Post-embryonic development and the phylogeny of geophilomorph centipedes (Chilopoda)

The post-embryonic development of six geophilomorph species is investigated using histology, biometry and field observations. No instance of anamorphosis was observed. Sexual maturity is reached at the 5th post-foetal stage in Schendyla nemorensis, Dicellophilus carniolensis, Henia (Chaetechelyne) vesuviana; at the 6th in Geophilus carpophagus, Strigamia crassipes; at the 8th in Stigmatogaster gracilis, suggesting that the Himantariidae differ from the remaining more advanced families. Post-maturational moults are less numerous in the more specialized mecistocephalids, schendylids and linotaeniids. Another derived character state (the appearance of the first coxal pore in the foetus) occurs in the mecistocephalid D. carniolensis.