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NE ltaly (71) W Alps (74) Ligurian Centrai Calabro- Sicily (47) Sardinia (49)
Apennincs Apennincs lucano
(49) (62) Apennines
(36)
~ Holoarctic 111111 European D Mediterranean D Endemics
Fig. 4 - Percentages of main chorotypes (Holoarctic, European, Mediterranean) and Italian endemie species in the
centipede fauna of selected ltalian geographic areas. The number of species in each area is indicated in parenthesis; the
inrroduced species an d those of uncertain identity have been excluded; with the exception of the Central Apennines the
used sources are: Foddai et al. (1994), Minelli (1991), Minelli and Zapparoli (1983, 1992), Zapparoli (1986, 1989),
revised and updated; far Sicily, the islands ofLarnpedusa and Pantelleria have not been talcen under consideration
Other thermophilous species belonging to this group, mosdy found in open
Mediterranean habitats, are Scutigera coleoptrata, which is often synanthropous
and therefore widely spread throughout Italy, and Scolopendra cingulata, which
geographic range indudes also Tadjikistan (Zalesskaja and Shiieyko, 1992),
present throughout Italy, exduding the north-western regions and Sardinia. In
addition to the fladands and hilly sectors of the studied area, both species are
also found in sites at the periphety of inner mountain areas, but no t at eleva-
tions higher than 700-800 m far the former an d l ,600 m far the Iatter.
The other species, Cryptops trisulcatus, Dignathodon microcephalus, Henia
bicarinata and Geophilus richardi, are Iess frequent than the previous ones, and
inhabits both forest and open habitats, H bicarinata aiso in Iittoral habitats.
These species rarely coionize the centrai mountain sectors of the studied area
and are especialiy distributed in the inferior horizons of the basai piane, usu-
ally between 0-900 m above sea Ievel. Exceptionally, C. trisulcatus and D.
microcephalus are found in some inner sectors (Laga Mountains, Gran Sasso
and Matese massifs), but not above 1,300-1,600 m in elevation.
Also belongs to this group Tuoba poseidonis, a Iittoral halophiious species
found in the studi ed area in vety few Iocaiities of the T yrrhenian coast.

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