°51.090 / E10°16.900, alt. 425 m, arid biotope, close to the road, under stones, 14.3.2008; 1 juv. , Mahdia Distr. , Chebba (37 km south of Mahdia), N35°12.865 / E11°06.344, alt. 2 m, polluted suburban area close to the beach, under stones, 15.3.2008; 5 ad. , Mahdia Distr. , Mahdia City, Touristic area, N35°32.796 / E11°01.662, alt. 0 m, scattered palm trees and shrubs close to the road, polluted area not far from agricultural land, under stones, 16.3.2008; 1 ad. , same locality, beach, sand, approx. 50-80 m from the water line, under stones, 16.3.2008; 4 ad., 2 juv. , same district, surroundings of Ksour Essef (17 km of Mahdia), N35°24.824 / E10°58.026, alt. 59 m, olive trees ( Olea europaea ), grass, stones and shrubs, under stones, 16.3.2008; 2 ad., 3 juv., Siliana Distr. , Jebel Bargou, 5 km of Bargou (road Bargou – Oueslatia), N36°05.775 / E09°37.347, alt. 571 m, Quercus , Olea , shrubs, under stones, 28.3.2008; 1 ad., 3 juv. , same mountain, 50 km of Oueslatia (road Bargou – Oueslatia), N36°06.941 / E09°39.392, alt. 512 m, sparse olive trees, rocks, under stones, 28.3.2008; 8 ad., 6 juv., Zaghouan Distr. , Jebel Mansour, close to Sidi Aouidet village, N36°12.307 / E09°45.588, alt. 514 m, Pine forest, Rosmarinus , under stones and leaf litter, 28.3.2008 .

General distribution. Caucasus ( Armenia, Azerbaijan), Italy (Lampedusa Island), Greece (Milos, Sifnos, Serifos, Gavdos?, Symi, Kastelorizo islands) Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan ( Würmli 1980, Negrea 1997, Lewis and Wranik 1990, Simaiakis and Mylonas 2008).

Distribution in Tunisia ( Map 1 ). A widespread and much more common species than S. morsitans , in particular in central and southern Tunisia. In the North it is known only from Korba on the Cap Bon Peninsula. In the central and southern regions of the country it occurs in the High tell (hills of Le Kef), virtually along the whole Tunisian Ridge (from Chambi to Zaghouan mountains), the eastern lowland plain (the so called Sahel) and the plain of Jeffara (Matmata Mts., Tataouine region), the islands Djerba and Kerkennah. In the West it is found from the High Steppes (Gafsa Mts.) down to the Sahara boundaries (Oriental Erg). In the past the species has been reported also from Adjel el Haioum, Arad, Sfax, Savoual, Makuassy, B. el Aalia, Jebel Cherchera, Gabes, Gabes-Mensel, Oasis Gafsa, Kairouan and Tunis ( Verhoeff 1891, Pocock 1892, Silvestri 1896, Brölemann 1904, Turk 1955, Dobroruka 1968, Würmli 1980). We were unable to find some of the localities, e.g. Adjel el Haioum, Arad, Savoual, Makuassy, B. el Aalia, Gabes-Mensel, and they are not marked on the map.

Altitudinal range in Tunisia. From sea level up to 1500 m in the mountains (surroundings of Chambi Peak). In Saudi Arabia it is reported up to 2400 m alt. ( Lewis 1986).

Habitats. Oak forests dominated by Quercus ilex or Q. coccifera ; coniferous forests of Pinus halepensis ; heterogeneous woods with Q. ilex and P. halepensis ; semidry areas dominated by Acacia raddiana ; coastal areas with sparse shrubs and semihumid grasslands; maquis with Olea europaea , Pistacia lentiscus ; dry grasslands; dry rocky hills; sandy deserts; suburban areas; agricultural lands; Olea europaea stands; oases dominated by Phoenix dactylifera .

Remarks. The morphology of the specimens examined corresponds well to the species’ description given by Attems (1930), Würmli (1980), Lewis (1986), Zalesskaja and Schileyko (1991). All records of the closely related S. oraniensis and S. clavipes from Tunisia (e.g. Pocock 1892, Silvestri 1896, Turk 1955) are erroneous and should be attributed to this species. While there are no reliable records of the latter in North Africa at all, S. oraniensis is known from few localities in Algeria and Morocco, as well as from the Maltese Archipelago ( Würmli 1980, Zapparoli et al. 2004) and its occurrence in Tunisia is not improbable.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution of S. canidens in Tunisia.

Figs 1-7. Scolopendra canidens: 1 – head plate; 2 – forcipular coxosternum and forcipules; 3 – leg 1; 4 – spiracle; 5 – coxopleural process, lateral view; 6-7 – prefemur of ultimate leg, dorsal and ventral views, respectively.