No description available.

Abstract In previous taxonomic and fannal studies of millipedes for Taiwan, a total of 58 species were recognizied and in 6 orders, in which 22 were in Paradoxosomatidae. We collected about 379 specimens from Taiwan, and borrowed 321 specimens from other universities and research institutions in Taiwan. By referring to literatures, making use of the optics microscope to observe the external patterns of specimens, and taking photos of SEM, and comparing with the holotypes and paratypes loaned from foreign museums, and finding three species are synonyms: Helicorthomorpha kosingai (Wang, 1958a) is a synonym of H. orthogonal (Silvestri, 1898), Kronopolites ralphi Wang, 1957b is a synonym of K. formosanus (Verhoeff, 1939b), and Oxidus circofera (Verhoeff, 1931) is a synonym of Orthomorphella pekuensis (Karsch, 1881), two species are new synonyms: Orthomorpha flavomarginata Gressitt, 1941 is a new synonym of Orthomorphella pekuensis (Karsch, 1881), Chamberlinius shengmui Wang, 1957b is a new synonym of C. piceofasciatus (Gressitt, 1941), one species, Cawjeekelia nordenskiöldi (Attems, 1909), should be misidentified by Wang which should not distribute in Taiwan. Therefore, there are seventeen species in ten genera of Paradoxosomatidae in Taiwan had been recognizied. In addition, a new recorded species: Chondromorpha xanthotricha (Attems, 1898), two new genera contain three new species: Aposigipinius gen. n., contains two new species, aviformis sp. n. and sierwaldae sp. n., Changius gen. n. contains one new species, jhongshan sp. n., besides, anther ten new species belonging to different genera: Aponedyopus shenghaii sp. n., A. sergeii sp. n., Chamberlinius parhualienensis sp. n., C. parpiceofasciatus sp. n., Inversispina taiwanspiralis sp. n., Nedyopus latus sp. n., N. longitudinalis sp. n., N. microps sp. n., N. passericaudatus sp. n., and N. wui sp. n. So, up to now, there are thirty-one species in fourteen genera of Paradoxosomatidae in Taiwan, and in which twenty-four species in thirteen genera are re-collected and verified in this study.

Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 possui atualmente 207 espécies descritas e distribuídas principalmente pelo continente americano, das quais 65 são descritas para o Brasil. A descrição do gênero foi baseada na presença de escobinas (depressões na porção distal dos prozonitos). O presente estudo avaliou a monofilia de três grupos de espécies previamente propostos em Rhinocricus. A matriz de dados foi composta por 39 caracteres morfológicos e 30 espécies terminais, sendo 21 como grupo interno e nove do grupo externo. Nós realizamos uma analise de parcimônia com pesos implicitos usando o software TNT e obtivemos a melhor árvore com a mesma topologia para três melhores valores de K (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). Nenhum dos três grupos de espécies de Rhinocricus foi recuperado monofilético. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) sanguineostriatus foi recuperado irmão de todas as outras espécies, e Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resultou parafilético. Os caracteres diagnósticos tradicionalmente utilizados para separar grupos de espécies, subgênero e gênero não foram recuperados como sinapomorfias. Ainda durante o exame do material quatro novas espécies de Rhinocricus foram descobertas e são aqui descritas. Futuras investigações incluindo amostras mais amplas de espécies são necessárias, para estabelecer hipóteses de relacionamento robustas entre R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, e o restante das espécies de Rhinocricus, deste modo identificando grupos monofiléticos no gênero e suas sinapomorfias. / Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 currently has 207 species described and distributed mainly by the American continent, of which 65 are described for Brazil. The genus was based on the presence of scobinae (depressions in distal portion of prozonit). The present study evaluated the monophyly of three groups of species previously proposed in Rhinocricus. The data matrix was composed for 39 morphological characters and 30 species as terminal taxa, being 21 the ingroup, and nine the outgroup. We performed a parsimony analysis with implied weights using TNT software, obtaining the same best topology with three optimal K-values (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). None of the three previously proposed species groups of Rhinocricus was recovered monophyletic. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) was recovered sister to all other species, and Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resulted paraphyletic. The diagnostic characters traditionally used to separate species groups, subgenera, and genera were not recovered as synapomorphies. Still during the examination of the material four new species of Rhinocricus were discovered and here described. Further investigation including a broader species sample is needed attempting to establish robust relationship hypotheses between R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, and the remainder species of Rhinocricus, thus identifying the monophyletic groups in the genus and their synapomorphies.

Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 possui atualmente 207 espécies descritas e distribuídas principalmente pelo continente americano, das quais 65 são descritas para o Brasil. A descrição do gênero foi baseada na presença de escobinas (depressões na porção distal dos prozonitos). O presente estudo avaliou a monofilia de três grupos de espécies previamente propostos em Rhinocricus. A matriz de dados foi composta por 39 caracteres morfológicos e 30 espécies terminais, sendo 21 como grupo interno e nove do grupo externo. Nós realizamos uma analise de parcimônia com pesos implicitos usando o software TNT e obtivemos a melhor árvore com a mesma topologia para três melhores valores de K (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). Nenhum dos três grupos de espécies de Rhinocricus foi recuperado monofilético. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) sanguineostriatus foi recuperado irmão de todas as outras espécies, e Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resultou parafilético. Os caracteres diagnósticos tradicionalmente utilizados para separar grupos de espécies, subgênero e gênero não foram recuperados como sinapomorfias. Ainda durante o exame do material quatro novas espécies de Rhinocricus foram descobertas e são aqui descritas. Futuras investigações incluindo amostras mais amplas de espécies são necessárias, para estabelecer hipóteses de relacionamento robustas entre R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, e o restante das espécies de Rhinocricus, deste modo identificando grupos monofiléticos no gênero e suas sinapomorfias. / Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 currently has 207 species described and distributed mainly by the American continent, of which 65 are described for Brazil. The genus was based on the presence of scobinae (depressions in distal portion of prozonit). The present study evaluated the monophyly of three groups of species previously proposed in Rhinocricus. The data matrix was composed for 39 morphological characters and 30 species as terminal taxa, being 21 the ingroup, and nine the outgroup. We performed a parsimony analysis with implied weights using TNT software, obtaining the same best topology with three optimal K-values (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). None of the three previously proposed species groups of Rhinocricus was recovered monophyletic. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) was recovered sister to all other species, and Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resulted paraphyletic. The diagnostic characters traditionally used to separate species groups, subgenera, and genera were not recovered as synapomorphies. Still during the examination of the material four new species of Rhinocricus were discovered and here described. Further investigation including a broader species sample is needed attempting to establish robust relationship hypotheses between R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, and the remainder species of Rhinocricus, thus identifying the monophyletic groups in the genus and their synapomorphies.

Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 possui atualmente 207 espécies descritas e distribuídas principalmente pelo continente americano, das quais 65 são descritas para o Brasil. A descrição do gênero foi baseada na presença de escobinas (depressões na porção distal dos prozonitos). O presente estudo avaliou a monofilia de três grupos de espécies previamente propostos em Rhinocricus. A matriz de dados foi composta por 39 caracteres morfológicos e 30 espécies terminais, sendo 21 como grupo interno e nove do grupo externo. Nós realizamos uma analise de parcimônia com pesos implicitos usando o software TNT e obtivemos a melhor árvore com a mesma topologia para três melhores valores de K (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). Nenhum dos três grupos de espécies de Rhinocricus foi recuperado monofilético. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) sanguineostriatus foi recuperado irmão de todas as outras espécies, e Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resultou parafilético. Os caracteres diagnósticos tradicionalmente utilizados para separar grupos de espécies, subgênero e gênero não foram recuperados como sinapomorfias. Ainda durante o exame do material quatro novas espécies de Rhinocricus foram descobertas e são aqui descritas. Futuras investigações incluindo amostras mais amplas de espécies são necessárias, para estabelecer hipóteses de relacionamento robustas entre R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, e o restante das espécies de Rhinocricus, deste modo identificando grupos monofiléticos no gênero e suas sinapomorfias. / Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 currently has 207 species described and distributed mainly by the American continent, of which 65 are described for Brazil. The genus was based on the presence of scobinae (depressions in distal portion of prozonit). The present study evaluated the monophyly of three groups of species previously proposed in Rhinocricus. The data matrix was composed for 39 morphological characters and 30 species as terminal taxa, being 21 the ingroup, and nine the outgroup. We performed a parsimony analysis with implied weights using TNT software, obtaining the same best topology with three optimal K-values (5.992, 7.309, 9.105). None of the three previously proposed species groups of Rhinocricus was recovered monophyletic. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) was recovered sister to all other species, and Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resulted paraphyletic. The diagnostic characters traditionally used to separate species groups, subgenera, and genera were not recovered as synapomorphies. Still during the examination of the material four new species of Rhinocricus were discovered and here described. Further investigation including a broader species sample is needed attempting to establish robust relationship hypotheses between R. (Erythocricus), Argentocricus, and the remainder species of Rhinocricus, thus identifying the monophyletic groups in the genus and their synapomorphies.

There has been a growing interest in development of nature-inspired miniature mobile robotics, for navigating complex ground scenarios, unknown terrains, and disaster-hit areas. One application is the development of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for rumen monitoring to improve our understanding of microbiology, and real-time physical changes and correlations with health. This interest is being driven from the desire to improve the safety and efficiency of food production by improving precision animal agriculture, which involves understanding the digestive system of ruminant animals and responding to the biochemical and physical changes. Most miniature robotic locomotion methods have taken inspiration from insects and have focused on adopting approaches that results in improved gait performance with respect to stability, velocity, cost-of-transport, and ability to navigate uneven surface terrains. In order to operate in the rumen environment, the locomotion mechanism should have the ability to handle large frictional and viscous forces in the direction of motion performing submerged burrowing-like action. The rumen environment consists of varying stiffness content with different fluidic concentration across the layers, reaching high viscosity and densities similar to wet soil or mud. Taking inspiration from millipedes for a locomotion mechanism to function in such an environment is attractive as these organisms have evolved to be proficient burrowers in similar substrates. In this dissertation, the bio-mechanics of millipedes were investigated in-depth and modeled using analytical approaches. Multiple experiments were conducted on real animals to gain fundamental understanding of their locomotive abilities under varying environmental conditions. From this understanding, their gait behavior was emulated on a robotic platform to confirm the predicted dynamics and practically demonstrate the phenomena of modulating thrust force. The robotic models were also utilized to validate the parametric analysis and gain insight of the burrowing ability in varying gait behavior and body morphology. The primary features that govern the millipede behavior for effective burrowing were analyzed and utilized to design a locomotion mechanism for a rumen ROV. The design of the locomotion mechanism was tested in rumen-like media consisting of a wet mud mixture, where both locomotion thrust and steering ability were demonstrated. / Ph. D. / In this dissertation, the movement of millipedes utilize to traverse effectively within an environment that provides significant resistance is studied. Through various experimental observations and mathematical modeling, we are able to develop an understanding of the techniques millipedes use to be effective burrowers. To validate our model and understanding the millipede movement techniques, a robot was designed to emulate a millipede’s body structure and movement behavior. The performance of the millipede robot was found to be consistent with that of the biological creatures, indicating that we are able to emulate their behavior to achieve desirable tasks. With this developed understanding of the fundamental concepts that allow millipedes to effectively move against large resistances, we introduce the ability to design robots or devices that can achieve similar performance for various applications ranging from search and rescue to health inspection. One such application is a device that traverse within the stomach (rumen) of dairy cows to investigate its biological features and characteristics for improvement in animal agricultural efficiency. The fundamental concepts of millipede motion are translated to a rumen monitoring vehicle design, which would operate in a wet-soil-like environment, similar to millipedes. The device motion techniques are demonstrated, an indication of successfully transferring the fundamental mechanism used by millipedes for an engineering application.

The millipede Brachycybe lecontii Wood, 1864 is a social millipede known for forming pinwheel-shaped groups and for paternal care of eggs. Brachycybe lecontii is endemic to the eastern U.S., and its distribution overlaps with another species within the genus, Brachycybe petasata, from the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Molecular data, however, show that the closest relative of B. lecontii is Brachycybe nodulosa from East Asia. Here, I investigated various aspects of the life history, paternal care, defense, feeding, and social behavior of B. lecontii, and provided morphological and anatomical descriptions using light and scanning electron microscopy. Based on detailed observations of millipedes from 14 localities in the distribution of B. lecontii, I found the following natural history aspects. The oviposition period of B. lecontii was from mid-April to late June and the incubation period lasted 3–4 weeks. Males exclusively cared for eggs, but care of juveniles was not observed. In one case, the clutches of two males became combined and they were later cared for by only one of the males. The defensive compound of B. lecontii consisted of two isomers of the alkaloid deoxybuzonamine. Defense glands were large, occupying up to a third of the paranotal volume, and were present on all but the first four body rings. Stadia I juveniles do not have defensive secretions and stadia II juveniles have defensive pores but do not secrete. Secretions were observed only in stadia III millipedes and older. I observed Brachycybe lecontii feeding on liquids from fungi of the order Polyporales, and describe a cuticular structure on the tip of the labrum that may relate to fungivory. I found that pinwheel-shaped aggregations do not form in the absence of fungus and suggested the aggregation is associated with feeding. I describe and illustrate a previously undescribed comb-like structure on the tibia and tarsi of the six foremost leg-pairs and measure and analyze the spectral reflectance of B. lecontii exoskeleton. / Master of Science in Life Sciences / Millipedes are important members of the ecosystem as decomposers. By eating dead vegetation such as wood, leaves and other detritus, millipedes fragment the material thereby allowing further breakdown by fungi, bacteria, and other microbes. Microbial decomposition further reduces the detritus into its chemical constituents (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, and simple sugars) thereby releasing these materials into the ecosystem for future generations of life to use. In addition to the millipedes’ critical role in the ecosystem as decomposers, they are fascinating and yet understudied. For example, millipedes of the species Brachycybe lecontii are pink, have males that exclusively care for the young (a rarity amongst arthropods), form star-shaped aggregations of individuals, and emit a novel alkaloid-based chemical secretion. By understanding the natural history of this local Appalachian species, I provided a fundamental basis for future studies of its sociality, chemical defense, and evolution.

Prescribed fire has increased as a forest management practice in southern Appalachia, but investigations into the effects of this silvicultural treatment on non-game wildlife inhabiting the region is limited. This study investigated the effects of prescribed fire on millipede and salamander populations. Seventeen sites within the Cherokee National Forest in east Tennessee that were treated once with prescribed fire between 1998 and 2002 were examined in the spring of 2002. Each burned plot was paired with an adjacent unburned plot. The number of individual millipedes and salamanders collected from burned plots was compared to the corresponding control plot. Millipedes declined in numbers following treatment with prescribed fire. The number of salamanders collected was insufficient to permit analyses comparing the number of salamanders found in burned and control sites. No difference between burned and control plots was detected in the species comprising the millipede communities.

No description available.

No description available.