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SHORT COMMUNICATION MILLIPEDES OF A FOREST AT SÃO JOSÉ FARM, RIO CLARO TO ARARAS, SÃO PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

LILIAN BOCCARDO1, CARLOS H. SILVA PENTEADO2 & JOACHIM ADIS3
1Departamento de Ciências Biológicas – UESB, Jequié – BA, Brasil
2Centro de Estudos Ambientais – UNESP – SP, Brasil
3Max-Planck-Institut for Limnology- Ploen – Alemanha

Holos Environment, v.1 n.1, 2001 - p.83-84

Knowledge of terrestrial fauna of residual Brazilian forests is very topical as support to studies on soil dynamics and nature conservation. This holds true for millipedes as an integral part of soil fauna of a forest fragment located at São José Farm, between Rio Claro and Araras, SP. Brazil. As many as 11 large species of millipede which belongs to 3 different orders and families, have been revealed: Helicogonus princeps, Gymnostreptus olivaceus, Gymnostreptus sp., Plusioporus setiger and Urostreptus sp. (Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae), Rhinocricus padbergi, R. varians (?) and Rhinocricus sp. (Spirobolida, Rhinocricidae), Sandalodesmus gasparae, Leptodesmus dentellus and Leptodesmus sp. (Polydesmida, Chelodesmidae) and Polyxenida gen. sp.. All these millipedes were collected between February and October 1997, under tree trunks and stones, and in litter along a transact of 1,500 meters in the forest. The bulk of the species were taken in March and April. The nearly complete absence of millipedes in the following months is apparently due to the dry season, when the millipedes “hibernate” until the beginning of spring. Millipedes perform important roles in the decomposition of organic matter, stimulating microbial activity and influencing the energy flow and nutrient cycle in the soil.

Key words: Diplopoda, occurrence, Brazilian Forest fragment.

 

 

Desenvolvimento: Centro de Análise e Planejamento Ambiental- CEAPLA/IGCE/UNESP

Apoio: FAPESPFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa