Family Blaniulidae

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Works Cited

Juvenile millipedes? - Blaniulus guttulatus

Spotted Snake Millipede - Blaniulus guttulatus

C. palmatus male - Choneiulus palmatus - male

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Myriapoda (Myriapods)

Class Diplopoda (Millipedes)

Order Julida

Family Blaniulidae

Explanation of Names

Blaniulinae C.L. Koch 1847

Numbers

in our area, 1 native species + 5 introduced(1); ~80 spp. in 26 genera of 5 subfamilies total(2)

Size

Up to 16 mm long, 0.9 mm wide(3)

Identification

body long and thin, length : width ratio up to 30:1. Members have distinctive spots on each segments: the odiferous glands. Eyes may be present or absent (eyeless species pale in color). If present, eyes are in one or two simple rows, rather than a large ocular field. First pair of legs in mature males is short, hook-like. Compared to members of Julidae and Parajulidae, no species possess a posterior projection of the pre-anal ring. (3)

Range

Predominantly Palearctic: species from w.Europe have been widely introduced in eastern N.America(1). Some species in the West.

in our area:(1) the only native species is Virgoiulus minutus (PA‒FL to MO‒LA)

Introduced species:

Archiboreoiulus pallidus e.NA to ND

Blaniulus guttulatus & Choneiulus palmatus - widespread

Proteroiulus fuscus e.NA

Nopoiulus kochii NS‒VA, WA

Works Cited

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

2.	Sierwald P., Spelda J. (2023) MilliBase

3.	Millipedes: Keys and notes for the identification of the species J. Gordon Blower. 1985. E.J. Brill/Dr. W. Backhuys.

Contributed by john and jane balaban on 6 March, 2007 - 9:35pm
Additional contributions by v belov, DerekHennen, biosam
Last updated 14 November, 2023 - 4:59pm

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