Geophilus nesiotes

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes. The specimen examined belongs to a distinct lineage in the broad genus Geophilus Leach, 1814 that is distinguished by a combination of characters including the peculiar modification of the claws of the second maxillae into a stout tubercle abruptly tapering into a tip. Among the many species described in this group, the specimen collected in Israel most closely resembles G. nesiotes, mainly in the number of trunk segments and the pattern of coxal pores. G. nesiotes was described from Crete (Attems 1903 1929) but its distinction from the mainland European species G. insculptus Attems, 1895 (currently G. alpinus Meinert, 1870) has been questioned (Minelli 1978; Zapparoli 2002).

Distribution in Israel: a single record from the Lower Galilee (Figure 4 A). Global distribution: G. nesiotes was described from Crete, but its actual distribution is very uncertain.

New records: “ Segev Forest ” (1 specimen, no date recorded).