Diversity of Myriapoda: Diplopoda (millipedes) among the districts of Marathwada Region, Maharashtra

Abstract

The main goal of the current study was to record the diversity of millipedes in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra, India, in relation to several environmental conditions, such as the seasons. In the surveys conducted from January 2024 to December 2024, a total of 1963 individuals of various millipede (4 species) from three families were recorded from 16 different sites located in the districts of Nanded, Parbhani, Hingoli, Latur, Beed, Jalna, Dharashiv, and Chatrapati Sambhajinagar of the Marathwada region. Two distinct species of the Paradoxosomatidae family-Asiomorpha coarctata and Anoplodesmus saussurii-were identified within the three families Paradoxosomatidae, Pachybolidae, and Trigoniulidae. Trigoniulus corallinus was infrequently observed during surveys, while Xenobolus carnifex was the most prevalent species. In 2024, the millipede abundance increased and peaked in July, August, and September before progressively decreasing starting in October. The early monsoon season (July–August) was shown to have a higher millipede abundance. There was a correlation between millipede abundance and meteorological factors such humidity, rainfall, and temperature. As a result, millipedes favor rainy seasons with high humidity and low temperatures. It serves as the baseline data for more research and is the initial scientific report from the field of investigation.