''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of

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 ...

s endemic to

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. Some species within this genus express

island gigantism Island gigantism, or insular gigantism, is a biological phenomenon in which the size of an animal species isolated on an island increases dramatically in comparison to its mainland relatives. Island gigantism is one aspect of the more general "i ...

. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of growing to lengths of 90 mm (3.5 in).

Distribution and habitat

''Zoosphaerium'' is restricted to the island of Madagascar. Madagascar is a hotspot for

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

and localized

endemism 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 ...

, as a result some species occur sympatrically as microendemics. Species within the genus ''Zoosphaerium'' can be found living amongst damp leaf litter in forest and jungle habitats.

Species List

Below is a list of all 74 known species: '' Zoosphaerium actaeon'' (White, 1859) '' Zoosphaerium album'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium alluaudi'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) '' Zoosphaerium amabile'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium ambatovaky'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium ambrense'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium analavelona ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium anale ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) '' Zoosphaerium anomalum'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) '' Zoosphaerium arborealis'' Wesener & Sierwald, 2005 '' Zoosphaerium aureum'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium bambusoides ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Wesener & Bespalova, 2010 ''

Zoosphaerium bemanevika ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Sagorny & Wesener, 2017 ''

Zoosphaerium bilobum ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium blandum ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) ''

Zoosphaerium broelemanni ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium campanulatum ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) ''

Zoosphaerium coquerelianum ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable ...

'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) ''

Zoosphaerium corystoides ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' Wesener, 2009 ''

Zoosphaerium crassum ''Zoosphaerium'' is a genus of giant pill millipedes endemic to Madagascar. Some species within this genus express island gigantism. The largest of the known species of giant pill millipede known is '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'', which is capable of ...

'' (Butler, 1878) ''

Zoosphaerium darthvaderi ''Zoosphaerium darthvaderi'', also known as the Darth Vader giant pill millipede, is a species of giant pill millipede endemic to the island state of Madagascar. It is named after the ''Star Wars'' character Darth Vader. The millipede is restricte ...

'' Wesener & Bespalova, 2010 '' Zoosphaerium denticulatum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium discolor'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium elegans'' (Lenz, 1881) '' Zoosphaerium endemicum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium fisheri'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium fraternarium'' Jeekel, 1999 '' Zoosphaerium glabrum'' (Butler, 1873) '' Zoosphaerium haackeri'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium heleios'' Wesener & Bespalova, 2010 '' Zoosphaerium hippocastanum'' (Gervais, 1847) '' Zoosphaerium ignotum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium immane'' (Karsch, 1881) '' Zoosphaerium isalo'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium lambertoni'' (Brolemann, 1922) '' Zoosphaerium lamprinum'' (Butler, 1878) '' Zoosphaerium latum'' (Butler, 1872) '' Zoosphaerium libidinosum'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) '' Zoosphaerium masoala'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium micropilligerum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium minutus'' Sagorny & Wesener, 2017 '' Zoosphaerium mitoho'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium muscorum'' Wesener & Bespalova, 2010 '' Zoosphaerium neptunus'' (Butler, 1872) '' Zoosphaerium nigrum'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium piligerum'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) '' Zoosphaerium platylabum'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) '' Zoosphaerium priapus'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1897) '' Zoosphaerium pseudoblandum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium pseudopiligerum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium pseudoplatylabum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium pseudopriapus'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium pulchellum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium pygidiale'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1902) '' Zoosphaerium reflexum'' (Brolemann, 1922) '' Zoosphaerium reticulatum'' (Butler, 1878) '' Zoosphaerium sakanum'' (Attems, 1910) '' Zoosphaerium silens'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium smaragdinum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium solitarium'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium spinopiligerum'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium stigmaticum'' (Butler, 1873) '' Zoosphaerium subreflexum'' Jeekel, 1999 '' Zoosphaerium tainkintana'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium tampolo'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium testaceum'' (Olivier, 1792) '' Zoosphaerium tigrioculatum'' Wesener & Bespalova, 2010 '' Zoosphaerium trichordum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium tsingy'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium villosum'' Wesener & Sierwald, 2005 '' Zoosphaerium viridissimum'' Wesener, 2009 '' Zoosphaerium voahangy'' Wesener & Sagorny, 2021 '' Zoosphaerium voeltzkowianum'' (De Saussure & Zehntner, 1901) '' Zoosphaerium xerophilum'' Wesener, 2009

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q21231861 Millipedes of Africa Sphaerotheriida Millipede genera Endemic fauna of Madagascar Arthropods of Madagascar