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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Millipedes (Diplopoda) » Bristly Millipedes (Polyxenida)

Order Polyxenida - Bristly Millipedes

Not a derm*estid larva! - Polyxenus lagurus

mystery class of arthropoda; collembola-like but with 4 or 5 leg pairs - Polyxenus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)

Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)

Order Polyxenida (Bristly Millipedes)

Other Common Names

Pincushion Millipedes, Fuzzy Millipedes

Pronunciation

pol-ee-ZEE-nid-uh

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Ancyrotricha Cook 1895

Explanation of Names

Polyxenida Verhoeff 1934

Numbers

8 spp. in 3 genera of 2 families in our area • ~110 spp. in a dozen genera of 4 families total(1)

Size

≤4 mm

Identification

Soft-bodied with distinctive tufts of setae, ≤17 leg pairs. Polyxenidae usually have ocelli, 8th antennomere shorter than 7th; Lophoproctidae lack ocelli, 8th antennomere subequal or longer than 7th

Range

Worldwide. In the New World, so.Canada to Brazil(2)

Polyxenidae occur over much of the US (6 spp. of Polyxenus); Lophoproctidae, has been recorded in the Florida Keys and may occur in so.TX (at least 2 spp.)(1)

Print References

Short M., Vahtera V. (2017) Phylogenetic relationships of millipedes in the subclass Penicillata (Diplopoda) with a key to the genera. J. Nat. Hist. 51: 41‒42, 2443‒2461 (Full text)

Works Cited

1.	Checklist of the millipeds of North and Middle America Richard L. Hoffman. 1999. Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publications.

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

Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 3 June, 2005 - 9:05pm
Additional contributions by john and jane balaban, smccann27, Chuck Entz, v belov, James Bailey, DerekHennen, biosam
Last updated 19 January, 2025 - 11:47am

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