Color Morphs N. americanus

[mickiem]

I have some new N. americanus color morphs. I hope the colors show up here, I’m a pretty lousy photographer.

 

[mickiem]

‘Black’

 

[mickiem]

‘Tan’

 

[mickiem]

‘Reddish Brown’

 

[mickiem]

‘Gray’

 

[davehuth]

These are fantastic! Did these emerge from your breeding populations or did you acquire them elsewhere? That gray is bonkers!

 

[mickiem]

I recently acquired them. Hopefully I can learn where they were collected (for the record). The black is very nice in person. I really need to take better photos. And yes, the gray is wonderful!

I have albinos but they are young; hoping to breed them next year. I have another that is yellow and pink (my favorite). I've had the tans for a few years and have yearling babies. I think I have 6 distinct morphs now. Unfortunately, N. americanus do not readily breed for me. I've been tweaking the humidity. I can't imagine what else it could be. Here's to a strong 2018 breeding season!

 

[LawnShrimp]

Oh wow!! The black and gray are fantastic. Narceus are some of my favorite millipedes due to their variability, I really hope they breed!

Mine are fairly reluctant to breed, but I haven't had mine for long enough to be sure. I think that due to their habit of going dormant during winter, some of the more northern types need a good temperature cycle (not enough to trigger hibernation, but noticeable) so I let mine get cooler and drier for the winter. As the temperatures are starting to warm up, I've been seeing more activity but no mating yet.

 

[mickiem]

Oh wow!! The black and gray are fantastic. Narceus are some of my favorite millipedes due to their variability, I really hope they breed!

Mine are fairly reluctant to breed, but I haven't had mine for long enough to be sure. I think that due to their habit of going dormant during winter, some of the more northern types need a good temperature cycle (not enough to trigger hibernation, but noticeable) so I let mine get cooler and drier for the winter. As the temperatures are starting to warm up, I've been seeing more activity but no mating yet.

The first year I had the N. americanus, regular phase, I found some Trichorhina tomentosa, Dwarf White isopods had found their way into their enclosure. I think they actually came in from the vendor and I dumped the cup, substrate and all. That started my deep mistrust of the cute little isopods. I had seen breeding behavior and even watched in amazement while a female was encasing eggs. What a workout! The second year, I had nothing old enough to breed and this is the third year. Hope I have it right. I have kept them in the mid 50's over the winter. My N. americanus 'Tan' have produced readily and so have the N. gordanus.

 

[mickiem]

If anyone cares: :wideyed:
Black ones are from Blue Ridge Mts., northern GA
Reddish Brown are from Alachua Co. Florida
Gray are from Central Georgia
Tans are from Liberty Co. Florida
Pale blonde are from Marion Co. Florida

 

[Exoskelos]

I've found the regular steel/red form, a brown/tan form, and a black/peach form, within a hundred yards of each other. All I have to do is walk about a half mile from my house and they are everywhere in late summer. I'll see if I can find my camera to add to this thread later this week, if it helps. Maybe make this a sort of catalogue of N. americanus color variations.

 

[mickiem]

I've found the regular steel/red form, a brown/tan form, and a black/peach form, within a hundred yards of each other. All I have to do is walk about a half mile from my house and they are everywhere in late summer. I'll see if I can find my camera to add to this thread later this week, if it helps. Maybe make this a sort of catalogue of N. americanus color variations.

That’s interesting that they are found in close proximity. I know there are a few other threads with color morphs. There is a bright yellow out there that I would love to add!

 

[LawnShrimp]

If anyone cares: :wideyed:
Black ones are from Blue Ridge Mts., northern GA
Reddish Brown are from Alachua Co. Florida
Gray are from Central Georgia
Tans are from Liberty Co. Florida
Pale blonde are from Marion Co. Florida

Well... looks like I'm going to have to go to Georgia sometime soon

 

[ErinM31]

If anyone cares: :wideyed:
Black ones are from Blue Ridge Mts., northern GA
Reddish Brown are from Alachua Co. Florida
Gray are from Central Georgia
Tans are from Liberty Co. Florida
Pale blonde are from Marion Co. Florida

Did you post a photo of the tan color morph above? The one labeled such looks like the Florida blonde. Do you know the origin of the parents of the tan pedelings you sent me last fall? Was it Florida? I know yellow-banded N. americanus have been found in both Alabama and Arkansas (and can be seen on threads in this forum).

EDIT: Alas! The images of the Wetumpka, AL millipedes no longer seem to be available.
Looking again at the morph found in Arkansas (in the North American native millipede thread), I am not sure whether the bands are yellow or tan. Sometimes I think the bands in my tan striped look yellow — so much depends on the lighting! The only answer is to collect them all to properly compare!

 

[ErinM31]

One of my tan color form babies

 

[ErinM31]

This is a color morph similar to the Florida blonde, but instead of blonde-and-tan it is blonde-and-rose. Alas, I don’t believe I have information on where they are from!

Narceus americanus millipede

• ErinM31
• Oct 4, 2017
• 7
• americanus milliped millipede narceus pale

This is a lovely pale morph, a translucent gold with bands of rose.

 

[mickiem]

Did you post a photo of the tan color morph above? The one labeled such looks like the Florida blonde. Do you know the origin of the parents of the tan pedelings you sent me last fall? Was it Florida? I know yellow-banded N. americanus have been found in both Alabama and Arkansas (and can be seen on threads in this forum).

EDIT: Alas! The images of the Wetumpka, AL millipedes no longer seem to be available.
Looking again at the morph found in Arkansas (in the North American native millipede thread), I am not sure whether the bands are yellow or tan. Sometimes I think the bands in my tan striped look yellow — so much depends on the lighting! The only answer is to collect them all to properly compare!

Oh, I didn't post the Tans. I have posted them before. Sadly, I don't know the source of those Tans. I put the new Tans in with the adults. They ;look identical.

The Pale phase I got several months ago and the recent ones are from the same source.

 

[ErinM31]

‘Gray’ View attachment 271122

I can see that this ‘gray’ color form looks quite different from Narceus annularis in addition to them being from much further south! I wonder if there are an especial abundance of color morphs of Narceus americanus in the southeastern U.S. or if no one has looked enough elsewhere?

 

[ErinM31]

I recently acquired them. Hopefully I can learn where they were collected (for the record). The black is very nice in person. I really need to take better photos. And yes, the gray is wonderful!

I have albinos but they are young; hoping to breed them next year. I have another that is yellow and pink (my favorite). I've had the tans for a few years and have yearling babies. I think I have 6 distinct morphs now. Unfortunately, N. americanus do not readily breed for me. I've been tweaking the humidity. I can't imagine what else it could be. Here's to a strong 2018 breeding season!

Have you posted photos of the yellow-and-pink? I’d love to see them! Perhaps they are the same as those I described as blonde and rose? So a variety of beauty in this species!

 

[mickiem]

Have you posted photos of the yellow-and-pink? I’d love to see them! Perhaps they are the same as those I described as blonde and rose? So a variety of beauty in this species!

I'm pretty sure from what you have described, Rose, Pale and Blonde are the same. I want to put all the color morphs together and take them side by side with the same shadows and lighting. I'll work toward that today. I have a helper today.