Lamyctes africanus (Porat, 1871)
Status:
Non-native introduction
ID Difficulty
Identification
Lamyctes are small centipedes with 15 leg pairs (fewer in larval stages) and look very similar to Lithobius.
Lamyctes africanus is very similar in appearance to Lamyctes emarginatus, but differs (among other characters) in that the antennae typically have c. 28-29 articles (vs c. 25 in L. emarginatus) and in the forcipular coxosternite having 2+2 teeth (vs 3+3 teeth).
This species is not included within the published identification keys by Tony Barber (2008 & 2009). A description, with figures, is given by Gregory & Garnham (2022).
Distribution and Habitat
This species was collected by Charles Rawcliffe from glasshouses at the RBG Edinburgh in 1986 and identified as Lamyctes africanus by E.H. (Ted) Eason (Barber, 1992).
There were no subsequent records from Britain or Ireland until the species was re-discovered in December 2021 when a colony was found inside a plant propagator inside a house in northern England (Gregory & Garnham, 2022). In 2023 specimens were recorded from a garden centre in Essex (BMIG Newsletter 47, pg 9) suggesting that it may be spread further afield via the horticultural trade.
This species is not included within the published identification keys by Tony Barber (2008 & 2009) and it is very likely to have been overlooked elsewhere in Britain or Ireland.
References
Barber, A.D. (1992) Distribution and Habitat in British Centipedes (Chilopoda). Ber.nat.med.Verein Innsbruck Suppl.10: 339-57.
Gregory, S.J. & Garnham, N. (2022). Re-discovery of Lamyctes africanus (Porath, 1871) (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha: Henicopidae) in Britain. Bulletin of the British Myriapod & Isopod Group 34: 7-13.
Links
ChiloBase 2.0 - World Catalogue of Centipedes: https://chilobase.biologia.unipd.it/searches/result_species/1049
BRC code
20