Help identifying millipede species

[Criteria81]

Hi All,

I've had these millipedes for a couple of years now and i'm struggling to identify them.

They were purchased from a retailer in France and were identified as coming from Madagascar, but i've known for quite some time that they aren't what was originally described. The retailer has been zero help, possibly due to the language barrier and they were sold out or removed from sale by the time i realised.

Obviously, i still love them but i'd really like to know what species i'm dealing with.

The first picture is taken under a 3000k LED lamp, the second is the flash on my mobile phone. I can provide other pictures if needed. Any ideas?

 

[Criteria81]

I should add that they were sold as Aphistogoniulous Infernalis, which clearly, they are not.

 

[Dry Desert]

I should add that they were sold as Aphistogoniulous Infernalis, which clearly, they are not.

The two pictures show completely different leg colours, could you post some photos under normal daylight with natural lighting.

 

[Criteria81]

The two pictures show completely different leg colours, could you post some photos under normal daylight with natural lighting.

Thanks for replying.

I took these outside today.

 

[paumotu]

Not from Madagaskar, but these really look like Acladocricus sp “Java yellow leg”. Just a possibility if the location was misreported.

 

[Dry Desert]

Thanks for replying.

I took these outside today.

View attachment 413380 View attachment 413382

If they are definitely from Madagascar then they are not one of the common Aphistogonulus that are currently in the hobby.
If not definitely from Madagascar then I would say they are,
Dendrostreptus macracanthus.
( Glossy Black Pink Leg ).

 

[paumotu]

If they are definitely from Madagascar then they are not one of the common Aphistogonulus that are currently in the hobby.
If not definitely from Madagascar then I would say they are,
Dendrostreptus macracanthus.
( Glossy Black Pink Leg ).

I did more looking and these are definitely madagascan. I agree they are some other species of Aphistogoniulus, though I can’t say which. I saw photos online from Madagascar of the exact same millipede OP has.

 

[Criteria81]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll look into the possibility of Dendrostreptus macracanthus and Acladocricus sp.

The retailer i purchased from has many other species and they are all correctly labelled, so it's entirely possible these are from Madagascar, just not Infernalis.

@orchidloveXTM any chance you could link me that photo?

I currently have pedelings from two different females so i'm keen to get this right. Male has been separated out for now so the numbers don't get out of hand, but i'll inevitably end up moving some on eventually so it's important i don't continue the misinformation.

 

[Dry Desert]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll look into the possibility of Dendrostreptus macracanthus and Acladocricus sp.

The retailer i purchased from has many other species and they are all correctly labelled, so it's entirely possible these are from Madagascar, just not Infernalis.

@orchidloveXTM any chance you could link me that photo?

I currently have pedelings from two different females so i'm keen to get this right. Male has been separated out for now so the numbers don't get out of hand, but i'll inevitably end up moving some on eventually so it's important i don't continue the misinformation.

I've come across several " Millipedes of Madagascar " photo sites, yours is shown, although not really good shots, but just described as Madagascan Black/ Red millipede, no scientific names given.
The only ones with scientific names are the common ones, not yours.

 

[paumotu]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll look into the possibility of Dendrostreptus macracanthus and Acladocricus sp.

The retailer i purchased from has many other species and they are all correctly labelled, so it's entirely possible these are from Madagascar, just not Infernalis.

@orchidloveXTM any chance you could link me that photo?

I currently have pedelings from two different females so i'm keen to get this right. Male has been separated out for now so the numbers don't get out of hand, but i'll inevitably end up moving some on eventually so it's important i don't continue the misinformation.

I've come across several " Millipedes of Madagascar " photo sites, yours is shown, although not really good shots, but just described as Madagascan Black/ Red millipede, no scientific names given.
The only ones with scientific names are the common ones, not yours.

Black millipede with yellow legs [madagascar_5467]

madagascar_5467: Black millipede with yellow legs [madagascar_5467]

travel.mongabay.com

This looks similar to, and the antennae color is consistent with your specimens as well.

 

[Criteria81]

Thanks.

Looks like figuring this out is going to be a headache then.

 

[paumotu]

Thanks.

Looks like figuring this out is going to be a headache then.

Yes, sorry, this is as much as I could find. Searches for Aphistogoniulus yield only the typical red colored species.

 

[Criteria81]

So i guess the next question is what can i do to confirm these are an Aphistogoniulus species?

Are there any defining traits that don't require a lab to figure out?

I fully appreciate i'm clutching at straws here.

 

[Dry Desert]

So i guess the next question is what can i do to confirm these are an Aphistogoniulus species?

Are there any defining traits that don't require a lab to figure out?

I fully appreciate i'm clutching at straws here.

If you send your relevant details / photos to,

Martin at BugzUK

Martin is a really helpful guy, who used to have regular Madagascan shipments and he will probably be your best bet for I.d.

 

[Criteria81]

Thanks Dry Desert.

I've ordered from there before so will give that a go.

 

[Criteria81]

Though i'd throw up one last pic for now. Just got one of the females in direct sun briefly and she's way more colourful than i gave her credit for.

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hello,
first we should establish if these millipedes are Spirostreptida or Spirobolida... good pictures of the face would give a definite answer, for further identification good pictures of the telson and body segments would be helpful.
Aphistogoniulus is a Spirobolida genus after all and also unfortunately used in misidentifications (see Spirostreptida sp. 6 vs „Aphistogoniulus corallipes“)
They do look quite similar to Spirostreptidae sp. 3, which is pretty well distributed along the westcoast of Madagascar, but that species doesn’t show the reddish colouration on the first segment half and it’s telson does have red edges...and I cannot rule Spirobolida out either.
If you @Criteria81 would be so kind and provide me with pictures of said body areas, I would just show them to a scientist I know and he might be able to make some sense out of it.
Ah, also count of segments and the pedes length would aid in identification as well.

Best regards,
PillipedeBreeder

 

[Arthroverts]

I agree with @PillipedeBreeder, and would add that I would be very surprised if this is an Aphistogoniulus; not the most scientific but most/all of that genus have bright red coloration on both the body and legs. And if it is from Madagascar, we can rule out Dendrostreptus macracanthus and most assuredly Acladocricus, which is found on the other side of the globe.

Specimens such as the one pictured have been sold as Colossobolus giganteus, though all those historically were spirostreptids and not spirobolids. As it stands I am unsure what these specimens are.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[PillipedeBreeder]

Hey,

Specimens such as the one pictured have been sold as Colossobolus giganteus, though all those historically were spirostreptids and not spirobolids. As it stands I am unsure what these specimens are.

The name Colossobolus giganteus has been (falsly of course) slapped on several species in the past, including:
Sechelleptus argus (before it was correctly identified, also known as Spirostreptida sp. 12), has been imported from around Zahanema and Anasibe, close to Sechelleptus lambertoni, only known from around the capital city of Madagascar, Antananarivo, at 750 meters of elevation.
-Rubanostreptus fulgens

„Colossobolus litoralis“ was also used for another madagascan species:
Sechelleptus lambertoni, only known from around the capital city of Madagascar, Antananarivo at 1000m elevation.

Maybe this helps a bit, couldn’t go into more detail just now.

Best regards,
PillipedeBreeder

 

[renotar]

Hard to tell, but looks like it could be Plethocrossus sp.