Brachoria

Brachoria is a genus of polydesmidan millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae inhabiting the Eastern United States. Also known as the Appalachian mimic millipedes, at least 30 species are known, with highest diversity in the Appalachian Mountains, especially the Cumberland Plateau and Ridge and Valley Province.^[1]^[2]

Species of Brachoria are boldly patterned with yellow, orange, red, violet that contrasts with a black background, and in the Appalachians some species mimic species of Apheloria where they co-occur, a phenomenon known as Müllerian mimicry^[3]

Species

There are over 30 species of Brachoria which differ mainly in characteristics of the male gonopods (reproductive appendages), but since many species have very small known ranges, geographic location can aid in identification as well.^[2]

These species belong to the genus Brachoria:^[4]^[5]

Brachoria abbreviata (Shelley, 1986)
Brachoria badbranchensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria blackmountainensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria calceata (Causey, 1955)
Brachoria campcreekensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria camptera Means, Hennen & Marek, 2021
Brachoria cedra Keeton, 1959
Brachoria conta Keeton, 1965
Brachoria cryocybe Hennen, Means & Marek, 2021
Brachoria cumberlandmountainensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria dentata Keeton, 1959
Brachoria divicuma Keeton, 1965
Brachoria electa Causey, 1955
Brachoria enodicuma Keeton, 1965
Brachoria evides (Bollman, 1887)
Brachoria flammipes Marek, 2010
Brachoria forficata (Shelley, 1986)
Brachoria glendalea (Chamberlin, 1918)
Brachoria gracilipes (Chamberlin, 1947)
Brachoria grapevinensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria guntermountainensis Marek, 2010
Brachoria hansonia Causey, 1950
Brachoria hendrixsoni Marek, 2010
Brachoria hoffmani Keeton, 1959
Brachoria hubrichti Keeton, 1959
Brachoria indianae (Bollman, 1888)
Brachoria initialis Chamberlin, 1939
Brachoria insolita Keeton, 1959
Brachoria kentuckiana (Causey, 1942)
Brachoria laminata Keeton, 1959
Brachoria ligula Keeton, 1959
Brachoria mendota Keeton, 1959
Brachoria ochra (Chamberlin, 1918)
Brachoria platana Means, Hennen & Marek, 2021
Brachoria plecta Keeton, 1959
Brachoria sheari Marek, 2010
Brachoria splendida (Causey, 1942)
Brachoria virginia Marek, 2010
Brachoria viridicolens (Hoffman, 1948)

Gallery

Brachoria dentata, Tennessee
Brachoria forficata, Tennessee
Brachoria glendalea, Tennessee
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Brachoria insolita, Virginia
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Brachoria ochra, Alabama

References

↑ Marek, Paul E.; Bond, Jason E. (2006). "Phylogenetic systematics of the colorful, cyanide-producing millipedes of Appalachia (Polydesmida, Xystodesmidae, Apheloriini) using a total evidence Bayesian approach". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41 (3): 704–729. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.043. PMID 16876439.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Marek, Paul E. (2010). "A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 159 (4): 817–889. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.2010.00633.x.
↑ Marek, P. E.; Bond, J. E. (2009). "A Mullerian mimicry ring in Appalachian millipedes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106 (24): 9755–9760. doi:10.1073/pnas.0810408106. PMID 19487663. Bibcode: 2009PNAS..106.9755M.
↑ "Catalogue of Life, Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939". https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/7NR2Q.
↑ Sierwald, P.; Spelda, J.. "Millibase". doi:10.14284/370. http://www.millibase.org/.