''Procyliosoma tuberculatum'' is a

giant pill millipede Sphaerotheriida is an order of millipedes in the infraclass Pentazonia, sometimes known as giant pill millipedes. They inhabit Southern Africa, Madagascar, South and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Like the Northern Hemisphere pill mil ...

of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Procyliosomatidae,

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. Two subspecies are recognised – ''P. t. tuberculatum'' and ''P. t. westlandicum''. ''Procyliosoma tuberculatum'' can grow up to 5 centimetres long and 2.5 centimetres wide. They eat decaying vegetation, and are found throughout the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...

and northern

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

of New Zealand. ''Procyliosoma tuberculatum'' has hard, shiny body plates that allow it roll into a circular shape protecting its head, legs and rear from predators. The giant pill millipede is very active at night, and by day is found curled up under logs and rocks. Female millipedes can lay up to six eggs under logs and moist soil.

References

Millipedes of Oceania Arthropods of New Zealand Animals described in 1917 Taxa named by Filippo Silvestri Endemic fauna of New Zealand Endemic insects of New Zealand {{myriapoda-stub