| Brachycybe lecontii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Order: | Platydesmida |
| Family: | Andrognathidae |
| Genus: | Brachycybe |
| Species: | B. lecontii |
| Binomial name | |
| Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864 | |
Brachycybe lecontii is a species of millipede in the family Andrognathidae. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] It is found in the eastern United States. Like others in the genus, this species is often referred to as feather millipedes. [6]
Like others in the genus, this species has no eyes. It is pink in colour, although the shade of pink varies geographically. [6]
It is fungivorous, feeding on fungi from a large variety of fungal orders. [6]
Like other Brachycybe species, this species is a social millipede that forms colonies. Sociality is uncommon amongst millipedes; outside of this genus, social behaviour has evolved in only a few other groups. [6]
Brachycybe species are known to form "pinwheel" shaped groups of individuals, where the millipedes form a circle, their heads pointing inwards and their bodies pointing outwards. Females are more likely to form such "pinwheels". The precise purpose of this "pinwheeling" behaviour is uncertain, but it is known to be a feeding behaviour, seen when feeding on fungi. [6]
B. lecontii shows paternal care of eggs throughout their incubation, which may last 3-4 weeks. This parental care does not extent to young after hatching. It appears that the survival of eggs is completely dependent on the presence of paternal care, as all eggs become unviable after being separated from the brooding male, perhaps because the brooding male is needed to clean the eggs and ward of fungal infections. Males will seek out and collect eggs if they have been separated from their clutch. Similarly, males will collect the eggs of other males if they have been abandoned, adding them to their own clutch.. [6]
Millipedes are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derived from this feature. Each double-legged segment is a result of two single segments fused together. Most millipedes have very elongated cylindrical or flattened bodies with more than 20 segments, while pill millipedes are shorter and can roll into a tight ball. Although the name "millipede" derives from Latin for "thousand feet", no species was known to have 1,000 or more until the discovery in 2020 of Eumillipes persephone, which can have over 1,300 legs. There are approximately 12,000 named species classified into 16 orders and around 140 families, making Diplopoda the largest class of myriapods, an arthropod group which also includes centipedes and other multi-legged creatures.
Gonopods are specialized appendages of various arthropods used in reproduction or egg-laying. In males, they facilitate the transfer of sperm from male to female during mating, and thus are a type of intromittent organ. In crustaceans and millipedes, gonopods are modified walking or swimming legs. Gonopods may be highly decorated with elaborate structures which may play roles in sperm competition, and can be used to differentiate and identify closely related species. Gonopods generally occur in one or more pairs, as opposed to the single (un-paired) reproductive organs such as the aedeagus of insects or the penis of harvestmen.
Parental care is a behavioural and evolutionary strategy adopted by some animals, involving a parental investment being made to the evolutionary fitness of offspring. Patterns of parental care are widespread and highly diverse across the animal kingdom. There is great variation in different animal groups in terms of how parents care for offspring, and the amount of resources invested by parents. For example, there may be considerable variation in the amount of care invested by each sex, where females may invest more in some species, males invest more in others, or investment may be shared equally. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to describe this variation and patterns in parental care that exist between the sexes, as well as among species.
Glomerida is an order of pill-millipedes found primarily in the Northern Hemisphere. Also known as northern pill millipedes, they superficially resemble pill-bugs or woodlice, and can enroll into a protective ball. They have twelve body segments, 17 to 19 pairs of legs, and males have enlarged rear legs involved in mating. The order includes about 30 genera and at least 280 species, including Glomeris marginata, the common European pill-millipede. The order contains members in Europe, South-east Asia and the Americas from California to Guatemala. Although historically considered closely related with the similar sphaerotheriidans that also enroll, some DNA evidence suggest they may be more closely related to glomeridesmidans, a poorly known order that does not enroll.
Sphaerotheriida is an order of millipedes in the infraclass Pentazonia, sometimes known as giant pill millipedes. They inhabit Southern Africa, Madagascar, South and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Like the Northern Hemisphere pill millipedes of the order Glomerida, these millipedes can roll into a ball when disturbed. When they are rolled-up, most sphaerotheriidans reach a maximum size of a cherry or golf ball, but some species from Madagascar can even reach the size of an orange. When rolled-up, predators are unable to unravel giant pill millipedes since the margins of their second and last dorsal plates fit perfectly into one another, creating a sealed ball. A few giant pill millipede species are able to produce sound, the only millipedes known to do this. This order of millipedes is also unique in that some African species are used for medicinal purposes.
Polyxenida is an order of millipedes readily distinguished by a unique body plan consisting of a soft, non-calcified body ornamented with tufts of bristles. These features have inspired the common names bristly millipedes or pincushion millipedes. This order includes about 148 species in four families worldwide, which represent the only living members of the subclass Penicillata.
Platydesmida is an order of millipedes containing two families and over 60 species. Some species practice paternal care, in which males guard the eggs.
Chordeumatida is a large order of millipedes containing more than 1,400 species. Also known as sausage millipedes, they are found nearly worldwide. Chordeumatida is the largest order in the superorder Nematophora, a group also known as spinning millipedes because their telsons feature spinnerets used to build nests of silk. These millipedes produce this silk to create chambers in which to molt or to lay their eggs.
Siphoniulus is a poorly known genus of millipede containing only two living species: S. alba from Indonesia, and S. neotropicus from Mexico and Guatemala. An additional two fossil species are known from Cretaceous amber. Siphoniulus species are the only members of the family Siphoniulidae and order Siphoniulida, making Siphoniulida the smallest millipede order. Few specimens are known, and their classification is contentious, although most recent studies place them as basal members of the Helminthomorpha.
Siphonophoridae is a family of millipedes in the order Siphonophorida. There are about 12 genera and more than 110 described species in Siphonophoridae.
Stemmiulida is an order of millipedes consisting of approximately 130 species, reaching up to 50 mm in length. It contains a single family, Stemmiulidae.
Andrognathidae is a family of millipede in the order Platydesmida. There are about 17 genera and more than 30 described species in Andrognathidae.
Platydesmidae is a family of millipede in the order Platydesmida. There are at least 2 genera and more than 30 described species in Platydesmidae.
Brachycybe (Greek for "short head") is a genus of social millipedes with species in the United States and East Asia. Species in this genus are often referred to as "feather millipedes" due to their shape.
Schizopetalidae is a family of crested millipedes in the order Callipodida. There are more than 10 genera in Schizopetalidae.
Cylindroiulus caeruleocinctus is a species of millipede in the family Julidae.
Pachydesmini is a tribe of flat-backed millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae. There are at least 3 genera and more than 20 described species in Pachydesmini.
Chonaphini is a tribe of flat-backed millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae. There are about 6 genera and 19 described species in Chonaphini.
Rhachodesmidae is a family of flat-backed millipedes in the order Polydesmida. There are more than 20 genera and at least 80 described species in Rhachodesmidae.
Metopidiotrichidae is a family of millipedes in the order Chordeumatida. This family includes more than 70 species. These millipedes are found in Indochina, Australia, and on Pacific islands from New Zealand to Japan.
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