The authors wish to report the finding of representatives of the genus Polyxenus for the first time in Michigan (Fig. 1). In Bert M. Johnson\u27s survey (1954) of the millipedes of Michigan, no members of the subclass Pselaphognatha were reported.
During the period of September through October 1970, the authors collected over 40 specimens of Polyxenus and observed over 100 in the field. All of the specimens were found in a mature pine stand in Ypsilanti Township

Barbour, Michael T.

Brice, James R.

English

ValpoScholar

The Great Lakes Entomologist 
Volume 6 
Number 3 -- Fall 1973 Number 3 -- Fall 1973 Article 3 
August 2017 
A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus) 
James R. Brice 
Eastern Michigan University 
Michael T. Barbour 
Eastern Michigan University 
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle 
 Part of the Entomology Commons 
Recommended Citation 
Brice, James R. and Barbour, Michael T. 2017. "A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)," 
The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 6 (3) 
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol6/iss3/3 
This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. 
It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. 
For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 
92 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 6. No. 3 
James R. Brice and Michael T. ~ a r b o u r l  
Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, 
Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 
The authors wish to report the finding of representatives of the genus Polyxenus for 
the first time in Michigan (Fig. 1). In Bert M. Johnson's survey (1954) of the millipedes of 
Michigan, no members of the subclass Pselaphognatha were reported. 
During the period of September through October 1970, the authors collected over 40 
specimens of Polyxenus and observed over 100 in the field. All of the specimens were 
found in a mature pine stand in Ypsilanti Township. 
.The animals were typically located under the loose bark of fallen pine trees. One such 
log harbored over 70 specimens of this diminutive milliped. It is interesting to note that 
this particular log rested about eight inches above the floor of the woods and was quite 
dry to the touch; yet it was apparent from the number of exuviae and live specimens 
found that it had been colonized by Polyxenus for some time. This dry condition is 
certainly in contrast to the moist environment that is generally occupied by diplopods. 
We made several gut smears and found organic matter of an undetermined origin. Also 
found in the smears .were numerous gregarines in several stages of their life cycle. 
Schomann, in his excellent work on Polyxenus lagurus (1956), mentions these parasites as 
a common inhabitant of the gut. 
The animals were grayish-brown in color with distinctive white caudal bristles and 
were both immature and adult. Those specimens collected ranged in length from 1 mm to 
4mm. These measurements are similar to those obtained by Bollman (1893). Each 
Fig. 1. Polyxenus in natural habitat. 
Il'resent addresses: 121 N. California Ave., Mundelein, Illinois 60060 and 918-A, N. 
Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, Illinois 60048. 
1
Brice and Barbour: A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)
Published by ValpoScholar, 2017
THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 
Fig. 2. Body bristles on Polyxenus. 
Fig. 3. Different types of caudal bristles noted on Polyxenus. 
2
The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 6, No. 3 [2017], Art. 3
https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol6/iss3/3
94 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 6, No. 3 
Fig. 4. Head of Polyxenus with antennae and vertigial crown. 
individual was profusely clad with bristles of a serrated type (Fig. 2) which were clumped 
on fleshy mounds laterally, and in rows dorsally. The caudal bristles were of several types 
as shown in Fig. 3. 
Pierce (1940) divides the instars of Polyxenus into various larval stages based upon the 
number of pairs of legs. The f i s t  stage, upon hatching, has three pairs of legs. one pair 
per somite. The anamorphic development of Polyxerlus dictates the addition of two pairs 
of legs per diplosomite with each moult until the adult stage with thirteen pairs of legs is 
reached. The immature specimens had either five or nine pairs of legs. 
After a diligent search of the literature, the authors have reached the tentative 
conclusion that the specimens discovered may represent a hitherto undescribed species. 
The basis for this conclusion is the excessive length of the antennae which extend beyond 
the vertigial crown (Fig. 4) as well as six different types of caudal bristles, some of xvhich 
are not mentioned in the literature. 
LITERATURE CITED 
Bollman, C. H. 1893. The Myriapods of North America. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 46. 
Johnson, B. M. 1954. The Millipedes of Michigan. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts and Letters 
391241-252. 
Pierce, D. W. 1940. A rare Myriapod from Anacapa Island compared xvith two Texas 
species. Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 29(2):158-167. 
Schomann, K. 1956. Zur Biologie von Polyxenus lagunis L. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. Syst. 
Geogr. Biol. 84(2-3): 195-256. 
3
Brice and Barbour: A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)
Published by ValpoScholar, 2017


A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)

Valparaiso University

The Great Lakes Entomologist Volume 6 Number 3 -- Fall 1973 Number 3 -- Fall 1973 Article 3 August 2017 A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus) James R. Brice Eastern Michigan University Michael T. Barbour Eastern Michigan University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle  Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Brice, James R. and Barbour, Michael T. 2017. "A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 6 (3) Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol6/iss3/3 This Peer-Review Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at scholar@valpo.edu. 92 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 6. No. 3 James R. Brice and Michael T. ~ a r b o u r l  Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197 The authors wish to report the finding of representatives of the genus Polyxenus for the first time in Michigan (Fig. 1). In Bert M. Johnson's survey (1954) of the millipedes of Michigan, no members of the subclass Pselaphognatha were reported. During the period of September through October 1970, the authors collected over 40 specimens of Polyxenus and observed over 100 in the field. All of the specimens were found in a mature pine stand in Ypsilanti Township. .The animals were typically located under the loose bark of fallen pine trees. One such log harbored over 70 specimens of this diminutive milliped. It is interesting to note that this particular log rested about eight inches above the floor of the woods and was quite dry to the touch; yet it was apparent from the number of exuviae and live specimens found that it had been colonized by Polyxenus for some time. This dry condition is certainly in contrast to the moist environment that is generally occupied by diplopods. We made several gut smears and found organic matter of an undetermined origin. Also found in the smears .were numerous gregarines in several stages of their life cycle. Schomann, in his excellent work on Polyxenus lagurus (1956), mentions these parasites as a common inhabitant of the gut. The animals were grayish-brown in color with distinctive white caudal bristles and were both immature and adult. Those specimens collected ranged in length from 1 mm to 4mm. These measurements are similar to those obtained by Bollman (1893). Each Fig. 1. Polyxenus in natural habitat. Il'resent addresses: 121 N. California Ave., Mundelein, Illinois 60060 and 918-A, N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, Illinois 60048. 1Brice and Barbour: A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)Published by ValpoScholar, 2017THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Fig. 2. Body bristles on Polyxenus. Fig. 3. Different types of caudal bristles noted on Polyxenus. 2The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 6, No. 3 [2017], Art. 3https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol6/iss3/394 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 6, No. 3 Fig. 4. Head of Polyxenus with antennae and vertigial crown. individual was profusely clad with bristles of a serrated type (Fig. 2) which were clumped on fleshy mounds laterally, and in rows dorsally. The caudal bristles were of several types as shown in Fig. 3. Pierce (1940) divides the instars of Polyxenus into various larval stages based upon the number of pairs of legs. The f i s t  stage, upon hatching, has three pairs of legs. one pair per somite. The anamorphic development of Polyxerlus dictates the addition of two pairs of legs per diplosomite with each moult until the adult stage with thirteen pairs of legs is reached. The immature specimens had either five or nine pairs of legs. After a diligent search of the literature, the authors have reached the tentative conclusion that the specimens discovered may represent a hitherto undescribed species. The basis for this conclusion is the excessive length of the antennae which extend beyond the vertigial crown (Fig. 4) as well as six different types of caudal bristles, some of xvhich are not mentioned in the literature. LITERATURE CITED Bollman, C. H. 1893. The Myriapods of North America. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 46. Johnson, B. M. 1954. The Millipedes of Michigan. Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci., Arts and Letters 391241-252. Pierce, D. W. 1940. A rare Myriapod from Anacapa Island compared xvith two Texas species. Bull. S. Calif. Acad. Sci. 29(2):158-167. Schomann, K. 1956. Zur Biologie von Polyxenus lagunis L. Zool. Jahrb., Abt. Syst. Geogr. Biol. 84(2-3): 195-256. 3Brice and Barbour: A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)Published by ValpoScholar, 2017

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A Milliped New to Michigan (Pselaphognatha: Polyxenus)

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