Millipede Diversity and Distribution in the Sirumalai Hills (Eastern Ghats), Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Millipedes are one of the significant terrestrial fauna in the forest ecosystem to decompose the plants' debris. Despite their environmental significance, records on millipede distribution are quite scarce and invalid in Tamil Nadu, India. The first investigation is an attempt to assess the population of millipedes at different elevation levels of Sirumallai Hills from July 2020 to June 2021. The number of millipedes was recorded using pitfall trapping and quadrant sampling. Millipede diversity and distribution in different elevations were evaluated with the help of Shannon’s and Simpson’s indexes and richness and evenness were estimated by standard methods. A total of 8 species of millipede belonging to the order Polydesmida, Sphaerotheriida and Spirobolida were recorded in lower, middle and higher elevations. Our results showed that Orthomorpha coarctata, Oxidus gracilis, Haphaphe haydeniana, Aulabolus newtoni and Trigoniulus corallinus species were in found all the elevations and most abundant in lower elevations. Arthosphaera magna, Arthosphaera dalyi and Arthosphaera distica species were abundant in middle elevations and scarce in upper and lower elevations. Diplopod species abundance and diversity were lesser in lower and higher elevations when compared to the middle elevation.  Despite their richness similarities in all elevations, there were differences in the composition of the millipede species between the elevations.