Order SPHAEROTHERIIDA Brandt, 1833
Introduction
Sphaerotheriidans are wide-bodied, dorsally arched millipedes that roll themselves into a tightly closed ball when resting or disturbed. Behind the head in adult sphaerotheriidans are 12 tergites and a large anal shield; there are 21 leg-pairs in the female and 23 in the male (Enghoff et al. 1993). The last two leg-pairs in adult males are modified for clasping females during copulation. Sphaerotheriidans are found in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, South-East Asia, some Indian Ocean islands, Madagascar and South Africa (Jeekel 1974).
A higher classification of Australian sphaerotheriidans was devised by Jeekel (1974) which placed all Australian pill millipedes in a single tribe within the family Sphaerotheriidae:
Order Sphaerotheriida Brandt, 1833
Family Sphaerotheriidae Koch, 1847
Subfamily Sphaerotheriinae Koch, 1847
Tribe Cyliosomatini Jeekel, 1974
However, Wesener and VandenSpiegel (2009) have shown with a detailed morphological analysis that Procyliosoma forms a sister group to all other genera in Sphaerotheriidae sensu Jeekel. Their revision makes Procyliosoma the sole genus in Procyliosomatidae Wesener & VandenSpiegel, 2009. The other two Australian genera, Cynotelopus and Epicyliosoma, are here tentatively assigned to Sphaerotheriidae.
General References
Enghoff, H., Dohle, W. & Blower, J.G. 1993. Anamorphosis in millipedes (Diplopoda) – the present state of knowledge with some developmental and phylogenetic considerations. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 109: 103-234
Jeekel, C.A.W. 1974. The group taxonomy and geography of the Sphaerotheriida (Diplopoda). Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 32: 41-52
Wesener, T. 2014. A new phylogenetic analysis of the Sphaerotheriida (Diplopoda) with a revision of the Australian giant pill-millipedes. Invertebrate Systematics 28: 196-213
Wesener, T. & VandenSpiegel, D. 2009. A first phylogenetic analysis of Giant Pill-Millipedes (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida), a new model Gondwanan taxon, with special emphasis on island gigantism. Cladistics 25: 545-573
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Jun-2014 | SPHAEROTHERIIDA Brandt, 1833 | 10-Jun-2014 | REVIEWED | Dr Federica Turco (QM) |
| 05-Mar-2012 | 05-Mar-2012 | MODIFIED | ||
| 05-Mar-2012 | 11-May-2010 | ADDED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |