| Polyzonium | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Polyzonium germanicum | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Order: | Polyzoniida |
| Family: | Polyzoniidae |
| Genus: | Polyzonium Brandt, 1837 |
| Synonyms | |
List
| |
Polyzonium is a genus of millipedes belonging to the family Polyzoniidae and order Polyzoniida. [1]
The species of this genus are native to Europe, [2] where they inhabit forested areas on limestone soils. P. germanicum possesses the widest distribution, being found in over 25 European countries. [3] The other two species within the genus, P. eburneum and P. transsilvanicum are restricted to mountainous habitat such as the Eastern Alps and Carpathian Mountain range, with P. transsilvanicum possessing a locally endemic population in the Eastern Carpathian. [2]
The following species are recognised: [4]
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 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.
Armadillidium is a genus of the small terrestrial crustacean known as the woodlouse. Armadillidium are also commonly known as pill woodlice, leg pebbles, pill bugs, roly-poly, or potato bugs, and are often confused with pill millipedes such as Glomeris marginata. They are characterised by their ability to roll into a ball ("volvation") when disturbed.
Armadillidiidae is a family of woodlice, a terrestrial crustacean group in the order Isopoda. Unlike members of some other woodlice families, members of this family can roll into a ball, an ability they share with the outwardly similar but unrelated pill millipedes and other animals. This ability gives woodlice in this family their common names of pill bugs or roly polies. Other common names include slaters,potato bugs, butchy boys and doodle bugs. Most species are native to the Mediterranean Basin, while a few species have wider European distributions. The best-known species, Armadillidium vulgare, was introduced to New England in the early 19th century and has become widespread throughout North America.
Pill millipedes are any members of two living orders of millipedes, often grouped together into a single superorder, Oniscomorpha. The name Oniscomorpha refers to the millipedes' resemblance to certain woodlice (Oniscidea), also called pillbugs or "roly-polies". However, millipedes and woodlice are not closely related ; rather, this is a case of convergent evolution.
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.
Brachyiulus is a genus of millipedes, containing around eight species, most of which live in the Mediterranean Basin of Europe and Asia. The species B. pusillus has been introduced widely around the world
Julida is an order of millipedes. Members are mostly small and cylindrical, typically ranging from 10–120 millimetres (0.39–4.72 in) in length. Eyes may be present or absent, and in mature males of many species, the first pair of legs is modified into hook-like structures. Additionally, both pairs of legs on the 7th body segment of males are modified into gonopods.
Julus is a genus of millipedes in the family Julidae, containing the following species:
Chordeumatida is a large order of millipedes containing some 1200 species with a nearly worldwide distribution. Also known as sausage millipedes, they grow and develop through a series of moults, adding segments until they reach a fixed number in the adult stage, which is usually the same for a given sex in a given species, at which point the moulting and the addition of segments and legs stop. This mode of development, known as teloanamorphosis, distinguishes this order from most other orders of millipedes, which usually continue to moult as adults, developing through either euanamorphosis or hemianamorphosis.
Siphonophoridae is a family of millipede in the order Siphonophorida. There are about 12 genera and more than 110 described species in Siphonophoridae.
Glomeris connexa is a species of pill millipede within the genus Glomeris and family Glomeridae.
Trachysphaera is a genus of dwarf pill millipedes in the order Glomerida. Just over 30 species are known, making it the third most species-rich genus of Glomerida. Trachysphaera species are patchily distributed throughout Europe and western Asia, extending from Spain to Caucasia. Members of this genus are tiny, with modified appearances resembling that of calcareous stones.
Strongylosoma is a genus of millipedes belonging to the family Paradoxosomatidae.
Polyzonium germanicum, also known as the Kentish pinhead is a species of millipede within the genus Polyzonium and family Polyzoniidae.
Glomeris hexasticha, also known as the Eastern six-striped pill millipede or the diagonal-striped pill millipede, is a species of pill millipede within the family Glomeridae and order Glomerida. The pill millipede is widely distributed within many European countries, with the species consisting of over twenty different subspecies.
Glomeris balcanica, also known as the Balkan pill millipede, is a species of pill millipede within the family Glomeridae and order Glomerida.
Glomeris guttata is a species of pill millipede within the genus Glomeris and family Glomeridae.
Glomeris pulchra is a species of pill millipede within the genus Glomeris and the family Glomeridae. The species is native to South-eastern Europe, where it can be found in the countries of: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and North Macedonia.
Polyzonium transsilvanicum, is a species of millipede within the genus Polyzonium and family Polyzoniidae. The species can be found within the European countries of Moldova, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine, where it is endemic to the East Carpathian mountain range.
Polyzonium eburneum, is a species of millipede within the genus Polyzonium and family Polyzoniidae. The species is native to the European countries of Austria, Italy, Poland and Slovakia, where it can be found inhabiting the mountain ranges of the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathian.