Norwegian Journal of Entomology - Norsk entomologisk forening

1998 9 ♀♀ leg. K. M. Olsen, Stenneset bygdetun
(EIS 123) 26 May 2005 4 ♀♀ 4 ♀♀ leg. Båsmo
school; NSY Bodø: Vågan (EIS 130) 4 June – 21
July 2003 6 ♀♀ 11 ♀♀ leg. E. Hauge (Barber trap),
Bodø 13-15 April 2005 5 ♀♀ 1 ♀ leg. Grønnåsen
school, Landegode (EIS 130) 28 May 2005 2 ♀♀
leg. A. Steinsrud; NSY Brønnøy: Mosaksla (EIS
114) May-July 2003 1 ♀ 3 ♀♀ leg. E. Hauge (Map
10).
Previously known to occur in the Trondheim area
(Storm 1898), the species was first reported from
North Norway (NSI Rana) by Olsen (1998c). The
distribution area has now been proven north to
Troms (Map 10).
DISCUSSION
For the overall distribution pattern we have little
to add to Andersson et al. (2005). Hence, we will
discuss the distribution in North Norway. In this
part of the country seven species can be regarded as
common: Lithobius forficatus, L. erythrocephalus,
Proteroiulus fuscus and Polydesmus denticulatus
in Nordland, Lamyctes emarginatus and Geophilus
proximus in Nordland and Troms, and
Lithobius curtipes in Finnmark. For Nordland,
Polyxenus lagurus and Cylindroiulus latestriatus
may eventually be added to this list. It became
clear that the area had been poorly investigated,
as the schoolchildren found almost half the total
material in one year (Table 2).
Centipedes (Chilopoda)
Three centipedes (Lithobius melanops, L.
tenebrosus, and Strigamia maritima) were new
to the area. None of them were found by the
schoolchildren. The two former may be rare, as
they occur in places where the children looked
(houses and cellars, in debris, under stones, moss
and bark). The latter was scarcely searched for
and may be common in S Nordland. It lives in sea
shore habitats, including rotten seaweed.
Lamyctes emarginatus was only found once by
the schoolchildren (Troms in 2004). This globally
widespread species is parthenogenetic in northern
Norw. J. Entomol. 53, 23-38, 22. May 2006
regions and has been considered ripicolous,
occurring along lakes and rivers (Adis & Junk
2002) and in open disturbed areas (Andersson
2005). In Greenland, it is most often found in
dry and exposed biotopes with low vegetation (J.
Böcher, pers. comm.), and it is regularly found
in flooded grassland (Plum 2005). In Nordland it
was found under a stone on a sun-exposed hill.
Probably being univoltine (Andersson 2005), it is
usually found in late summer and autumn (most
school classes searched in spring). Clearly an
adaptive species that can turn up anywhere.
Lithobius forficatus was common in houses in
Nordland, and L. erythrocephalus was common
in the woods there. Geophilus proximus was
common in Nordland and Troms - maybe even
in W Finnmark. The schoolchildren found many
new localities for these species, and we believe
their distribution (Maps 1, 3, 6) is now more truly
presented. The same applies to L. curtipes, which
the children did not find in Nordland and Troms.
Lithobius curtipes was first found by the
lichenologist Theodor M. Fries in “Warangerfjord”,
Finnmark, in 1857 or 1864 (see Jørgensen 2001).
The specimen was published by Palmberg (1866).
In 1875, the Nordenskiöld Expedition collected
the species in Vaigatsch, N Russia (Stuxberg
1876). By now, when the differences between L.
curtipes and L. crassipes are evident (Zalesskaja
1978, Andersson 1983), it is clear that curtipes is
the northern centipede species. No other Lithobius
species has been found in Finnmark (Maps 1-6),
except the doubtful 4 ♀♀ 1 ♀ Lithobius forficatus
labelled “Finmarken Esmark” (collected in
1866 by Lauritz Esmark on his travels in North
Norway).
Millipedes (Diplopoda)
The occurrence of millipedes at 70 o N was
anticipated by Golovatch (1997, Fig. 2). However,
Mikhaljova (2004) has 67 o 30’N (Proteroiulus
fuscus) and 67 o 40’N (Angarozonium amurense) as
the northernmost Holarctic records. They are now
found at 69 o 17’N (P. fuscus, in kittiwake nest)
(Map 8) and 69 o 38’N (Polydesmus denticulatus)
(Map 10).
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