Brachoria viridicolens
The Green River Mimic Millipede
Paul Marek
Characteristics
Brachoria viridicolens individuals are about 41.3 mm long and 10.0 mm wide (females 42.4 mm X 10.5 mm). Color: 3-spotted yellow (5Y 8.5/10, shown above) or pink (7.5R 6/10); and combined striped/3-spotted yellow.
Brachoria viridicolens genitalia - left male gonopodal acropodite (with setae removed): (Left) medial view and (Right) magnified apical view. © Paul Marek
Brachoria viridicolens, combined striped/3-spotted yellow color morph. © Paul Marek
Brachoria viridicolens, 3-spotted pink (7.5R 6/10) color morph. © Paul Marek
Habitat
Brachoria viridicolens specimens were collected during the day and evening (14:00 and 19:00) in a maple forest near a small shaded tributary of Green River and in a dry oak forest next to Green River. Individuals were found beneath layers of decaying leaf material, predominately maple and oak. At the first locality, specimens were collected on the banks of a stream beneath stacks of maple leaves; whereas at the second locality, specimens were collected in moist depressions filled with decaying leaves at the bottom of a gully in an oak forest. One other xystodesmid encountered sympatrically at this locality is Apheloria virginiensis corrugata, which appears similar in coloration with the B. viridicolens 3-spotted-striped morph.Distribution
Known only from the type locality in Green Co., Kentucky and 14 air km east on the western banks of the Green River in Taylor Co., KY. The closest known Brachoria species, B. electa and B. kentuckiana, occur about 80 air km northeast in Mercer County and about 80 air km southeast in Pulaski County, Kentucky.Conservation status
Brachoria viridicolens is threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture (especially growing demand for paper products), coal mining, development, and the invasion of exotic species.References
Marek P.E. 2010. A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 159: 817-889.
Hoffman RL. 1948. Two new genera of xystodesmid millipeds from eastern United States. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 61: 93-96.
Hoffman R.L. 1999. Checklist of the millipeds of North and Middle America. Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication. No. 8. Martinsville: Virginia Museum of Natural History.
Keeton W.T. 1959. A revision of the millipede genus Brachoria (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) Proc. US Nat. Mus. 109: 1-58.
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Brachoria viridicolens |
|---|---|
| Location | USA, Kentucky, Green Co. |
| Reference | Marek P.E. 2010. A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 159: 817-889. |
| Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
| Sex | m |
| Life Cycle Stage | adult |
| View | dorsal |
| Collection | FMNH |
| Collector | Paul Marek |
| Image Use |
 This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
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| Copyright |
© Paul Marek
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About This Page
Work on the millipede Tree of Life pages was supported by a U.S. National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant to Paul Marek and Jason Bond (DEB 0607996) and a Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy Grant to Petra Sierwald, Jason Bond, and William Shear (DEB 0529715).
Paul Marek
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Paul Marek at
Page copyright © 2010 Paul Marek
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Brachoria viridicolens . The Green River Mimic Millipede.
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- First online 16 September 2010
- Content changed 16 September 2010
Citing this page:
Marek, Paul. 2010. Brachoria viridicolens . The Green River Mimic Millipede. Version 16 September 2010 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Brachoria_viridicolens/144233/2010.09.16 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
