Scolopendra coerulescens, Cragin, 1885: 144 Scolopendra occidentalis, Meinert, 1886: 197

Shelley, Rowland M., 2006, A chronological catalog of the New World species of Scolopendra L., 1758 (Chilopoda: Scolopendromorpha: Scolopendridae), Zootaxa 1253 (1), pp. 1-50 : 21-22

coerulescens Cragin, 1885:144 .

Holotype: not known to exist; type locality: Medicine Lodge, Barber Co., Kansas, USA.

Original rank: variety of S. morsitans L., 1758. Current rank and status: valid subspecies of S. morsitans L., 1758.

Anatomical illustrations: none.

Distribution : type locality. Maps : none.

Remarks : This name also was not addressed by Kraepelin (1903) and Attems (1930), and was overlooked by Shelley (2002); consequently, it is still taxonomically valid. According to Cragin’s account, which is all that exists on coerulescens, the lone specimen was “delicate” and a little over an inch long, suggesting immaturity; the color was “uniform light blue or greenish blue” with the legs “nearly colorless and transparent.” Juveniles do not necessarily display the same colors as adults, but “blue” suggests Hemiscolopendra marginata ( Say, 1821) , which is frequently this hue, particularly in the Atlantic coastal states. However , H. marginata does not occur in Kansas and is known from only two localities in Oklahoma, the closer being Edmond , Oklahoma Co., a previously unreported site around 125 mi (200 km) south­southeast of Medicine Bow. At present, coerulescens is a valid name and under investigation; neotype designation is necessary. occidentalis Meinert, 1886:197 (non Linnaeus, 1758).

Holotype (MCZ); type locality: west coast of Mexico.

Original rank: species. Current rank and status: synonym of S. viridis maya Saussure, 1860 ( Kraepelin 1903, Attems 1930, Bücherl 1942 a).

Remarks : Shelley (2002) could not evaluate occidentalis and included it among eight forms occurring south of the US that conform to some degree to S. viridis Say, 1821 . Consequently , the status as a synonym of S. v. maya stands, but the name is also a junior primary homonym of S. occidentalis L., 1758, which is a geophilomorph (see earlier account). The name was omitted by Bücherl (1974).