Centipede communities on the inland dunes of eastern Flanders (Belgium)

During a year-round pitfall sampling campaign on twelve inland dunes in eastern Flanders, a total number of thirteen centipede species were caught. The encountered centipede fauna, with Lithobius calcaratus as the most ubiquitous species, was related to that of the Campine region that is also characterized by acid sandy soils. Community analysis on the basis of species composition revealed that the woody stations had a higher species diversity than the more open heath lands and moss dunes. Brachygeophilus truncorum and Clyptops hortensis were most characteristic for the woody stations whereas Lamyctes fulvicornis and Lithobius microps were more common in the open sites. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.