Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Order Spirobolida

Narceus americanus? - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex black millipede Monstrous Big Millipede - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex millipede - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex Trigoniulus corallinus Large millipede Millipede sp. - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex Narceus americanus/annularis complex? millipede - Narceus americanus-annularis-complex
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)
Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)
Order Spirobolida
Explanation of Names
Spirobolida Cook in Cook & Collins 1895
Numbers
12 families worldwide, 6 in NA (2 introduced) • ~35 spp. in our area(1)
Size
Up to 200 mm (extralimital species)
Identification
Eyes usually present. Dorsal groove and paranota absent. >30 segments. One pair of legs on the fifth ring vs 2 in other millipedes. Gonopods hidden in a pouch.(1)
Vertical suture on lower front of head extending upwards from labrum (see below) distinguishes Spirobolida from Julida and Spirostrepsida.
also this photo.
Remarks
Members of this order primarily secrete benzoquinones (Shear 2015)
Works Cited
1.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.