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'' Titanophyllum spiliarum '' is a species of cave-dwelling millipede in the family Julidae. The only known species of the genus ''Titanophyllum'', it was described in 2011 from specimens discovered in a cave in Greece. It has several unusual characteristics including eyelessness and a small hook on its hind-most body section that may be involved in keeping the animal ‘locked’ when it coils-up defensively.
''T. spiliarum'' specimens measure 17 – 33 mm in length and 1 to 1.4 mm wide. The pale yellow body consists of a head followed by 47-61 body segments with legs, 1-2 legless segments, ending in a telson (legless, last body segment). The walking legs are about 80% the body width. Eyes are absent. Like other members of the Julida, mature males have two pairs of highly modified legs, the gonopods, in place of the 8th and 9th pair of walking legs. Unusual among Julid millipedes, the telson possesses a small, forward-projecting hook on the hypoproct or subanal scale (the small plate below the anus). The function of the so-called “subanal hook” is unknown, but as it appears in both sexes and in juveniles, is thought to be related to survival rather than reproduction or attracting mates. Subanal hooks are known in only of few members of the Julidae, including species of ''
Description
''T. spiliarum'' specimens measure 17 – 33 mm in length and 1 to 1.4 mm wide. The pale yellow body consists of a head followed by 47-61 body segments with legs, 1-2 legless segments, ending in a telson (legless, last body segment). The walking legs are about 80% the body width. Eyes are absent. Like other members of the Julida, mature males have two pairs of highly modified legs, the gonopods, in place of the 8th and 9th pair of walking legs. Unusual among Julid millipedes, the telson possesses a small, forward-projecting hook on the hypoproct or subanal scale (the small plate below the anus). The function of the so-called “subanal hook” is unknown, but as it appears in both sexes and in juveniles, is thought to be related to survival rather than reproduction or attracting mates. Subanal hooks are known in only of few members of the Julidae, including species of '' Unciger
''Unciger'' is a genus of millipedes belonging to the family Julidae
Julidae is a family of millipedes in the order Julida, containing more than 600 species in around 20 genera. Its members are largely confined to the Western Palaearctic, wit ...
'', '' Syrioiulus'', and '' Typhloiulus'', and may aid in keeping the body in a defensive coil or spiral when threatened.
Discovery
''T. spiliarum'' was described from several specimens originally collected from a cave in Magnesia, Greece in 2003. It was described as a new genus and species in 2011 by a team of Danish and Bulgarian scientists.Etymology
The genus name ''Titanophyllum'' derives from to the name of the cave where the species was discovered (Titanospilia, “the cave of Titans”), and the suffix ''-phyllum'', a reference to the leaf-shaped posterior gonopods. The species name means “of the caves” in Greek.See also
*''Mammamia
''Mammamia profuga'' is a species of cave-dwelling millipede in the family Julidae. The only known species of the genus ''Mammamia'', it was described in 2011 from a specimen discovered in a cave in Italy.
Description
''Mammamia profuga'' meas ...
'', another European cave-dwelling millipede described along with ''Titanophyllum''
*'' Trichopetalum whitei'', a North American cave-dwelling millipede
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18394539 Julida Cave millipedes Millipedes of Europe Endemic fauna of Greece Monotypic arthropod genera