Scheme Organiser: Steve Gregory
The centipede recording scheme was established in 1970 to collate biological records of all species of Centipedes (Chilopoda) found in Britain and Ireland. From its inception the recording scheme collected habitat information alongside the species records such that a large database of ecological data now exists on the group. A provisional analysis of the ecological data was undertaken for the publication of the Provisional Atlas of the Centipedes of the British Isles (Barber & Keay, 1988). An additional 30 years of data culminated in the publication of Tony Barber's (2022) keenly awaited Atlas of the Centipedes of Britain and Ireland.
The scheme organiser welcomes all records of centipedes. All records, even those for common species or those that don’t add new ‘dots’ to the maps, are valuable. Records may be submitted on recording cards or in electronic spreadsheets and those accompanied by ecological information are especially welcome as this can only lead to better understanding of the conservation needs of our species. Records from new recorders will need to be supported by images or a voucher specimen to ensure reliability of species identification (see the individual species accounts and the recommended literature for guidance on key identification features). Records may also be submitted via iRecord (BRC's website for collating species records), but please include images of the specimen to enable verification (see the individual species accounts and the recommended literature for guidance on key identification features) and as much ecological information as possible.
New contributors to the scheme are most welcome and support and guidance with collection, preservation of specimens and identification will be offered where required. With experience, some species can be readily identified in the field, but a many require examination under higher magnification. This is reflected in the difficulty rating given in the individual species accounts. BMIG's Facebook group Isopods and Myriapods of Britain and Ireland is an excellent place for advice too. Scheme organisers are usually happy to check the identity of individual specimens but please do not send large collections of material without prior agreement. (Please ensure that specimens are sent in appropriate containers that will not be damaged or broken in the post.)
The scheme organisers will only normally deal with British material, but may be able to help with some specimens collected in other countries. Please do not send these without checking first.