Geophilus osquidatum Brölemann, 1909

Status:

  • GB IUCN status: Least Concern
  • GB rarity status: Nationally Scarce

ID Difficulty

Identification

Ten species of Geophilus are known from Britain and Ireland. 

Geophilus osquidatum is another distinctly yellowish centipede (to 30 mm) with a darker reddish head, which is differentiated from G. flavus and G. seurati on subtle (microscopic) characters (coxal pores, carpophagus fossae and poison claw).  However, with 53 to 63 leg pairs some specimens can be identified on basis of leg count (maximum of 57 pairs in latter two species).

More information to allow accurate identification is given in the published identification keys by Tony Barber (2008 & 2009).

Keith Lugg
Steve Trewhella

Distribution

Geophilus osquidatum is most abundant in south-west Ireland and south-west Britain, but there are scattered records elsewhere. 

Habitat

It can be found in both coastal and inland habitats, including woodland, churchyards and gardens where it can be found under stones and dead wood, etc. 

This account is based on the 'Centipede Atlas' (Barber, 2022).

BRC code

16

idBmigTaxa

Cen_144