polydesmid breeding

[Elytra and Antenna]

I've been working on an article called "cracking the polydesmid code" for Invertrebrates-Magazine on how a very simple methodology change may be all that's needed to breed our beautiful native polydesmids based on one species caught just before oviposition and in season. However, today I just noticed hundreds of babies of a second species out of season using the same methods.

 

[J Morningstar]

I have always wanted to raise a specie of polydesmid. I tried like hell with the African "stone millipedes" several times to no avail, now that I can't get these any longer, I wanted to raise any of the bigger heartier American ones. Do you have any for sale with perhaps...that caresheet attached?

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

The first immatures are from Euryurus, the adults are very brightly colored but only grow to 30-35mm. The immatures hatched a few months ago and have been growing and have gone from 1mm to 12mm. The latest is Pachydesmus which can exceed 70mm but right now aren't even 1mm. I'd suggest waiting till they're 15-20mm, hopefully just a few months.
The African ones you're talking about are the brown and tan, spikey, flat millipedes that came in some years back from Tanzania and were around 40mm?

 

[J Morningstar]

Yes indeed the ones that were tan and "stoney" brown. I also had a smaller species from Africa that were cream white and only got to 25-30mm when adult.
70mm you say? That would be incredible. I am up for contributing observations and working on breeding if you wish to "share" $ included of course.
These were also the last of the basketball colored "giant" about the size of a large marble or small superball when rolled up pill millipedes, they never made it a year and the "dealers" from those parts never knew or cared anything about care instructions or even any data concerning their habitat no matter how many times I asked, I even talked to several on the phone to no avail.

 

[J Morningstar]

Allright, I just looked up thesse guys and I am down for all and any, although smaller the red striped ones I had also wanted for a while.
I did notice in the years I had them they drink with their rectum, pushing it outside their body and absorb water through it like a sponge, have you observed this?

 

[zonbonzovi]

So are you merely teasing us, Orin? Pray tell, what is this "simple methodology"? I may have an inkling, but I'll be patient

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

The ones in your photo, assuming they're from Tanzania, look like what they sell in Europe as Astrodesmus and they're supposed to be around 60-70mm. Our native Pachydesmus look very similar and range from 55-75mm, more by locale than individual. Pachydesmus are supposed to fluoresce under black light. Did yours?
I think I've seen what you're talking about but I thought it looked more like water seeping down than going up.
The Euryurus have bright pink spots that look like hot pink plastic but I can't seem to get a decent photo. The immatures have no color.

zonbonzovi -- I know you don't want me to ruin the article for you.

 

[zonbonzovi]

I should have known this was an advertisement...but I'll bite. When is the next mag out?

Since you're making me dish out cold, hard cash I'm going to suggest that this breakthrough has much to do with soil depth & added components, but I'll leave it at that.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Actually, I was trying to share my excitement about success with other hobbyists interested in the group. I've tried breeding polydesmids since the early 90s with zero success. I was thrilled to finally see a single species breeding a few months ago (a species I had kept before with no offspring) in season but was truly excited the other day to see the same thing worked with Pachydesmus out of season. I don't think I have to be beat up if I post about breeding success without giving all the details. I've provided plenty of details on breeding plenty of things. The magazine loses money but I think it's a benefit to the hobby. An advertisement would be for something that makes money. The Sept. issue went out a month ago so the next one December which goes out late Nov. to early Dec. You may really hate me since it looks like it may end up split in two parts.
Oddly enough, depth and added components have nothing to do with it.

 

[zonbonzovi]

Easy, cowboy...just yankin' yer chain No need for self-martyrdom, yet.

I too, am very interested in polydesmids of all sorts and why there hasn't been any success in captive breeding...just a little disappointed when someone proclaims a breakthrough and keeps it under their hat(for now). Thus the teasing.

Now, back to the non-human stuff: I see a couple of different species here almost year round, except for late summer. I want to know where they go? I've dug for them and rooted around in spots that I've found them in numerous times but they're nowhere to be found. Same with large enclosures...the remains found do not even come close to the amount of individuals living therein. Tunnels lead to dead ends...:?

 

[Peter Grabowitz]

my eclosure for Polydesmids (african)

hello all,

the breeding of african Polypesmids is quit easy....
They need just rotten leaves and rotten wood, not to hot (22-24°C), humid... that's all (I think..)

Coromus vittattus vitattus from Camerun

some others species for comparision...


the youngs (whitish, 2mm)

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Hi Peter,
Have you had success with other species? What about success raising up babies? If so, how long did they take to reach maturity?

 

[J Morningstar]

Exceedingly jelous, quite wonderful collection Peter.

 

[Peter Grabowitz]

Hi Peter,
Have you had success with other species? What about success raising up babies? If so, how long did they take to reach maturity?

I have had youngs till 3-rd moult, later I got problems with moults, and lost 50-70% of the babies. I think they need very special klima (humidity)
Now I am working with one spectaculars species from Camerun (redish/orange one)

C U
Peter

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I have had youngs till 3-rd moult, later I got problems with moults, and lost 50-70% of the babies.

I don't understand the 50-70% if the young all died after the 3rd molt? My first batch are on the ~7th molt but that's still only 10-12mm. Mine are just some native USA species, not the really nice 9cm Tropical ones you've got.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Here are the 'big' ones.

 

[J Morningstar]

I am not begging but please kep me informed as to the success and availabilty if any when they come around, I would love to try and involve myself in any breeding prodjects in the future...I will even give reliable data if told what to look for. Pillbugs and polydesmids are the reason I got involved in collecting in the first place.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I'm just waiting till they get to a size I think is hardy enough. I'm hoping the Pachydesmus grow like the Euryurus.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

Adults of both species fluoresce strongly under black light like scorpions but only some (at the same size) of the larger baby Euryurus fluoresce. The adults of this species did not like the black light and would not stay still.

 

[J Morningstar]

you didn't have to make the puzzle any more alluring....Sweet.