Sphaerotheriida
Order of millipedes / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sphaerotheriida is an order of millipedes[1] in the infraclass Pentazonia,[2] sometimes known as giant pill millipedes.[3] They inhabit Southern Africa, Madagascar, South and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.[4] Like the Northern Hemisphere pill millipedes of the order Glomerida, these millipedes can roll into a ball when disturbed. When they are rolled-up, most sphaerotheriidans reach a maximum size of a cherry [5] or golf ball,[6] but some species from Madagascar can even reach the size of an orange[7] (an example of island gigantism; illustration - ). When rolled-up, predators are unable to unravel giant pill millipedes since the margins of their second and last dorsal plates fit perfectly into one another, creating a sealed ball. A few giant pill millipede species are able to produce sound, the only millipedes known to do this.[8] This order of millipedes is also unique in that some African species are used for medicinal purposes.[9]
Sphaerotheriida | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Myriapoda |
Class: | Diplopoda |
Subclass: | Chilognatha |
Infraclass: | Pentazonia |
Superorder: | Oniscomorpha |
Order: | Sphaerotheriida Brandt, 1833 |
Families | |
Synonyms | |
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