@article {1773, title = {The millipede family Striariidae Bollman, 1893. VII. Petra sierwaldae, n. gen., n. sp., a minute millipede from Idaho, USA (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Striariidae)}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {5213}, year = {2022}, month = {25/11/2022}, pages = {287-293}, type = {Article}, abstract = {

Petra sierwaldae, n. gen., n. sp. is described from males and females collected at four localities in Kootenai County, Idaho, USA. The new genus is defined by its unique gonopod and ninth leg anatomy, a notched collum and single ommatidium on each side of the head, and lacking third coxal flasks as well as having modified fifth coxae. \ 

}, keywords = {Kootenai County, new genus, new species, Striariinae}, issn = {1175-5334, 1175-5326}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5213.3.6}, url = {https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.5213.3.6}, author = {Shear, William A. and Marek, Paul E. and Bond, Jason E. and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {1771, title = {A previously unknown feeding mode in millipedes and the convergence of fluid feeding across arthropods}, journal = {Science Advances}, volume = {8}, year = {2022}, month = {16/02/2022}, pages = {1-9}, abstract = {

We report fluid feeding with a sucking pump in the arthropod class Diplopoda, using a combination of synchrotron tomography, histology, electron microscopy, and three-dimensional reconstructions. Within the head of nine species of the enigmatic Colobognatha, we found a pumping chamber, which acts as positive displacement pump and is notably similar to that of insects, showing even fine structural convergences. The sucking pump of these millipedes works together with protractible mouthparts and externally secreted saliva for the acquisition of liquid food. Fluid feeding is one of the great evolutionary innovations of terrestrial arthropods, and our study suggests that it evolved with similar biomechanical solutions convergent across all major arthropod taxa. While fluid-feeding insects are megadiverse today, it remains unclear why other lineages, such as Colobognatha, are comparably species poor.

}, issn = {2375-2548}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abm0577}, url = {https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm0577}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Borisova, Elena and Hammel, J{\"o}rg U. and Blanke, Alexander and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {moritz2021tarsal, title = {A tarsal spinning organ in glomeridesmid millipedes (Diplopoda: Pentazonia: Glomeridesmida)}, journal = {Arthropod Systematics \& Phylogeny}, volume = {79}, year = {2021}, month = {18/10/2021}, pages = {555-567}, abstract = {

The production of sticky threads from spinnerets is known from various myriapod groups including some representatives of the millipedes (Diplopoda). In Diplopoda the thread-producing glands are mostly seta-like and positioned terminally on the telson, and the secretion product is typically used to build molting chambers or egg sacs. So far, no such secretions or organs have been documented for the subgroup Pentazonia. Here we describe thread-producing glands from the species-poor Glomeridesmida. These putative spinning organs are single circular fields of small pores (spinning fields) positioned on the outer side of the tarsi of all walking legs of mature and juvenile individuals of both sexes. These pores are the openings of cuticular tubuli (conducting canals), which extend from the tarsus to an aggregation of cells, a putative gland, within the femur. In several specimens thin threads were observed to be extruded from the pores. The tarsal spinning fields are present in all 21 investigated Glomeridesmida morphospecies, including Termitodesmidae and Glomeridesmidae from South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Oceania, and South and Central America. These organs might constitute an apomorphic character of the Glomeridesmida, as similar organs are absent in other Myriapoda. The function of the extruded threads in Glomeridesmida remains speculative, because observations of living specimens of the group are almost non-existing. We suggest that the secretion might be used for defense, to build molting chambers or to secure tunnels burrowed in the substrate.

}, keywords = {exocrine gland, Glomeridesmus, leg, Limacomorpha, Scanning electron microscopy, silk, spinnerets, Termitodesmus}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.79.e70002}, url = {https://arthropod-systematics.arphahub.com/article/70002/list/8/}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {1416, title = {Integrative description of new giant pill-millipedes from southern Thailand (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Zephroniidae)}, journal = {European Journal of Taxonomy}, volume = {762}, year = {2021}, month = {11/08/2021}, pages = {108-132}, abstract = {

Two new species of giant pill-millipedes, Zephronia viridisoma Rosenmejer \& Wesener sp. nov. and Sphaerobelum aesculus Rosenmejer \& Wesener sp. nov., are described based on museum samples from southern Thailand. Zephronia viridisoma sp.\ nov. comes from Khao Lak, while the type locality of S. aesculus sp.\ nov. is on Phuket Island. Both species are described integratively, combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, multi-layer photography, micro-CT scans and genetic barcoding. Genetic barcoding was successfully conducted for holotypes of both new species, which could be added to a dataset of all published sequences of the family Zephroniidae, including all described species from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia up to 2020. Genetic barcoding of the COI gene revealed another female of S. aesculus sp.\ nov., 160 km east of the type locality. Both new species are genetically distant from all other Zephroniidae from Thailand and surrounding countries, showing uncorrected p-distances of 16.8\–23.1\%. A virtual cybertype of a paratype of Z. viridisoma sp.\ nov. was created and made publically accessible.

}, keywords = {biodiversity, CT scan, cybertype, DNA barcoding, Soil fauna}, issn = {2118-9773}, doi = {10.5852/ejt.2021.762.1457}, url = {https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/1457}, author = {Rosenmejer, Trine and Enghoff, Henrik and Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {1414, title = {Electrocambalidae fam.~nov., a new family of Cambalidea from Cretaceous Burmese amber (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida)}, journal = {European Journal of Taxonomy}, volume = {755}, year = {2021}, month = {17/06/2021}, pages = {22-46}, abstract = {

A new family, Electrocambalidae fam.\ nov. of the suborder Cambalidea is described from Cretaceous Burmese amber based on two new genera, Electrocambala gen.\ nov. and Kachincambala gen.\ nov. with four new species, Electrocambala ornata gen. et sp.\ nov., E.\ cretacea gen. et sp.\ nov., Kachincambala muelleri gen. et sp.\ nov. and K.\ distorta gen. et sp.\ nov. The specimens are described combining classical light microscopy with drawings and photography, and modern micro-computed tomography (\μCT). Morphological characters otherwise obscured are examined and visualized by creating volume renderings and 3D-segmentations from \μCT data. Electrocambalidae fam.\ nov. is characterized by the following character combination: (1) a forward shift of leg pair 3, resulting in an apparently legless 3rd body ring, (2) presence of metazonital setae, and (3) extensive pilosity on the head. Although some of these characters are shared with other Juliformia they are unique in this combination. The described fossils are the oldest and first Mesozoic Spirostreptida and Cambalidea known and ca 70 million years older than previous records of the group.

}, keywords = {Evolution, fossil, gonopods, micro-CT, Myanmar}, issn = {2118-9773}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.755.1397}, url = {https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/1397}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {1207, title = {Seven new giant pill-millipede species and numerous new records of the genus Zoosphaerium from Madagascar (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae)}, journal = {European Journal of Taxonomy}, volume = {758}, year = {2021}, month = {06/07/2021}, pages = {1-48}, abstract = {

Seven new species of the giant pill-millipede genus Zoosphaerium Pocock, 1895 are described from Madagascar: Z. nigrum sp. nov., Z. silens sp. nov., Z. ambatovaky sp. nov., Z. beanka sp. nov., Z. voahangy sp. nov., Z. masoala sp. nov. and Z. spinopiligerum sp. nov. All species are described based on drawings and scanning electron microscopy, while genetic barcoding of the COI gene was successful for six of the seven new species. Additional COI barcode information is provided for the first time for Z. album Wesener, 2009 and Z. libidinosum (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897). Zoosphaerium nigrum sp. nov. and Z. silens sp. nov. belong to the Z. libidinosum species-group, Z. ambatovaky sp. nov. to the Z. coquerelianum species-group, Z. beanka sp. nov., Z. voahangy sp. nov. and Z. masoala sp. nov. to the Z. platylabum species-group and Z. spinopiligerum sp. nov. to the Z. piligerum species-group. Updated identification keys are provided for each species-group. Two western dry forest species, Z. silens sp. nov. and Z. voahangy sp. nov. are recorded from two localities, while the other five species are currently only known from their type localities. Of special conservation concern might be Z. ambatovaky sp. nov. from the lowland rainforest fragment of Ambatovaky, a nowadays isolated lowland rainforest, rapidly shrinking due to slash and burn agriculture. In addition to the new species, new locality data is provided for 11 species and numerous unidentifiable species of Zoosphaerium: Z. neptunus (Butler, 1872), Z. platylabum (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1902) and Z. piligerum (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897) from the central eastern montane forests, as well as Z. ambrense Wesener, 2009, Z. aureum Wesener, 2009, Z. libidinosum, Z. corystoides Wesener, 2009, Z. discolor Wesener, 2009, Z. smaragdinum Wesener, 2009, Z. villosum Wesener \& Sierwald, 2005 and Microsphaerotherium anjozorobe Wesener, 2009.

}, keywords = {dry forest, forest fragments, Microendemism, soil arthropod, Tsingy}, issn = {2118-9773}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.758.1423}, url = {https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/1423}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Sagorny, Christina} } @article {1065, title = {Description of the first species of Glomeridesmida from Thailand (Diplopoda, Glomeridesmida, Glomeridesmidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {1024}, year = {2021}, month = {16/03/2021}, pages = {137-156}, abstract = {

With three genera and 35 previously known species from India, SE Asia, Central and South America, Glomeridesmida are one of the least diverse Diplopoda groups. Here we describe Glomeridesmus siamensis sp. nov., the first species of the order Glomeridesmida from Thailand. The geographically nearest confamiliar species have been described from southern India, Sumatra and Java. The species is described combining photographs, light- and scanning electron microscopy of mature and younger males, females and juveniles. Several characters are illustrated for the first time for an Asian representative of the family Glomeridesmidae. In addition to the type locality of G. siamensis sp. nov. from Krabi province, locality data of unidentified Glomeridesmus from Thailand are also given. These data are providing further evidence that the Glomeridesmida are not uncommon, but overlooked as they are small and difficult to collect. The unusual telopods and other morphological characters of G. siamensis sp. nov. differ considerably from the few Glomeridesmus males described from Central and South America as well as from India, but the unclear status of two generic names available for species from Indonesia prevents us from adding another generic name to this small and understudied order.

}, keywords = {biodiversity, Krabi, limestone hill, soil arthropod, Southeast Asia}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.1024.63678}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/63678/}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Wongthamwanich, Nattarin and Moritz, Leif} } @article {1049, title = {First steps toward suctorial feeding in millipedes: Comparative morphology of the head of the Platydesmida (Diplopoda: Colobognatha)}, journal = {Invertebrate Biology}, year = {2021}, month = {04/02/2021}, pages = {1-21}, abstract = {

Although most millipedes (Diplopoda) show a biting\–chewing feeding mode, representatives of the so-called Colobognatha (Platydesmida, Polyzoniida, Siphonocryptida, Siphonophorida), with their more or less reduced mouthparts, are assumed to have evolved a suctorial feeding mode, which enables them to exploit food sources like algal film and fungi hyphae. The Platydesmida are viewed as the key taxon for the understanding of mouthpart adaptations in Colobognatha, as their mouthpart elements still closely resemble those of biting\–chewing millipedes. Studies of the skeletomuscular system of the Platydesmida are rare, impeding further understanding of the mouthpart evolution in millipedes. To overcome this impediment in the understanding of millipede evolution, we study the internal morphology of the head in specimens from four genera of Platydesmida: Brachycybe lecontii, Dolistenus spp., Gosodesmus claremontus, and Pseudodesmus spp. Although all Platydesmida show similarly structured skeletal elements and accompanying musculature, they are distinct from all other Diplopoda. Their head lacks eyes and organs of T\öm\ösv\áry, and is pyriform and posteriorly bulging, overlapping the collum. The narrow mandibles are hidden underneath the broad genae. A previously described gnathochilarial postmentum is absent. Muscle attachment sites, such as the transverse mandibular tendon and the median septum, are reduced. The strong modifications of the head capsule, mandibles, and musculature limit the movability of the mandible for biting\–chewing motions based on simulations of possible gape angles. Platydesmida likely show a scraping and slurping feeding mode, which is facilitated by the comparably well-developed pharyngeal dilator muscles. We suggest that the Platydesmida show an intermediate state between the biting\–chewing millipedes and the other suctorially feeding Colobognatha.

}, keywords = {Functional morphology, mandible, micro-CT, musculature, tentorium}, issn = {1077-8306}, doi = {10.1111/ivb.12312}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ivb.12312}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Blanke, Alexander and Hammel, J{\"o}rg U. and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {900, title = {An annotated list of the millipede (Diplopoda) species described by Johann Carl}, journal = {Revue suisse de Zoologie}, volume = {127}, year = {2020}, month = {04/06/2020}, pages = {183-240}, abstract = {

Johann Carl described 390 species or subspecies of millipedes during his long career at the Mus\éum d\&$\#$39;histoire naturelle de Gen\ève, studying specimens collected on his own expeditions and on those of other, mainly Swiss, naturalists. The type specimens deposited in Geneva are enumerated, and the type specimens that could be located in other collections in other museums are reported. Lectotypes are designated for 17 species: Brachyspirobolus aequatorialis (Carl, 1909), Carlopeltis alatus (Carl, 1914), Mastigorhacus alatus (Carl, 1912), Salpidobolus annulipes (Carl, 1912), Erythrhacus arietis (Carl, 1912), Argentocricus bernardinensis (Carl, 1918), Trigoniulus bitaeniatus Carl, 1912, Desmocricus conjunctus Carl, 1918, Polylepis elberti Carl, 1912, Trigoniulus incommodus Carl, 1912, Stenobolus insularis Carl, 1918, Salpidobolus lateralis (Carl, 1912), Dinematocricus lombokensis (Carl, 1912), Prepodesmus longipes (Carl, 1913), Arostrophus mertoni (Carl, 1912), Salpidobolus moenensis (Carl, 1912) and Eucarlia velox (Carl, 1912). Polydesmus carli nom. nov. is introduced as a replacement name for Polydesmus japonicus Carl, 1902, a junior homonym of Polydesmus japonicus Peters, 1864. Odontopyge johanncarli nom. nov. is introduced as a replacement name for Odontopyge fasciata Carl, 1905, a junior homonym of Odontopyge fasciata Attems, 1896.

}, keywords = {Basel, Colombia, East Africa, Geneva, India, Indonesia, Jean Carl, type catalogue}, issn = {0035-418X}, doi = {10.35929/RSZ.0015}, url = {https://bioone.org/journals/revue-suisse-de-zoologie/volume-127/issue-1/RSZ.0015/An-annotated-list-of-the-millipede-Diplopoda-species-described-by/10.35929/RSZ.0015.full}, author = {Hollier, John and St{\"o}ckli, Eduard and Wesener, Thomas and Mesibov, Robert and Decker, Peter and Sierwald, Petra} } @article {898, title = {Pachybolini {\textendash} a tribe of giant Afrotropical millipedes: arguments for monophyly and the description of a new genus from Madagascar (Diplopoda: Spirobolida: Pachybolidae)}, journal = {Invertebrate Systematics}, volume = {22}, year = {2008}, month = {18/03/2008}, pages = {37-53}, abstract = {

Madabolus, gen. nov. is described to accommodate M. maximus, sp. nov. (type species) from several localities in western Madagascar. A phylogenetic analysis of 26 spirobolidan taxa, based on morphological characters, places Madabolus, gen. nov. with the Afrotropical genera Pelmatojulus de Saussure, 1860; Pachybolus Cook, 1897; Hadrobolus Cook, 1897 and Epibolus Cook, 1897. The tribe Pachybolini is proposed to include Madabolus, gen. nov. and the four abovementioned genera. Putative autapomorphies of Pachybolini are: a closed incisura lateralis; setae of gnathochilarial lamella lingualis apical; vulva kidney- or crescent-shaped, with valves meeting in a sinuous fissure and crest protruding. Within Pachybolini, Pelmatojulus (West Africa) stands out by virtue of an increased number of apical antennal sensory cones, with great probability an apomorphy. Madabolus, gen. nov. and east African genera of the tribe share another potential synapomorphy, namely, an increased number of setae on the gnathochilarial lamellae linguales. Other Malagasy genera of Pachybolidae do not seem to be related to Afrotropical genera.

}, keywords = {biogeography, Madabolus, morphology, phylogeny, Taxonomy}, issn = {1445-5226}, doi = {10.1071/IS07008}, url = {http://www.publish.csiro.au/?paper=IS07008}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Enghoff, Henrik and W{\"a}gele, Johann-Wolfgang} } @article {897, title = {Dichromatobolus, a new genus of spirobolidan millipedes from Madagascar (Spirobolida, Pachybolidae)}, journal = {European Journal of Taxonomy}, volume = {720}, year = {2020}, month = {12/10/2020}, pages = {107-120}, abstract = {

A new genus, Dichromatobolus gen. nov., belonging to the genus-rich mainly southern hemisphere family Pachybolidae of the order Spirobolida, is described based on D. elephantulus gen. et sp. nov., illustrated with color pictures, line drawings, and scanning electron micrographs. The species is recorded from the spiny bush of southwestern Madagascar. Dichromatobolus elephantulus gen. et sp. nov. shows an unusual color pattern, sexual dichromatism with males being red with black legs and females being grey. Males seem to be more surface active, as mainly males were collected with pitfall traps. Females mainly come from the pet trade. The body of this species is short and very wide, being only 8 times longer than wide in the males. Live observations show the species is a very slow mover, digging in loose soil almost as fast as walking on the surface. The posterior gonopods of Dichromatobolus gen. nov. are unusually simple and well-rounded, displaying some similarities to the genera Corallobolus Wesener, 2009 and Granitobolus Wesener, 2009, from which the new genus differs in numerous other characters, e.g., size, anterior gonopods and habitus. Despite several attempts with fresh tissue samples and different primers, molecular barcoding did not work for Dichromatobolus gen. nov. Any relationships to the other 15 genera of Pachybolidae indigenous to Madagascar remain unknown.

}, keywords = {biodiversity, Mahafaly Plateau, sexual color dimorphism, soil arthropod, spiny forest}, issn = {2118-9773}, doi = {10.5852/ejt.2020.720.1119}, url = {https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/1119}, author = {Wesener, Thomas} } @article {873, title = {Vegetation thresholds for the occurrence of millipedes (Diplopoda) in different tropical forest types in Andasibe, Madagascar}, journal = {Madagascar Conservation \& Development}, volume = {15}, year = {2020}, month = {01/07/2020}, pages = {19{\textendash}26}, abstract = {

Abstract: Forest clearance, especially in the tropics, leads to habitat loss for many organisms including litter-dwelling arthropods. Among other invertebrates, millipedes (Diplopoda) provide important ecosystem services like decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. Despite their importance, little is known about litter inverte-brates\&$\#$39; response to tropical forest degradation and their role in reforestation. The present article should rather be regarded as a review of millipedes\&$\#$39; occurrence in tropical forests with a pilot study from Madagascar, because the sample size is small and results need to be confirmed. This pilot study investigated the relationship between millipedes and vegetation characteristics in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar, in the region of Andasibe, parts of which are undergoing reforestation.

Vegetation characteristics were measured in ten different forests encompassing different types: remnant rainforest, secondary forest, old Eucalyptus plantations, recently enriched with indigenous tree species, and degraded sites. Millipede species were searched by hand, identified and their occurrence in relation to the environmental characteristics was described. Vegetation characteristics differed between forest types. Old Eucalyptus plantations, secondary forest, and primary rainforest were associated with higher litter depth and more native millipede species than degraded sites and forests afforested with native tree species since 2007. Non-native millipedes occurred in all vegetation formations except the primary rainforest site and did not show any relationship with vegetation characteristics. In contrast, native milli-pedes\&$\#$39; occurrence was related to conditions associated with mature forest, such as high litter depth and high foliage cover. Logistic regression revealed a threshold of litter depth above which native millipedes are likely to occur. The results indicate that native milli-pedes are affected by forest degradation and are incompletely restored even when the afforested forest might approach the original state. Special care should be taken during reforestation efforts, as non-native soil arthropods can be introduced, completely replacing the indigenous biota.

Resum\é: Les cons\équences de la d\éforestation globale sont multiples. Pour la plupart des organismes, la d\éforestation est la cause principale de la destruction des habitats. Les arthropodes qui vivent sur le sol forestier ou dans le feuillage sont ainsi menac\és, surtout dans les for\êts tropicales. Ces organismes sont pourtant indispensables au maintien de la r\ésilience de la for\êt. Dans l\’\écosyst\ème forestier, les millepattes et autres arthropodes sont tr\ès importants pour la mise \à disposition de diff\érents services \écosyst\émiques, par exemple pour leur r\ôle dans le cycle des \él\éments nutritifs, la formation des sols et la d\écomposition. Malgr\é leur importance, peu d\’informations sont disponibles sur la r\éaction des invert\ébr\és suite \à la d\égradation des for\êts et leur r\ôle dans la reforestation.

Cette \étude tient surtout lieu de r\évision de l\’occurrence des millepattes dans les for\êts tropicales avec une \étude pilote men\ée \à Madagascar, dans la mesure o\ù l\&$\#$39;\échantillonnage est r\éduit et que les r\ésultats restent partiels. Cette \étude pilote analyse les relations entre les millepattes et les caract\éristiques v\ég\étales dans les for\êts de l\’Est de Madagascar, dans la r\égion d\’Andasibe. Ces for\êts sont tr\ès diverses et dix types de for\êt ont \ét\é consid\ér\és, \à savoir une for\êt r\écemment d\égrad\ée et une for\êt d\égrad\ée, une for\êt d\égrad\ée et rebois\ée avec des esp\èces arbor\ées indig\ènes en 2007, 2012 ou 2015, des plantations d\’Eucalyptus abandonn\ées depuis 1930 ou 1909, deux for\êts secondaires, une for\êt primaire. Dans ces diff\érents types de for\êt, les caract\éristiques de la v\ég\étation ont \ét\é enregistr\ées et des millepattes ont \ét\é r\écolt\és \à la main. Les esp\èces de millepattes ont \ét\é identifi\ées et leur occurrence ont \ét\é analys\ées par rapport aux caract\éristiques de la v\ég\étation. Les vieilles plantations d\’Eucalyptus et les for\êts secondaire et primaire \étaient caract\éris\ées par une couche plus \épaisse de feuilles et davantage d\’esp\èces de millepattes indig\ènes par rapport aux for\êts d\égrad\ée et replant\ée. Les esp\èces allog\ènes \étaient pr\ésentes dans tous les types de for\êt \à l\’exception de la for\êt primaire. La pr\ésence de ces esp\èces n\’\était pas li\ée aux caract\éristiques de la v\ég\étation. En revanche, l\’occurrence des esp\èces indig\ènes \était associ\ée \à des conditions qui sont caract\éristiques des for\êts matures, par exemple une couche de feuilles \épaisse et une couverture foliaire dense. L\’analyse de r\égression logistique a r\év\él\é une valeur seuil pour la hauteur de la couche de feuilles mortes. Au-del\à de ce seuil, il est probable que les millepattes indig\ènes soient pr\ésents. L\’\étude a montr\é que les millepattes indig\ènes sont impact\és par la d\éforestation et qu\’ils ne sont pas facilement restaur\és m\ême si la restauration semble permettre \à la for\êt de se rapprocher de son \état initial.

}, keywords = {introduced species, leaf litter, millipedes, reforestation, vegetation threshold}, issn = {1662-2510}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/mcd.v15i1.3}, url = {https://www.journalmcd.com/index.php/mcd/article/view/712}, author = {Spelzhausen, Lea Rebecca and Wesener, Thomas and Sch{\"u}tte, Kai} } @article {441, title = {An apparently non-swinging tentorium in the Diplopoda (Myriapoda): comparative morphology of the tentorial complex in giant pill-millipedes (Sphaerotheriida)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {741}, year = {2018}, pages = {77-91}, abstract = {

The presence of a swinging tentorium is a key apomorphy of Myriapoda, but this character has been studied in detail in only few species. Here the tentorium, i.e., the peristomatic skeleton of the preoral chamber, is comparatively studied in three species of the millipede order Sphaerotheriida Brandt, 1833. Since dissections of the fragile tentorial components proved to be difficult, despite the large head size, they were analysed mainly in situ via micro-computed tomography. Our results confirm previous observations of large differences in the tentorial construction in the giant pill-millipedes compared to chilognathan diplopods. The tentorium of Sphaerotheriida consists of a curved, plate-like epipharyngeal bar with distal projections, an elongate and thin hypopharyngeal bar, and a plate-like triangular posterior process; a transverse bar is absent. Only seven muscles attach at the tentorium in giant pill-millipedes, including two antennal muscles and two muscles of the gnathochilarium. Within the order Sphaerotheriida, the composition of the tentorium and its muscular equipment seems to be conserved, except for some variability in the shape of the epipharyngeal bar. As the transverse bar has been considered essential for the mobility of the tentorium in myriapods, its absence in Sphaerotheriida may indicate that their tentorium is not capable of performing a swing. Loss of tentorial mobility may also pertain to the order Glomerida Brandt, 1833, inferred here from the absence of a posterior process. An apparently immobile tentorium in Glomerida and Sphaerotheriida can straightforwardly be correlated with transformations of the head related to their ability of volvation. The different transformations of the tentorium, here hypothesised to cause immobility, may support current assumptions that the ability of volvation evolved convergently in Glomerida and Sphaerotheriida. This conclusion, however, still requires more detailed studies of the head anatomy in Glomerida and Glomeridesmida Cook, 1895.

}, keywords = {3D-reconstruction, Arthrosphaeridae, micro-CT, swinging tentorium, volvation}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.741.21909}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas and Koch, Markus} } @article {440, title = {The first record of the dwarf pill millipede Geoglomeris subterranea Verhoeff, 1908 in western Germany (Diplopoda, Glomerida) and the associated Myriapoda fauna of the Quirrenbach (Siebengebirge, NRW)}, journal = {Bulletin of the British Myriapod \& Isopod Group}, volume = {31}, year = {2019}, pages = {9-15}, abstract = {

The Quirrenbach, a forest site at the eastern edge of the Siebengebirge nature region in the southern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, is covered by an alluvial forest with slopes upwards towards a street. From 2011 to 2017 the site was subject to yearly spring excursions by the arthropod class taught at the Museum Koenig, Bonn, where myriapods were hand-collected and soil samples were extracted via the Berlese method. The site yielded specimens of all classes of the Myriapoda: Symphyla, Pauropoda, Chilopoda and Diplopoda, with one species of Pauropoda, 16 species of Chilopoda and 15 species of Diplopoda being determined to species-level in 2017. In addition to the presence of the pauropod Trachypauropus cordatus (Scheller, 1974) in the state, the mainly parthenogenetic dwarf pill millipede Geoglomeris subterranea Verhoeff, 1908 was recorded in Berlese samples for the first time. In Germany, less than a handful of old records of the species exist outside of southern Germany. Here we record G. subterranea for the first time from Germany\&$\#$39;s second largest and most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. Micro-CT scans were taken to illustrate the species. The small size, cryptic habits, and special collection methods needed to record Geoglomeris makes it highly likely that the species is much wider distributed than previously thought.

}, url = {https://www.bmig.org.uk/sites/www.bmig.org.uk/files/bulletin/BullBMIG31\%282019\%2909-15_Wesener-etal_Geoglomeris.pdf}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Moritz, Leif and Behr, Nils} } @article {438, title = {Checklist of the Myriapoda in Cretaceous Burmese amber and a correction of the Myriapoda identified by Zhang (2017)}, journal = {Check List}, volume = {14}, year = {2018}, month = {12/2020}, pages = {1131-1140}, abstract = {

An inventory of the Myriapoda (Diplopoda, Chilopoda, Symphyla) from Cretaceous Burmese amber, Myanmar, is presented, including the oldest and/or first fossil record for numerous orders. For millipedes (Diplopoda) 527 records, including 460 new specimens determined by us, belonging to 13 of 16 recent orders are listed: Polyxenida, Glomeridesmida, Glomerida, Siphonophorida, Polyzoniida, Platydesmida, Siphoniulida, Chordeumatida, Polydesmida, Stemmiulida, Callipodida, Spirostreptida and Spirobolida. For centipedes, 33 records for 4 of the 5 recent orders are listed: Scutigeromorpha, Lithobiomorpha, Scolopendromorpha and Geophilomorpha. For Symphyla, three records for both families, Scutigerellidae and Scolopendrellidae, are listed. The majority of Diplopoda records (30.5\%) are Polydesmida. The record of the Polyzoniida includes first instar octopod juveniles. The checklist includes the first fossil representatives known of the Platydesmida, as well as the oldest known fossils of the Polyxenida, Glomeridesmida, Glomerida, Siphonophorida, Polyzoniida, Siphoniulida, Spirostreptida, as well as both Symphyla families. Misidentifications by Zhang (2017) are corrected; while most Chilopoda in that list are correct, almost all Diplopoda are misidentified.

}, keywords = {Chilopoda, Cretaceous, Diplopoda, fossil, Myanmar, Symphyla}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.15560/14.6.1131}, url = {https://checklist.pensoft.net/article/30320/}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Moritz, Leif} } @article {439, title = {The first known fossils of the Platydesmida{\textemdash}an extant American genus in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Diplopoda: Platydesmida: Andrognathidae)}, journal = {Organisms Diversity and Evolution}, volume = {19}, year = {2019}, month = {01/09/2019}, pages = {423-433}, abstract = {

Millipedes have been inhabiting the earth for more than 400 my and show a great diversity regarding their morphology and ecology. For a better understanding of the timing and pattern of millipede evolution, Burmese amber offers a unique window into the Cretaceous period, ca. 99 Ma. Here, we describe the first known fossil of the colobognathan order Platydesmida, the species Andrognathus burmiticus n. sp. based on 15 specimens from Cretaceous Burmese amber. We combine classical light-microscopy and modern micro-computer tomography (\μCT) with computer aided 3D-reconstructions. These non-invasive techniques allow us to describe the fossil millipedes as detailed as is general practice for extant species, and to grant the scientific community open access to the deposited \“Cybertypes\”. Based on the combination of unique morphological characters such as surface structures, body type, the unique size and shape of tergite 5, the absence of a hypoproct at the anal segment, and detailed gonopod characteristics, the studied fossils can be placed in the family Andrognathidae and the extant genus Andrognathus, which nowadays is restricted to the eastern USA and Mexico with three extant species. Therefore, the minimum age of the genus Andrognathus is pushed to the Cenomanian, 99 Ma. It can be assumed that the genus was much more diverse and wider distributed in the past and migrated between Asia and America via one of the once existing land bridges. These unique fossils prove the unusual relictual distribution of Andrognathus and can serve as key-fossils for the dating of the diplopod phylogeny.

}, keywords = {Burmese amber, Migration, Southeast Asia, Virtual paleontology, μCT}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-019-00408-0 }, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {437, title = {Symphylella patrickmuelleri sp. nov. (Myriapoda: Symphyla): The oldest known Symphyla and first fossil record of Scolopendrellidae from Cretaceous Burmese amber}, journal = {Creatceous Research}, volume = {84}, year = {2017}, month = {22/12/2017}, pages = {258-263}, abstract = {

Symphyla are one of the least known of the four classes of the Myriapoda. While Symphyla are dated to have split from the other myriapods at about 430\–593 Ma, there are no fossil specimens known aside from seven specimens of the family Scutigerellidae preserved in Dominican and Baltic amber, with a maximum age of ca. 54 Ma. Here we describe the first fossil representative of the second Symphyla family, the Scolopendrellidae, Symphylella patrickmuelleri sp. nov., from Burmese amber (ca. 99 Ma). Utilizing micro-computed tomography (mCT) technology, as well as light microscopy and multi-layer photography, our specimen, despite being juvenile, can be assigned to the genus Symphylella Silvestri, 1902, a species-rich Recent genus that has an almost worldwide distribution. The specimen is preserved after ejecting long threads of silk from its large spinnerets. Our findings show that the recent genera and families of the Symphyla diverged already before the end of the Mesozoic

}, keywords = {Burmese amber, Cretaceous, CT scan, Mesozoic, soil arthropod}, issn = {0195-6671}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2017.11.018}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {436, title = {Integrative description of two new species of Malagasy chirping giant pill-millipedes, genus Sphaeromimus (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida: Arthrosphaeridae)}, journal = {European Journal of Taxonomy}, volume = {381}, year = {2017}, month = {15/12/2017}, pages = {1-25}, abstract = {

The species-rich giant pill-millipedes (Sphaerotheriida) often represent a microendemic component of Madagascar\’s mega-invertebrate fauna. Of the chirping genus Sphaeromimus de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1902, ten species have been described. Here, we describe two new species of Sphaeromimus integratively, combining light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, DNA barcoding and micro-CT technology for the first time in a taxonomic description of a giant pill-millipede. S. kalambatritra sp. nov. and S. midongy sp. nov. are the first giant pill-millipedes collected and described from the mountainous rainforests of Kalambatritra and Midongy. Both species show island gigantism compared to their congeners. Our analysis of the mitochondrial COI gene shows that the two species are related to one another with a moderate genetic distance (9.4\%), while they are more closely related to an undetermined specimen from the forest of Vevembe (6.3\% and 8.4\%). They stand in a basal position with S. ivohibe Wesener, 2014 and S. musicus (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897). The four aforementioned species share a high number of stridulation ribs on the male harp. Our micro-CT analysis provides a look into the head of S. kalambatritra sp. nov. and shows that non-destructive CT methods are a useful tool for studying the inner morphology of giant pill-millipedes.

}, keywords = {biodiversity, COI, island gigantism, Kalambatritra, Midongy}, issn = {2118-9773}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.381}, url = {https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/506}, author = {Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {388, title = {Review of the Spirobolida on Madagascar, with descriptions of twelve new genera, including three genera of {\textquoteright}fire millipedes{\textquoteright} (Diplopoda)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {19}, year = {2009}, month = {04/09/2009}, pages = {1 - 128}, abstract = {

Twelve new genera and 37 new species of Spirobolida are described: Corallobolus cruentus gen. n., sp.\ n., Sanguinobolus maculosus gen. n., sp. n., Colossobolus semicyclus gen. n., sp. n., C. oblongopedus sp. n., C. giganteus sp. n., C. minor sp. n., C. litoralis sp. n., C. aculeatus sp. n., C. pseudoaculeatus sp. n., Zehntnerobolus gen. n., Flagellobolus pauliani gen. n., sp. n., Riotintobolus mandenensis gen.\ n., sp. n., R. minutus sp. n., R. aridus sp. n., R. anomalus sp. n., Pseudocentrobolus aureus gen. n., sp.\ n., P. vohibasiensis sp. n., Granitobolus endemicus gen. n., sp. n., G. andohahelensis sp. n., Caprobolus andringitra gen. n., sp. n., Alluviobolus laticlavius gen. n., sp. n., A. tsimelahy sp. n., A. antanosy sp.\ n., Ostinobolus rufus gen. n., sp.\ n., O. stellaris sp. n., O. montanus sp. n., O. subterraneus sp. n., and Hylekobolus brachiosauroides gen. n., sp. n., H. rufus sp. n., H. griseus sp. n., H. albicollaris sp. n., H. goodmani sp. n., H. montanus sp. n., H. analavelona sp. n., H. latifrons sp. n., H. andasibensis sp. n., H. marojejy sp. n., H. anjanaharibe sp.\ n. All genera and species are endemic to Madagascar. Hylekobolus belongs to the family Spirobolellidae, while all other Malagasy genera of Spirobolida belong to the Pachybolidae. Among them, only Zehntnerobolus gen.\ n. is based on a previously described species: Spirobolus rubripes de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897, whereas the remaining 11 new genera altogether contain (a total of) 37 new species. Three of the new genera are large-bodied \“fire millipedes\” (\>100 mm long) with striking red/black colour patterns. The new discoveries increase the number of endemic Malagasy genera of Spirobolida more than fivefold (from 3 to 15). The number of endemic species recorded from Madagascar has more than doubled (to 61). Body length of the new species varies greatly (between 23 and 170 mm). Keys to all Malagasy Spirobolida families, genera, as well as the newly described species, are provided. Four species, Rhinocricus collaris de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897, Spirobolus grandidieri de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897, Spirobolus olympiaceus Karsch, 1881, and Spirobolus sikorae de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897 are only known from females and are listed as nomina dubia. Some genera occur in the dry or spiny forest as well as in the rainforest ecosystem; species, however, are restricted to a single habitat type. In the rainforest, up to six different genera were collected in the same individual forest. Numerous genera are adapted to a special ecological niche. A high proportion of species are microendemic, often to some tiny, highly endangered forests. Of special conservation concern are the species which occur only in Analavelona, Ambatotsirongorongo, the subhumid, globally unique littoral forest of Petriky and the littoral rainforests of Mandena and Sainte Luce.

}, keywords = {biogeography, endemism, Madagascar, millipedes, niche separation, Spirobolida}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.19.221}, url = {http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=2037}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Enghoff, Henrik and Sierwald, Petra} } @article {387, title = {Ecotone shifts in southern Madagascar: first barcoding data and six new species of the endemic millipede genus Riotintobolus (Spirobolida, Pachybolidae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {953}, year = {2020}, month = {27/07/2020}, pages = {1-29}, abstract = {

Six new species of the Spirobolida millipede genus Riotintobolus Wesener, 2009, are described from the spiny forest in southern Madagascar utilising genetic barcoding, drawings and scanning electron microscopy: Riotintobolus tsimelahy sp. nov., R. mangatsiaka sp. nov., R. lavanono sp. nov., R. bovinus sp. nov., R. antafoky sp. nov. and R. makayi sp. nov. One other Riotintobolus population from the spiny forest might represent an additional species based on genetic data, but it cannot be described as no male specimens were collected. At present, the genus Riotintobolus Wesener, 2009 has eight species from the spiny forest and two species from the littoral rainforest. A determination key to all ten species of the genus is provided. Molecular data reveal that the two critically endangered species from the humid littoral rainforest are not closely related to one another, but have their closest relative in the dry spiny forest ecosystem. Riotintobolus mandenensis Wesener, 2009, only known from the southern littoral rainforest of Mandena is related to R. tsimelahy sp. nov. from the nearby spiny forest at Tsimelahy with a p-distance of 11\%, while R. minutus Wesener, 2009 from the littoral forest of Sainte Luce is more distant to all other Riotintobolus species, but more closely related to R. bovinus sp. nov. from the southwestern forest of the Makay.

}, keywords = {biodiversity, Diplopoda, DNA barcoding, littoral rainforest, soil arthropod, spiny forest}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.953.53977}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/53977/}, author = {Wesener, Thomas} } @article {357, title = {The millipede family Polyxenidae (Diplopoda, Polyxenida) in the faunas of the~Crimean Peninsula and Caucasus, with notes on other European Polyxenidae}, journal = {Zootaxa}, volume = {4772}, year = {2020}, month = {08/05/2020}, pages = {306-332}, abstract = {

The Polyxenidae in the fauna of the Crimeo-Caucasian region is represented by four species: Polyxenus lagurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (= P. lagurus caucasicus Lignau, 1924, syn. n.), Propolyxenus argentifer (Verhoeff, 1921) comb. n. (= P. trivittatus Verhoeff, 1941, = P. sokolowi Lignau, 1924, both syn. n.), a new species, Polyxenus lankaranensis sp. n., and an undescribed Polyxenus sp. The distributions of all these species in the region concerned are mapped, based on old and new records. A molecular phylogeny based on COI sequences is used to study the relationship within and among the genera Polyxenus and Propolyxenus from Western Europe to the southern Caucasus. The results highlight the presence of a number of undescribed species of Polyxenus across this region.

}, keywords = {bristly millipede, Crimea, fauna, Iran fauna, Taxonomy}, issn = {1175-5326}, doi = {10.11646/zootaxa.4772.2.4}, url = {https://www.biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.4772.2.4}, author = {Short, Megan and Vahtera, Varpu and Wesener, Thomas and Sergei Ilyich Golovatch} } @article {296, title = {The millipedes collected by the Museum "La Specola" on Madagascar 1989/1991, with the description of three new species of giant pill-millipedes (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {930}, year = {2020}, month = {28/04/2020}, pages = {3-35}, abstract = {

A large collection of millipedes (Diplopoda) from Madagascar, belonging to the Museum \“La Specola\” in Florence, Italy were investigated. The collection includes three new species of the giant pill-millipede genus Zoosphaerium Pocock, 1895 which are described here as Zoosphaerium mangabe Wesener, sp. nov., Z. bartolozzii Anilkumar \& Wesener, sp. nov., and Z. taitii Anilkumar \& Wesener, sp. nov., all belonging to the Z. coquerelianum species group. The latter two are currently only known from a single site. Other specimens belonging to eight orders (Polyxenida, Sphaerotheriida, Polyzoniida, Siphonophorida, Chordeumatida, Polydesmida, Spirobolida, and Spirostreptida) are listed. Three tropical tramp species, Pseudospirobolellus avernus (Butler, 1876), Glyphiulus granulatus Gervais, 1847, and Chondromorpha xanthotricha (Attems, 1898) are recorded for the first time from Madagascar. New locality data is provided for Zoosphaerium neptunus (Butler, 1872), Z. villosum Wesener \& Sierwald, 2005, Z. blandum (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897), Sphaeromimus musicus (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1897), Rhinotus purpureus (Pocock, 1894), Hylekobolus andasibensis Wesener, 2009, Aphistogoniulus infernalis Wesener, 2009, Ostinobolus rufus Wesener, 2009, Ostinobolus subterraneus Wesener, 2009, Dactylobolus bivirgatus (Karsch, 1881), and Eumekius antimena (de Saussure \& Zehntner, 1901).

}, keywords = {biodiversity, COI, introduced species, Madagascar, museum collection}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.930.47620}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47620/}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Anilkumar, Pooja Avinipully} } @article {295, title = {Some new or poorly-known Zephroniidae (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida) from Vietnam}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {930}, year = {2020}, month = {28/04/2020}, pages = {37-60}, abstract = {

Three new species of the giant pill-millipede family Zephroniidae are described from southern Vietnam: Sphaerobelum pumatense sp. nov., Sphaeropoeus honbaensis sp. nov. and Sphaeropoeus bidoupensis sp. nov. Two species, Sphaerobelum bicorne Attems, 1938 and Sphaeropoeus maculatus (Verhoeff, 1924), are redescribed, the former from new material, the latter from type material with lectotype designation. A new transfer is proposed: Zephronia manca Attems, 1936, to the genus Sphaeropoeus Brandt, 1833, giving the new combination, Sphaeropoeus manca (Attems, 1936) comb. nov.

}, keywords = {biological observations, giant pill-millipede, Sphaerobelum, Sphaeropoeus, Taxonomy}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.930.47742}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/47742/}, author = {Semenyuk, Irina and Sergei Ilyich Golovatch and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {260, title = {First results of the German Barcode of Life (GBOL) {\textendash} Myriapoda project: Cryptic lineages in German Stenotaenia linearis (Koch, 1835) (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {510}, year = {2015}, month = {30/06/2015}, pages = {15-29}, abstract = {

As part of the German Barcode of Life (GBOL) Myriapoda program, which aims to sequence the COI barcoding fragment for 2000 specimens of Germany\’s 200 myriapod species in the near future, 44 sequences of the centipede order Geophilomorpha are analyzed. The analyses are limited to the genera Geophilus Leach, 1814 and Stenotaenia Koch, 1847 and include a total of six species. A special focus is Stenotaenia, of which 19 specimens from southern, western and eastern Germany could be successfully sequenced. The Stenotaenia data shows the presence of three to four vastly different (13.7\–16.7\% p-distance) lineages of the genus in Germany. At least two of the three lineages show a wide distribution across Germany, only the lineage including topotypes of S. linearis shows a more restricted distribution in southern Germany. In a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis the Italian species S. \‘sorrentina\’ (Attems, 1903) groups with the different German S. linearis clades. The strongly different Stenotaenia linearis lineages within Germany, independent of geography, are a strong hint for the presence of additional, cryptic Stenotaenia species in Germany.

}, keywords = {barcode, biodiversity, COI, cryptic diversity}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.510.8852}, url = {http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=5514}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Voigtl{\"a}nder, Karin and Decker, Peter and Oeyen, Jan Philip and Spelda, J{\"o}rg and Lindner, Norman} } @article {259, title = {Barcoding of Central European Cryptops centipedes reveals large interspecific distances with ghost lineages and new species records from Germany and Austria (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {564}, year = {2016}, month = {16/02/2016}, pages = {21 - 46}, abstract = {

In order to evaluate the diversity of Central European Myriapoda species in the course of the German Barcode of Life project, 61 cytochrome c oxidase I sequences of the genus Cryptops Leach, 1815, a centipede genus of the order Scolopendromorpha, were successfully sequenced and analyzed. One sequence of Scolopendra cingulata Latreille, 1829 and one of Theatops erythrocephalus Koch, 1847 were utilized as outgroups. Instead of the expected three species (C. parisi Brolemann, 1920; C. anomalans Newport, 1844; C. hortensis (Donovan, 1810)), analyzed samples included eight to ten species. Of the eight clearly distinguishable morphospecies of Cryptops, five (C. parisi; C. croaticus Verhoeff, 1931; C. anomalans; C. umbricus Verhoeff, 1931; C. hortensis) could be tentatively determined to species level, while a further three remain undetermined (one each from Germany, Austria and Croatia, and Slovenia). Cryptops croaticus is recorded for the first time from Austria. A single specimen (previously suspected as being C. anomalans), was redetermined as C. umbricus Verhoeff, 1931, a first record for Germany. All analyzed Cryptops species are monophyletic and show large genetic distances from one another (p-distances of 13.7\–22.2\%). Clear barcoding gaps are present in lineages represented by \>10 specimens, highlighting the usefulness of the barcoding method for evaluating species diversity in centipedes. German specimens formally assigned to C. parisi are divided into three clades differing by 8.4\–11.3\% from one another; their intra-lineage genetic distance is much lower at 0\–1.1\%. The three clades are geographically separate, indicating that they might represent distinct species. Aside from C. parisi, intraspecific distances of Cryptops spp. in Central Europe are low (\<3.3\%).

}, keywords = {barcode, biodiversity, COI, cryptic diversity, introduced species}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.564.7535}, url = {http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=7535}, author = {Wesener, Thomas and Voigtl{\"a}nder, Karin and Decker, Peter and Oeyen, Jan Philip and Spelda, J{\"o}rg} } @article {258, title = {Wiederentdeckung des G{\"u}rtelskolopenders (Chilopoda: Scolopendra cingulata) im Neusiedlersee-Gebiet {\"O}sterreichs, mit Anmerkungen zum Spinnenl{\"a}ufer (Chilopoda: Scutigera coleoptrata)}, journal = {Koenigiana}, volume = {8}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, pages = {63-73}, abstract = {

Full title:\ Wiederentdeckung des G\ürtelskolopenders (Chilopoda: Scolopendra cingulata) im Neusiedlersee-Gebiet \Österreichs, mit Anmerkungen zum Spinnenl\äufer (Chilopoda: Scutigera coleoptrata) und zum pannonischen Laufk\äfer (Coleoptera: Carabus hungaricus) aus demselben Gebiet

}, author = {B{\"o}hme, Wolfgang and Oeyen, Jan Philip and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {257, title = {A first phylogenetic analysis of the pill millipedes of the order Glomerida, with a special assessment of mandible characters (Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Pentazonia)}, journal = {Arthropod Structure \& Development}, volume = {47}, year = {2018}, month = {03/2018}, pages = {214 - 228}, abstract = {

The pill millipedes of the order Glomerida are a moderately diverse group with a classical Holarctic distribution pattern. Their classification is based on a typological system utilizing mainly a single character complex, the male telopods. In order to infer the apomorphies of the Glomerida, to elucidate its position in the Pentazonia, and to test the monophyly of its families and subfamilies, we conduct the first phylogenetic analysis of the order. To provide additional characters, we comparatively analyze the mandible using scanning electron microscopy. The final character matrix consists of 69 characters (11 mandible characters) and incorporates 22 species from 20 of the 34 pill millipede genera, representing all families and subfamilies, except the monotypic Mauriesiinae. Two species from each of the two other Pentazonian orders Sphaerotheriida and Glomeridesmida, as well as two Spirobolida, are included as outgroup taxa. The Glomerida are recovered as monophyletic and are supported by five apomorphies. Within the Pentazonia, the Glomeridesmida are recovered as the sister group to the classical Oniscomorpha (Sphaerotheriida + Glomerida) with weak support. The analysis provides little resolution within the Glomerida, resulting in numerous polytomies. Further morphological characters and/or the addition of molecular analyses are needed to produce a robust phylogenetic classification of the Glomerida.

}, keywords = {apomorphic characters, Glomerida, mandible, Oniscomorpha, phylogenetic analysis}, issn = {1467-8039}, doi = {10.1016/j.asd.2018.02.005}, url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1467803918300203}, author = {Oeyen, Jan Philip and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {256, title = {Steps towards a phylogeny of the pill millipedes: non-monophyly of the family Protoglomeridae, with an integrative redescription of Eupeyerimhoffia archimedis (Diplopoda, Glomerida)}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {510}, year = {2015}, month = {3006/2015}, pages = {49 - 64}, abstract = {

Eupeyerimhoffia archimedis (Strasser, 1965) is redescribed based on several specimens collected at a number of sites close to the type locality on Sicily, Italy. Scanning electron microscopy is used to illustrate several unusual morphological characters for a member of the Glomerida for the first time. A fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene (668bp) is sequenced for the first time in Eupeyerimhoffia to provide a species-specific barcode and to gain first insights into the genetic distances between the genera in the widespread family Protoglomeridae. The novel sequences are compared to representatives of all other genera of the family: Protoglomeris vasconica (Br\ölemann, 1897) from northern Spain, the dwarfed Glomerellina laurae Silvestri, 1908 from Italy and Glomeroides primus (Silvestri, 1929) from western North America. The addition of COI sequences from the two other families of the Glomerida renders the family Protoglomeridae paraphyletic with Glomeroides primus being more closely related to Glomeridella minima (Latzel, 1884) than to the other genera in the family. The large genetic distances (13.2\–16.8\%) between Eupeyerimhoffia and the other genera in the order, as well as its unusual morphological characters, including unique morphological adaptations to roll into a ball, are probably an indication of the old age of the group.

}, keywords = {COI, Glomerida, integrative, redescription, Sicily, Taxonomy}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.510.8675}, url = {http://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=5524}, author = {Oeyen, Jan Philip and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {255, title = {The Evolutionary History of the Rediscovered Austrian Population of the Giant Centipede Scolopendra cingulata Latreille 1829 (Chilopoda, Scolopendromorpha)}, journal = {PLoS ONE}, volume = {9}, year = {2014}, month = {24/09/2014}, pages = {e108650}, abstract = {

The thermophilous giant centipede Scolopendra cingulata is a voracious terrestrial predator, which uses its modified first leg pair and potent venom to capture prey. The highly variable species is the most common of the genus in Europe, occurring from Portugal in the west to Iran in the east. The northernmost occurrences are in Hungary and Romania, where it abides in small isolated fringe populations. We report the rediscovery of an isolated Austrian population of Scolopendra cingulata with the first explicit specimen records for more than 80 years and provide insights into the evolutionary history of the northernmost populations utilizing fragments of two mitochondrial genes, COI and 16S, comprising 1,155 base pairs. We test the previously proposed hypothesis of a speciation by distance scenario, which argued for a simple range expansion of the species from the southeast, via Romania, Hungary and finally to Austria, based on a comprehensive taxon sampling from seven countries, including the first European mainland samples. We argue that more complex patterns must have shaped the current distribution of S. cingulata and that the Austrian population should be viewed as an important biogeographical relict in a possible microrefugium. The unique haplotype of the Austrian population could constitute an important part of the species genetic diversity and we hope that this discovery will initiate protective measures not only for S. cingulata, but also for its habitat, since microrefugia are likely to host further rare thermophilous species. Furthermore, we take advantage of the unprecedented sampling to provide the first basic insights into the suitability of the COI fragment as a species identifying barcode within the centipede genus Scolopendra.

}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0108650}, url = {http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108650}, author = {Oeyen, Jan Philip and Funke, Sebastian and B{\"o}hme, Wolfgang and Wesener, Thomas} } @article {112, title = {Dwarfs under dinosaur legs: a new millipede of the order Callipodida (Diplopoda) from Cretaceous amber of Burma}, journal = {ZooKeys}, volume = {841}, year = {2019}, month = {02/05/2019}, pages = {79 - 96}, abstract = {

The entire Mesozoic Era is rather poor in millipede (class Diplopoda) fossils, with less than a dozen species being taxonomically described. Here, we describe the first fossil millipede of the order Callipodida, Burmanopetalum inexpectatum gen. nov. et sp. nov., found in early Cenomanian amber of Burma, 98.79\±0.62 Mya. The species possesses a number of morphological traits that exclude it from all extant suborders, and Burmanopetalidea suborder nov. and Burmanopetalidae fam. nov. are here erected to accommodate it. The new suborder can be recognized by the following unique characters: pleurotergal setae absent; telson with a specific spatulate shape twice the size of the penultimate body ring; hypoproct devoid of setae; and eyes composed of five well-separated ommatidia. While the callipodidan habitus seems to have remained generally unchanged for at least 99 million years, pleurotergal and hypoproctal setation, as well as the complexity of eyes in ground-dwelling forms may have evolved recently in the order. As B. inexpectatum gen. nov. et sp. nov. is the first true callipodidan in the fossil record, the minimum age of Callipodida is thus at least 99 Mya.

}, keywords = {Burmanopetalidae fam. nov., Burmanopetalidea suborder nov., Burmanopetalum inexpectatum gen. nov. et sp. nov., Cenomanian, Mesozoic}, issn = {1313-2989}, doi = {10.3897/zookeys.841.34991}, url = {https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/34991/}, author = {Stoev, Pavel and Moritz, Leif and Wesener, Thomas} }