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Omitting the species with a wide Holarctic ( Cryptops hortensis, Pachymerium
ferrugineum, Clinopodes jlavidus and Geophilus jlavus) and European sensu stric-
to distribution (Lithobius erythrocephalus, L. forficatus, L. melanops, L. microps,
Schendyla nemorensis, Geophilus carpophagus, G. insculptus and Strigamia cras-
sipes), that are all rather common in Italy, some mosdy inhabiting forest habi-
tats ( Cryptops hortensis, Schendyla nemorensis, Geophilus carpophagus, G. insculp-
tus, Strigamia crassipes), some mosdy frequent in open habitats (Lithobius ery-
throcephalus, Pachymerium ferrugineum), and some more or less euriecious
(Lithobius forficatus, L. melanops, L. microps, Clinopodes jlavidus, Geophilus jlavus),
can be assigned to this group also a number of Centraleuropean species that are
found especially in mesophilous forest habitats, such as Eupolybothrus grossipes
(Fig. 5) and Strigamia acuminata (Fig. 6), which in the Apennines are present
only in inner areas and that are present more or less in the south along the penin-
sula and in Sicily, but not beyond the Nebrodi Mountains (Zapparoli and
Minelli, 2006). Although these species also inhabit other montane broad-leaf
and conifer forest, in the studied area they are constandy present in the Fagus
sylvatica woods of the Anti-Apennines and the Apennines, especially between
800-1,500 m above sea level. Lithobius mutabilis and L. tricuspis are also part of
this group but are found in a wider altitude and forest formation ranges.
Of some interest is also Lithobius piceus, a Centraleuropean species represent-
ed in Italy by the subspecies L. p. verhoejfi Demange, 1958 which distribution
indudes the Alpine are, the Ligurian an d the T uscan-Emilian Apennines, whose
most southern locality is in the Amiata Mountain area (Siena province,
Piancastagnaio, "Il Pigelleto" Natural Reserve), at the northern margins of the
studied area (Fig. 7).
Among the S-European species, besides some common species that are found
in all the forest formations of the area, such as Lithobius castaneus, L. micropo-
dus, Cryptops parisi and C anomalans, and other more or less localized species,
such as Schendyla carniolensis and Geophilus osquidatum, all related to forest
habitats as well, one can mention other four species more or less related to far-
est habitats and known in a few localities of the studied area: Lithobius punctu-
latus, a species in Italy widespread in northern regions (Alps, Po Plain) except
in Liguria, probably a transpadanian element expanding its range although dis-
continuously also in the Apennines up to Aspromonte (Fig. 8); Cryptops croat-
icus, recorded in the Sibillini Mountains and Matese; Henia montana, found in
the Sibillini and Soratte Mountains, which in Abruzzo reach the southern limi t
of its distribution; and Schendyla montana, known in some localities of Lazio
and Abruzzo.
Lithobius calcaratus, a W-European element which in the studi ed area reach
the south-eastern limit of its range, is also quite frequendy found in the cen-
trai Apennines, mosdy in open xeric habitas but also in broad-leaf forests.

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