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Xystodesmidae
Xystodesmidae is a family of millipedes in the suborder Leptodesmidea within the order Polydesmida (the "flat-backed" or "keeled" millipedes). The family Xystodesmidae was created by the American biologist Orator F. Cook in 1895 and named after the genus ''Xystodesmus''. This family includes more than 390 known species distributed among 62 genera. Many species, however, remain undescribed: for example, it is estimated that the genus '' Nannaria'' contains over 200 species, but only 25 were described as of 2006. By 2022, 78 species in ''Nannaria'' have been described. Distribution Millipedes in this family are found across the northern hemisphere, with peak diversity in the Appalachian Mountains, where one-third of the 300 or so species occur. They are particularly abundant in deciduous broadleaf forests in the Mediterranean Basin, Africa, Asia, Central and North America, and Russia. Species in this family often have very small distributional areas, with many species only kno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sierra Luminous Millipede
''Motyxia'' is a genus of Hydrogen cyanide, cyanide-producing millipedes (collectively known as Sierra luminous millipedes or motyxias) that are endemic to the southern Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, Tehachapi, and Santa Monica Mountains, Santa Monica mountain ranges of California. Motyxias are blind and produce the poison cyanide, like all members of the Polydesmida. All species have the ability to glow brightly: some of the few known instances of bioluminescence in millipedes. Description Adult ''Motyxia'' reach 3 to 4 cm in length, 4.5 to 8 mm wide, with 20 body segments, excluding the head. Females are slightly larger than males. Like other polydesmidans ("flat-backed" millipedes) they lack eyes and have prominent paranota (lateral keels). They are typically tan to orange-pink in color (except ''M. pior''), with a dark mid-dorsal line. ''M. pior'' is the most variable in color, and ranges from dark gray to greenish-yellow to bright oran ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
