Parental care in Clinopodes flavidus koch(Chilopoda:Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae)

Parental care in the centipede Clinopodes flavidus Koch (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha: Geophilidae) is described for the first time: the female coils round the brood with the sterna outwards, as do the females of most geophilomorphs. Also the variation in body length and major external morphological characters of the early post-embryonic stadia are described. The peripatoid and foetus stadium are easily distinguished by the degree of segmentation of the trunk and the appendages, and by the capability of making ‘writhing’ movements. The variation in the number of leg-bearing segments in mother—offspring broods is analyzed and discussed.