Mecistocephalus nannocornis

The species M. nannocornis features 45 leg-bearing segments and can reach 27 mm in length. The body is orange with dark patches in at least some specimens; the head and forcipular segment is also darker. The head is longer than wide, with a length/width ratio of about 1.5. The antennae are about 2.5 times longer than the head is wide. The pleurites on the side of the head (buccae) feature setae on the posterior half only. The mandible features about seven or eight lamellae, the first lamella with six or seven teeth, but the intermediate lamellae with an average of ten to twelve teeth. Each of the second maxillae ends in a claw. The sternites of the leg-bearing segments feature a longitudinal groove down the middle that is not forked at the anterior end. The sternite of the last leg-bearing segment is shaped like a trapezoid that is slightly wider than long, with a width/length ratio of 1.1, but with a lobe projecting at the posterior end. The basal element of each ultimate leg features about 30 pores of moderate size. This species shares many traits with other species in the genus Mecistocephalus. For example, the head in this species is evidently longer than wide, the buccae feature setae, and a spiculum projects from each side of the head. Furthermore, each of the second maxillae in this species features an apical claw, and the trunk sternites feature a longitudinal groove. …

This centipede is found not only in the Philippines but also in Taiwan and Singapore. In Singapore, this species has been recorded in the Bukit Timah area. Including M. manazurensis as a junior synonym, M. nannocornis is also found on the island of Honshu in Japan.