Brachycybe lecontii is a species of millipede in the family Andrognathidae.[1][2][3][4][5] It is found in the eastern United States. Like others in the genus, this species is often referred to as feather millipedes.[6]
| Brachycybe lecontii | |
|---|---|
_millipede_(3680001399).jpg)
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
| Class: | Diplopoda |
| Order: | Platydesmida |
| Family: | Andrognathidae |
| Genus: | Brachycybe |
| Species: | B. lecontii
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| Binomial name | |
| Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864
| |
Description
editLike others in the genus, this species has no eyes. It is pink in colour, although the shade of pink varies geographically.[6]
Diet
editIt is fungivorous, feeding on fungi from a large variety of fungal orders.[6]
Behaviour
editSociality
editLike other Brachycybe species, this species is a social millipede that forms colonies. Sociality is uncommon amongst millipedes; outside of this genus, social behaviour has evolved in only a few other groups.[6]
Brachycybe species are known to form "pinwheel" shaped groups of individuals, where the millipedes form a circle, their heads pointing inwards and their bodies pointing outwards. Females are more likely to form such "pinwheels". The precise purpose of this "pinwheeling" behaviour is uncertain, but it is known to be a feeding behaviour, seen when feeding on fungi.[6]
Paternal care
editB. lecontii shows paternal care of eggs throughout their incubation, which may last 3-4 weeks. This parental care does not extent 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..[6]
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A colony, including adults with hatchlings -
Hatchlings -
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Alabama -
Paternal care of eggs
_Figure_6.jpg)
References
edit- ^ "Brachycybe lecontii Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- ^ "Brachycybe lecontii species details". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- ^ "Brachycybe lecontii". GBIF. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- ^ "Brachycybe lecontii Species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- ^ "Brachycybe lecontii Overview". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- ^ a b c d e f Wong, Victoria; Hennen, Derek; Macias, Angie; Brewer, Michael; Kasson, Matt; Marek, Paul (2020-04-03). "Natural history of the social millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864". Biodiversity Data Journal. 8: e50770. doi:10.3897/BDJ.8.e50770. ISSN 1314-2828. PMC 7148388. PMID 32296285.
Further reading
edit- Brewer, M.S.; Sierwald, P.; Bond, J.E> (2012). Kolokotronis, Sergios-Orestis (ed.). "Millipede Taxonomy after 250 Years: Classification and Taxonomic Practices in a Mega-Diverse yet Understudied Arthropod Group". PLOS ONE. 7 (5): e37240. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...737240B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037240. PMC 3352885. PMID 22615951.
- Brusca, Richard C.; Moore, Wendy; Shuster, Stephen M. (2016). Invertebrates (3rd ed.). Sinauer Associates, Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1605353753.
- Capinera, John L., ed. (2008). Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer. ISBN 978-1402062421.
- Golovatch, Sergei I.; Kime, R.Desmond (2009). "Millipede (Diplopoda) distributions: A review" (PDF). Soil Organisms. 81 (3). Citeseer: 565–597. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-30.
- Hoffman, Richard L. (1999). Checklist of the millipeds of North and Middle America. Virginia Museum of Natural History. ISBN 9781884549120.
- Sierwald, Petra; Bond, Jason E. (2007). "Current status of the myriapod class Diplopoda (millipedes): taxonomic diversity and phylogeny". Annual Review of Entomology. 52. Annual Reviews: 401–420. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.52.111805.090210. PMID 17163800.
External links
edit
Media related to Brachycybe lecontii at Wikimedia Commons
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