''Brachycybe lecontii'' is a species of
millipede
Millipedes (originating from the Latin , "thousand", and , "foot") are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derive ...
in the family
Andrognathidae
Andrognathidae is a family of millipede in the order Platydesmida. There are about 17 genera and more than 30 described species in Andrognathidae.
Genera
These 17 genera belong to the family Andrognathidae:
* ''Andrognathus'' Cope, 1869
* ''Baz ...
.
[ It is found in the eastern United States. Like others in the genus, this species is often referred to as feather millipedes.]
Description
Like others in the genus, this species has no eyes. It is pink in colour, although the shade of pink varies geographically.
Diet
It is fungivorous, feeding on fungi from a large variety of fungal orders
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* H ...
.
Behaviour
Sociality
Like other ''Brachycybe
''Brachycybe ''(Greek for "short head") is a genus of social millipedes with species in the United States and East Asia. Species in this genus are often referred to as "feather millipedes" due to their shape.
In a rare example of paternal care ...
'' species, this species is a social millipede that forms colonies. Sociality is uncommon amongst millipedes; outside this genus, social behaviour has evolved in only a few other groups.
Paternal care
''B. lecontii'' shows paternal care of eggs throughout their incubation, which may last 3–4 weeks. This parental care does not extend to young after hatching. It appears that the survival of eggs is completely dependent on the presence of paternal care, as all eggs become unviable after being separated from the brooding male. Perhaps because the brooding male is needed to clean the eggs and ward of fungal infections. Males will seek out and collect eggs if they have been separated from their clutch. Similarly, males will collect the eggs of other males if they have been abandoned, adding them to their own clutch.
References
Further reading
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External links
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Millipedes of North America
Animals described in 1864
Platydesmida
{{Millipede-stub