Review of Documented Cases and New Teratological Records in Chilean Myriapods

Teratologies can provide relevant information about invertebrate development and the underlying morphogenetic processes. However, their study has been scarcely addressed in taxa such as myriapods. In this article, a review of the morphological anomalies documented in Chilean myriapods is carried out and new morphological anomalies are recorded in Akymnopellis laevigata (Porat, 1876) and Akymnopellis platei (Attems, 1903) (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) collected in the Coquimbo Region, Chile. Four morphological anomalies are documented in Chilean myriapods and two ternary schistomelias and one atrophy are described, recording teratological specimens for the first time in northern Chile. The recurrence of malformations and the possible origin of teratologies are discussed.