@article {521, title = {Colobognatha millipedes in the Caucasus (Diplopoda: Polyzoniida,~Platydesmida, Siphonocryptida).}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {3972}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Jun 11}, pages = {250-266}, abstract = {

The superorder Colobognatha is represented in the Caucasus by three genera and species, one each in the orders Polyzoniida, Platydesmida and Siphonocryptida. Hirudisoma roseum (Victor, 1839) (Hirudisomatidae, Polyzoniida) is especially widespread, ranging from S Russia, Abkhazia, Georgia (with a neotype designated and described from Kakhetia, E Georgia) and NW Azerbaijan to E Turkey, and also including H. ponticum (Lohmander, 1939) (junior subjective synonym, syn. nov.). Fioria hyrcana Golovatch, 1980 (Andrognathidae, Platydesmida) is endemic to the Hyrcanian parts of the Republic of Azerbaijan and NW Iran along the western and southern coasts of the Caspian Sea. Due to the finding of Hirudicryptus abchasicus sp. nov. (Siphonocryptidae, Siphonocryptida), from a single locality in Abkhazia, NW Caucasus, the order Siphonocryptida is new to the fauna of the region. A key to all four species of the trans-Palaearctic genus Hirudicryptus is given. All three Caucasian species of Colobognatha are described in due detail and abundantly illustrated, and their distributions mapped.

}, keywords = {Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, distribution, Georgia, Iran, key, map, neotype, new species, new synonymy, Platydesmida, Polyzoniida, Russia, Siphonocryptida, Taxonomy, Turkey}, issn = {1175-5326}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.3972.2.6}, author = {Sergei Ilyich Golovatch and Evsyukov, Aleksandr and Reip, Hans S} } @article {277, title = {Natural history of the social millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864}, journal = {Biodiversity Data Journal}, volume = {8}, year = {2020}, month = {03/04/2020}, pages = {1-39}, abstract = {

The millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864 is a fungivorous social millipede known for paternal care of eggs and forming multi-generational aggregations. We investigated the life history, paternal care, chemical defence, feeding and social behaviour of B. lecontii and provided morphological and anatomical descriptions, using light and scanning electron microscopy. Based on observations of B. lecontii from 13 locations throughout its distribution, we report the following natural history aspects. The oviposition period of B. lecontii lasted from mid-April to late June and the incubation period lasted 3\–4 weeks. Only males cared for the eggs and subsequent care of juveniles was not observed. In one case, the clutches of two males became combined and they were later cared for by only one of the males. The defensive compound of B. lecontii is stored in large glands occupying a third of the paranotal volume and were observed only in stadia II millipedes and older. We observed B. lecontii feeding on fungi of the order Polyporales and describe a cuticular structure on the tip of the labrum that may relate to fungivory. We found that their stellate-shaped aggregations (pinwheels) do not form in the absence of fungus and suggest the aggregation is associated with feeding. We describe and illustrate a previously undescribed comb-like structure on the tibia and tarsi of the six anterior-most leg-pairs and measure the colour and spectral reflectance of the B. lecontii exoskeleton.

}, keywords = {Andrognathidae, Colobognatha, Diplopoda, fungivore, Platydesmida, quasi-social, subsocial}, issn = {1314-2836}, doi = {10.3897/BDJ.8.e50770}, url = {https://bdj.pensoft.net/article/50770/}, author = {Victoria L. Wong and Hennen, Derek A. and Macias, Angie and Brewer, Michael and Kasson, Matt and Marek, Paul} }