A Systematic and Ecological Assessment of Millipedes (Diplopoda) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Authors:

Varsha Mishra¹, Dr. Prem Chand^1* and Dr Ajay Kumar^1*

1.Department of Zoology, T.D.P.G. College, Jaunpur.

* Corresponding author

ABSTRACT  

Millipedes are long, cylindrical, invertebrate arthropods, related to the class Diplopoda. The millipedes are ancient creatures evolve during Silurian period around 400 million years ago, and their feeding habit on decaying organic matter and for defence they release a defensive fluid secretion for protection from the predators. Millipedes show a long and distinguished history on earth and it exist more than 100 times longer than man in size, and their fossil records represents their worldwide distribution (Almond, 1985; Hannibal, 1986). With an estimated total of more than 80,000 extant species, only about 12,000 millipede species have been formally described in 3005 genera, 145 families and 16 orders (Shelley, 2007; Sierwald and Bond, 2007). They also constitute one of the major groups of soil and litter fauna in temperate and tropical environments. Millipedes play an important role in energy flow, food chain and food web as well as in the humification of soil and circulation of minerals in terrestrial ecosystems.

Recent environmental condition and pollution are disrupting the soil and geographical condition of earth and it affect the millipedes’ vital ecological roles and harming the larger ecosystem. Pollution often disrupts the habitat degradation through urbanisation, intensive agriculture, and removal of leaf litter. A loss of millipedes disrupts the soil nutrient cycle, reducing soil fertility, and decreases soil aeration and slows decomposition.