Biodiversity hotspots: Rediscovery of the world's leggiest animal

@article{Marek2006BiodiversityHR,
  title={Biodiversity hotspots: Rediscovery of the world's leggiest animal},
  author={Paul E Marek and Jason E Bond},
  journal={Nature},
  year={2006},
  volume={441},
  pages={707-707}
}
The millipede species Illacme plenipes comes the closest to having its namesake's mythical 1,000 legs — individuals can bear up to 750 legs. Here we record the rediscovery of this extremely rare species, which has not been reported since its original description some 80 years ago, at a tiny locality of 0.8 km2 in San Benito County, California. Because of the rarity and narrow geographical range of this delicate species, its fragile habitat must be protected at all costs. 
View on Springer
nature.com
18 Citations
Background Citations
8
Methods Citations
1

Figures and Topics from this paper

18 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

The order Siphonophorida – A taxonomist’s nightmare? Lessons from a Brazilian collection
Recent study of a collection of over 300 specimens of Siphonophoridae from Brazil, comprising several morphotypes/species, has allowed comparison between and within ‘species’. Published descriptions… Expand
A redescription of the leggiest animal, the millipede Illacme plenipes, with notes on its natural history and biogeography (Diplopoda, Siphonophorida, Siphonorhinidae)
TLDR
A detailed redescription of the millipede Illacme plenipes, natural history notes, DNA barcodes, and a predictive occurrence map of the species inferred using niche based distribution modeling are provided. Expand
Rediscovery of the southern California endemic American Keeled Slug Anadenulus cockerelli (Hemphill, 1890) after a 68-year hiatus
ABSTRACT We report the first records of the southern California endemic American Keeled Slug Anadenulus cockerelli (Hemphill, 1890) in 68 years. Due to the restricted range of this species and lack… Expand
A new species of Illacme Cook & Loomis, 1928 from Sequoia National Park, California, with a world catalog of the Siphonorhinidae (Diplopoda, Siphonophorida)
TLDR
The discovery of a second species of Illacme, a millipede genus notable for possessing the greatest number of legs of any known animal on the planet, is reported. Expand
Current status of the Myriapod class diplopoda (millipedes): taxonomic diversity and phylogeny.
TLDR
The first combined morphological and molecular analysis of the millipede orders is presented, and a list of critically evaluated characteristics of nominal clades identifying putative apomorphies is presented. Expand
Myriapods (Myriapoda). Chapter 7.2
TLDR
The introduction of some species into Europe could have begun already in historical times with an increase in trade between ancient Greeks and Romans with cities in the Near East and North Africa, and with the trade between Europe and some tropical countries, especially after the discoveries of the Americas and Australia. Expand
"Open access" growth histories in millipedes (Diplopoda).
TLDR
Numbers of podous and apodous body rings in successive stadia of the postembryonic development can be inferred for each individual millipede, which in turn allows the reconstruction of pathways of anamorphosis in these species. Expand
One hundred million years of stasis: Siphonophora hui sp. nov., the first Mesozoic sucking millipede (Diplopoda: Siphonophorida) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber
TLDR
A Mesozoic species of Siphonophorida is described from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber with mouthparts strongly modified into a long beak, straight antennae, and an enigmatic structure on the antennae may represent either the ancestral form of the circular sensory pits, or the earliest occurrence of a fungus parasitic or commensal on an arthropod. Expand
A tarsal spinning organ in glomeridesmid millipedes (Diplopoda: Pentazonia: Glomeridesmida)
Abstract The production of sticky threads from spinnerets is known from various myriapod groups including some representatives of the millipedes (Diplopoda). In Diplopoda the thread-producing… Expand
Studies on an evolutionary novelty: The forcipular segment of centipedes (Arthropoda: Chilopoda)
viii
...
1
2
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 11 REFERENCES
Microlympiidae, a new milliped family from North America, and Microlympia echina, new genus and species (Diplopoda: Chordeumatida: Brannerioidea)
TLDR
The new Family Microlympiidae is established, placed in the Superfamily Brannerioidea, and compared with the related families Tingupidae, Niponiosomatidae, and Branneriidae. Expand
Devonian terrestrial arthropods from Gondwana
TLDR
The first atelocerates from the Devonian stages of Gondwana are described; these are perhaps the earliest known remains of Australian land animals and add substantially to knowledge of the anatomy of this problematic arthropod. Expand
Millipede phylogeny revisited in the light of the enigmatic order Siphoniulida
TLDR
The discovery of six specimens of the enigmatic order Siphoniulida, including for the first time males, prompted a modern re-analysis of current phylogenetic schemes for the class Diplopoda derived from traditional morphological and developmental characters, which corroborated the longest standing, traditional classification. Expand
Threatened biotas: "Hot spots" in tropical forests
  • N. Myers
  • Biology, Medicine
  • The Environmentalist
  • 1988
TLDR
10 areas that, a) are characterised by exceptional concentrations of species with high levels of endemism and b) are experiencing unusually rapid rates of depletion are identified, so conservationists can engage in a more systematised response to the challenge of largescale extinctions impending in tropical forests. Expand
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities
TLDR
A ‘silver bullet’ strategy on the part of conservation planners, focusing on ‘biodiversity hotspots’ where exceptional concentrations of endemic species are undergoing exceptional loss of habitat, is proposed. Expand
MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF PALEOZOIC MILLIPEDES (DIPLOPODA: CHILOGNATHA: ARCHIPOLYPODA) FROM SCOTLAND
TLDR
The oldest known evidence of spiracles is demonstrated in Pneumodesmus newmani, proving that the oldest known millipedes were fully terrestrial. Expand
Anamorphosis in millipedes (Diplopoda)—the present state of knowledge with some developmental and phylogenetic considerations
TLDR
The contrasting principles of elongation and contraction, subject of much debate among diplopodologists, are shown both to have played a role in the course of millipede evolution. Expand
Phylogenetic analysis of Myriapoda using three nuclear protein-coding genes.
TLDR
The results of the present study indicate that taxon sample and sequence length alone do not readily explain the weakly supported resolution in the earlier study, which indicates that heterogeneity in phylogenetic signal provided by the authors' slowly evolving sequences is due to heterogeneity in the temporal structure of myriapod diversification. Expand
Amazonian Arachnida and Myriapoda
Classification of the Diplopoda.
...
1
2
...