Post-embryonic development of Lithobius melanops Newport (Chilopoda: Lithobiidae)

Abstract

AbstractThe variation during development in the following characters of Lithobius melanops is described: body-length, head-length, ratios of head-length/body-length and head-length/ head-width, number of coxal pores, ocelli. antennal articles and teeth on forcipular coxosternite, projections on tergites 9, 11 and 13, spinulation on the last pair of legs, accessory apical claws on the 15th pair of legs, genitalia and the pattern on the cephalic shield. Also the difference between male and female and correlation with size within each post-larval stadium are given. The boundary between juvenile and adult stadia and the number of post-larval stadia are discussed.