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The centrai Apennines is without a doubt one of the most intensely studied
areas even in the rest of the Mediterranean basin, especiaily considering findings
in much wider and ecologicaily more varied regions. Far example, 50 species are
known in the Iberian Peninsula (Zapparoli, unpublished data; probably an
underestimated vaiue) and 123 species in Anatolia (Zapparoli, 1999). The num-
ber of species reported in the studied area is very dose to that estimateci far
Maghreb (70: Zapparoli, unpublished data) and it is two to three times higher
than that of the Middle East (20-30: Zapparoli, unpublished data). These two
areas, however, are stili not well known, and are aiso not well suited for a con-
sistent fauna of these arthropods, which mostly prefer forest habitats. The cen-
tipede fauna of the centrai Apennine region is less diverse than that of conti-
nental Greece (86: Zapparoli, 2002), ofBulgaria (105: Stoev, 2002) and of the
former Yugoslavia (about 150: Kos, 1992; Stoev, 1997); these areas are aiso larg-
er and ecologicaily more varied.
The number of species recorded in the individua! geographic districts in
which the studied area was divided (T ab. I) is highly heterogeneous. This is
partially due to the different extension and environmentai diversification of
the areas, an d in p art to the various degrees of knowledge available for each.
The greatest numbers of species have been recorded in the Campagna Romana
(42) and in the mid-valley ofTevere River (41), in spire of the relative envi-
ronmentai uniformity and the extensive anthropic disturbance of these two
areas. The more vast extension and the continua! surveying to which these
areas have been subjected since the second half of the 1800s may account far
this result. Considerably fewer species have been observed in other flatland
areas, such as the Tuscan Maremma (26) and the Pontina plain (25), which
are ecologically monotone and anthropized but much less geographically
extended.
A significant number of species are also present in the hilly territories of
volcanic origin along the Tyrrhenian side (e.g. Cimini and Vicani Mountains:
39 species) as well as in the mountains areas of Anti-Apennines (e.g. Lepini
Mountains: 39) and Apennines (e. g. Simbruini-Ernici Mountains: 37; Gran
Sasso: 36; Sabini Mountains: 35, Matese: 36, Laga Mountains: 34). Al! of
these regions are undoubtedly less wide but ecologically more evenly diversi-
fied and very well studied, especially in recent years. These values contrast
with the lower vaiues observed in some adjacent hilly and mountain areas,
such as the Prenestini Mountains (28) ,' the Ausoni-Aurunci Mountains (32),
the Tolfa Mountains (28), and the Sabatini Mountains (22).
On the other hand, other mountain sectors, such as the Sibillini, Reatini,
Cairo and Amiata Mountains, which are equaily significant and have extension
and habitat heterogeneity similar to that of the above mentioned districts, are

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