title: At the end of the rope: Geophilushadesi sp. n. - the world's deepest cave-dwelling centipede (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae).
abstract: A new geophilomorph centipede, Geophilushadesi sp. n., is described from caves in the Velebit Mountain, central Croatia. Together with Geophiluspersephones Foddai & Minelli, 1999, described from Pierre Saint-Martin cave in France, they are the only two remarkably troglomorphic geophilomorphs hitherto known. The new species apparently belongs to a group of Geophilus species inhabiting mainly Western and Southern Europe, with a uniquely modified pretarsus in the second maxillae. Geophilushadesi sp. n. shows unusual traits, some of which commonly found in troglobitic arthropods, including exceptionally elongated antennae, trunk segments and leg claws. The species is described upon specimens found in two caves at a depth below -250 m. Another two specimens apparently belonging to the same species have been recorded in another deep vertical cave at -980 m and -1100 m. The latter represents the world's deepest record of Chilopoda as a whole.
authors.affiliation: Pensoft Publishers and National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stoev
authors.affiliation: Naturrhistorisches Museum Wien, Burgring 7, 1010 Wien, Austria.
authors.forename: Nesrine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akkari
authors.affiliation: Croatian Biospeleological Society, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komerički
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Edgecombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58b, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonato
keywords: Croatia; Geophilus; Velebit Mountain; cave-dwelling species; extreme habitats; troglomorphism