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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Myriapods (Myriapoda) » Millipedes (Diplopoda) » Flat-backed Millipedes (Polydesmida) » Xystodesmidae

Family Xystodesmidae

Classification · Pronunciation · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Range · Print References · Works Cited
Millipede - Cherokia georgiana Mating millipedes - Harpaphe haydeniana - male - female Another Santa Cruz Millipede - Harpaphe haydeniana Black and yellow centipede with orange legs - Sigmoria Millipede Xystodesmidae millipede? - Rudiloria trimaculata Xystodesmidae: Montaphe elrodi - Montaphe elrodi Polydesmid (Flat-Backed Millipede) ID Request - Pleuroloma flavipes
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)
Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)
Order Polydesmida (Flat-backed Millipedes)
Family Xystodesmidae
Pronunciation
"ZISS-toe-DES-mid-ee"
Explanation of Names
Xystodesmidae Cook 1895
Numbers
worldwide, 560 spp. in ~60 genera arranged into 13 tribes & 4 subfamilies(1)
Identification
18‒22 (usually 20) body rings and prominent keels. Eyes absent. The first pair of legs on the 7th ring are gonopods in males. Many are brightly colored; all have stink glands.(2)
Range
Northern Hemisphere, greatest diversity in the Appalachian region
Print References
(3)
Works Cited
1.Sierwald P., Spelda J. (2023) MilliBase
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.
3.A Müllerian mimicry ring in Appalachian millipedes
Marek P.E., Bond J.E. 2009. PNAS 106: 9755–9760.
Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 30 June, 2006 - 7:36am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Rowland Shelley, Vox Sciurorum, v belov, biosam
Last updated 31 October, 2023 - 7:19pm

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