Giant Millipede Research Articles

A revision of the taxonomy and distribution of Spirostreptus Brandt 1833 (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae) with descriptions of a new species and a new genus of spirostreptid millipede

The giant millipede genus Spirostreptus Brandt 1833 is revised to include six species from Africa, south of the Congo River. The six species formerly included in the genus were S. heros Porat 1872, S. kruegeri Attems 1928, S. sebae Brandt 1833, S. tripartitus (Cook & Collins 1893), S. unciger Attems 1928 and S. kymatorhabdus Attems 1914. Spirostreptus kymatorhabdus is here removed from Spirostreptus and accommodated in the new genus Namibostreptus. A new species, S. batokensis Mwabvu from Zimbabwe, is described. A key to the species of Spirostreptus species based on gonopod morphology is presented. Despite the remarkable similarity between the gonopods of S. heros and S. kruegeri, the two species are distinct. Spirostreptus has strict fidelity to the savanna biome, with overlapping distributions of species, thus making conservation of many species in one biome possible.

Contributions on cardiac physiology in Diplopoda (Myriapoda)

AbstractInvestigations into cardiac physiology in Myriapoda are rare, but heart beat generation is not considered to be uniform throughout this taxon. Although cardiac automatism in Chilopoda is neurogenic, superimposed onto a myogenic automatism, the present study reveals, on the basis of electrophysiological experiments including electrocardiograms and the first intracellular recordings from dorsal vessel muscle cells of Archispirostreptus gigas Peters, 1855 (Diplopoda: Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), that heartbeat generation in Diplopoda is clearly myogenic. Experiments with tetrodotoxin confirm this result, and also show that proctolin, acetylcholine and octopamine have no effect. The results are discussed from the perspective of comparative cardiac physiology in arthropods.

Neoichnology of burrowing millipedes: Linking modern burrow morphology, organism behavior, and sediment properties to interpret continental ichnofossils

Millipedes are known from body fossils as early as the Silurian, and they are an important part of modern global soil ecosystems. Little is known, however, of the morphology of millipede burrows in either the modern or the fossil record. The burrowing behavior and traces of two species of extant millipedes were studied in a laboratory setting. The goal of this research was to determine the connections between millipede morphology, burrow morphology, and media conditions. Specimens of Archispirostreptus gigas and Orthoporus ornatus were placed in large, sediment-filled terrariums. The sediment was varied in terms of texture, compactness, and moisture. Traces produced by the millipedes were then cast and described. The burrow morphology of each species was primarily controlled by trace-making behavior, including excavation methods and burrow occupation time. Orthoporus ornatus burrowed by excavation to construct subvertical shafts leading to terminal chambers occupied for several days to weeks. Archispirostreptus gigas burrowed by sediment compression to construct large-diameter, sinuous tunnels occupied for hours to days. Increasing the clay content, compaction, and moisture content of the sediment together served to inhibit burrowing. Specimens of A. gigas were unable to burrow into compact or clay-rich sediments, whereas specimens of O. ornatus were able to burrow into even firm clay. Neither species was able to burrow into water-saturated media. The study described in this paper aids in understanding the relationships among the morphology of terrestrial biogenic structures, organism size, organism behavior, and media conditions.

The neoichnology of terrestrial arthropods

A comprehensive systematic neoichnological study was conducted to investigate the affect of substrate conditions on the morphology and survivorship of terrestrial arthropod trackways. Experiments utilized five different extant arthropods, representing a range of body forms and higher taxa: discoid cockroaches ( Blaberus discoidalis), emperor scorpions ( Pandinus imperator), Chilean rose tarantulas ( Grammostola rosea), African giant black millipedes ( Archispirostreptus gigas), and common woodlice ( Oniscus asellus). Trackways were produced on substrates of various grain size and moisture content, in protocols simulating subaerial and transitional subaqueous–subaerial depositional settings. The results are illustrated systematically to provide a comprehensive record of the morphological variation that can occur in arthropod trackways under different substrate conditions. General morphological trends, of increased definition of individual tracks and loss of tracks within series, are highlighted as “dry to dampground” and “soft to firmground” surface moisture taphoseries in the subaerial and transitional subaqueous–subaerial protocols respectively. Heavier arthropods produced trackways across a broader moisture and grain size range, whilst different arthropods can produce similar trackways under certain conditions. Undertrack fallout was investigated using discoid cockroaches, and the resultant undertrack taphoseries mimics the surface moisture taphoseries. Previous hypotheses on the factors that influence trackway survivorship were also investigated. Increasing concentrations of clay minerals exponentially increases the survivorship of trackways subjected to an air current, whereas increasing surface moisture has a linear affect, and a combination of the two provides excellent conditions for trackway survivorship. The results of this study are fundamental to the study of fossil arthropod trackways and can be used to aid ichnotaxonomic revisions, whilst also facilitating the identification of trace fossil producers and highlighting potential biases in palaeoecological reconstructions based on trace fossils.

Distribution of the Chuuk Islands Giant Millipede, Acladocricus setigerus (Spirobolida: Rhinocricidae), and Identification of Its Defensive Compounds

The spirobolidan millipede Acladocricus setigerus (Silvestri, 1897) grows to at least 155 mm long and is so far known only from Chuuk Islands, Micronesia. It occurs mainly in well-shaded habitats, usually on the forest floor and on tree trunks. It sprays defensive secretions from paired, lateral ozopores on trunk segments; the major compounds, identified here for the first time, are benzoquinones. The secretion stains human skin a reddish brown and causes a slight burning sensation, occasionally followed by slight blistering and exfoliation.

Litter breakdown by the Seychelles giant millipede and the conservation of soil processes on Cousine Island, Seychelles

The Seychelles giant millipede, Seychelleptus seychellarum, is abundant on Cousine Island, Seychelles (ca. 4.4 ind m −2), where there are no alien invasive mammals as predators. This study of its feeding behaviour and activity pattern showed that its dietary range is wide, feeding mostly on leaf litter and fallen fruit. There were quantitative differences in the feeding behaviour and activity patterns of both sexes and immatures. Its ingestion rate for its size was relatively low, but its role in litter breakdown was substantial. It ingested 4.55% of the litter standing crop, and 17.19% of the daily litter fall every 24 h. Total faecal production was 2.90% of the total litter standing crop and 10.96% of the daily litter fall. This has a highly significant effect on Cousine Island which, being small and granitic, depends on nutrient cycling to maintain its ecological integrity, especially when seabirds are absent and not contributing to soil nutrient input. As this Seychelles endemic millipede has been extirpated from several islands, its continued conservation on the islands where it still occurs is not simply about conserving an endemic species, but also about maintaining intact a tropical ecosystem, with a keystone species.

A new species ofJulolaelapsberlese (Acari: Laelapidae)

ABSTRACT The female, male, deutonymph and protonymph of Julolaelaps moseri n. sp. (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) collected from an unidentified “giant millipede” (family Spirostreptidae) from Trinidad are described and illustrated. Comments and characteristics for Julolaelaps are given.