Abacion texensis

(Loomis, 1937)

Abacion texensis is a troglobiotic in the Abacionidae, originally described by Loomis in 1937. The species is part of the Abacion, which occurs in cave systems of the southern Cumberland Plateau region spanning Tennessee and Alabama, USA. Like other cave-dwelling millipedes in this genus, A. texensis exhibits troglomorphic adaptations including reduced pigmentation and non-functional . genetic studies of related Abacion species indicate that cave populations are typically isolated and genetically distinct, with species divergence dating to several million years ago.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Abacion texensis: /əˈbeɪsiˌɒn tɛkˈsɛnsɪs/

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Habitat

Cave systems; specifically subterranean in the southern Cumberland Plateau region.

Distribution

Tennessee and Alabama, USA, within the southern Cumberland Plateau cave systems.

Similar Taxa

  • TetracionBoth belong to the Abacionidae and occur in the same cave systems of the southern Cumberland Plateau; they share troglobiotic adaptations including reduced pigmentation and non-functional . Tetracion are generally larger, reaching up to 8 cm in length, whereas Abacion species are typically smaller.

Sources and further reading