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Order Polyzoniida

Polyzoniid Millipedes clustered - Petaserpes

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)

Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)

Order Polyzoniida

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Ommatophora Brandt, 1840

Orthozonia Verhoeff, 1840

Numbers

3 Families

2 families native to North America, Siphonotidae introduced. (1)

Identification

Leech-shaped body: back domed or arched, ventral side flat. Small, cone-shaped head. Few ocelli. Dorsal groove absent. Paranota absent.

Similar to Platydesmida (flat with tiny heads and from 30 to 192 body rings) but are smooth and lack the dorsal groove. The usual color is cream. (2)

Range

In North America: British Columbia to southern Sierra Nevada and central California coast; Quebec to southern Georgia. (1)

Habitat

Moist soil and leaf litter.

Food

Various plant materials.

Works Cited

1.	Centipedes and Millipedes, with an Emphasis on North American Fauna Rowland M. Shelley. 1999. Emporia State University.

2.	Spiders and Their Kin: A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press Herbert W. Levi, Lorna R. Levi, Nicholas Strekalovsky. 2001. St. Martin's Press.

Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 16 April, 2005 - 7:22pm
Additional contributions by biosam
Last updated 4 October, 2013 - 9:20pm

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