Zoosphaerium is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism.[1] The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is Zoosphaerium neptunus,[2] which is capable of growing to lengths of 90 mm (3.5 in).

Zoosphaerium
A giant pill millipede in the genus Zoosphaerium
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Myriapoda
Class: Diplopoda
Order: Sphaerotheriida
Family: Arthrosphaeridae
Genus: Zoosphaerium
Pocock, 1895

Distribution and habitat

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Zoosphaerium is restricted to the island of Madagascar.[3] Madagascar is a hotspot for biodiversity and localized endemism, as a result some species occur sympatrically as microendemics.[4] Species within the genus Zoosphaerium can be found living amongst damp leaf litter in forest and jungle habitats.[4]

Species list

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Below is a list of all 74 known species:[5]

References

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  1. ^ Acton, Q. Ashton (2012). Issues in Life Sciences: Molecular Biology: (2011 ed.). ScholarlyEditions. p. 2906. ISBN 9781464963483.
  2. ^ Wesener, Thomas; Bespalova, Loulia; Sierwald, Petra (2010-05-01). "Madagascar's Living Giants: Discovery of Five New Species of Endemic Giant Pill-Millipedes from Madagascar (Diplopoda: Sphaerotheriida: Arthrosphaeridae: Zoosphaerium)". BioOne. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  3. ^ Bhat, Tariq Ahmad (2021). Mutagenesis, Cytotoxicity and Crop Improvement - Revolutionizing Food Science. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 482. ISBN 9781527564381.
  4. ^ a b Sagorny, Christina; Wesener, Thomas (2017-05-09). "Two new giant pill-millipede species of the genus Zoosphaerium endemic to the Bemanevika area in northern Madagascar (Diplopoda, Sphaerotheriida, Arthrosphaeridae)". Europe PubMed Central. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4263.2.4. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  5. ^ "Zoosphaerium Pocock, 1895". millibase.org. 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2022-08-31.

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