Correct authorships, synonymies, and remarks on the type series of fourteen names of centipedes introduced by Yoshioki Takakuwa in 1934 and Mecistocephalus takakuwai (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha and Scolopendromorpha)

Abstract

The authorships of 14 species-group names of chilopods introduced by Yoshioki Takakuwa in 1934 are clarified. Four names, viz., Dicellophilus latifrons Takakuwa, 1934, Tygarrup moiwaensis Takakuwa, 1934, Prolamnonyx obtusus Takakuwa, 1934, and P. dentatus Takakuwa, 1934 should be attributed to Takakuwa’s work published in Japanese in April 1934 in Volume 2, Issue No. 4 of the journal Shokubutsu oyobi Dobutsu (=Botany and Zoology). The specific names of two other Mecistocephalus species, viz., M. ongi Takakuwa, 1934 and M. brevisternalis Takakuwa, 1934, should be attributed to the Takakuwa’s work published in German in April 1934, in Volume 14, Issue No. 3 of the journal Annotationes Zoologicae Japonenses. The correct attributions of six more names, viz., Geophilus monoporus Takakuwa, 1934, Nesogeophilus kozuensis Takakuwa, 1934, N. tiosianus Takakuwa, 1934, N. littoralis Takakuwa, 1934, Thalthybius tenuicollis Takakuwa, 1934, and Cryptops japonicus Takakuwa, 1934, is to Takakuwa’s work published in Japanese in September 1934, in Volume 46, Issue No. 551 of the journal Dobutsugaku Zasshi. In addition to the 14 species-group names, the correct attribution of Mecistocephalus takakuwai, which has traditionally been attributed to the work by Karl W. Verhoeff published in November 1934, is clarified. This species was described by Takakuwa in the work published in April 1934, but nonetheless, it is concluded that its correct attribution is to Takakuwa’s work published in Japanese in October 1932 in Volume 30, Issue No. 47 of the journal Hakubutsugaku Zasshi. Synonymies showing earlier authors’ attributions are given for each of these species, and, when possible, the composition of the original type series of each of these species is inferred. In 1955 some of the type material was still said to exist, but by now all of Takakuwa’s specimens of these species seem to have been lost.