Orthomorpha
Bollman, 1893
Orthomorpha is a of flat-backed in the Paradoxosomatidae, comprising approximately 50 to Southeast Asia. possess 20 body and range from 15–50 mm in length, with prominent keels (paranota) that often display bright coloration. The genus includes both tropical species and at least one species, O. coarctata, that has been widely by humans to tropical regions worldwide. Several species are commonly found in human-modified environments including greenhouses and heated buildings.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Orthomorpha: /ˌɔrθoʊˈmɔrfə/
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Identification
of Orthomorpha can be distinguished from related by possessing exactly 20 body as , a characteristic number within Paradoxosomatidae. The paranota ( keels) are prominent and often brightly colored in , orange, or , contrasting with the darker brown to black base coloration. Body width ranges from 1.1–3.1 mm, expanding to 1.5–6.7 mm when paranota are included. Some species exhibit on metatergal segments. Coloration fades in preserved specimens, making fresh material preferable for identification.
Images
Habitat
occur in tropical forest across Southeast Asia, including decaying wood and leaf litter. Some species, particularly O. coarctata and O. gracilis, have adapted to human-modified environments and are frequently found in greenhouses, hothouses, and heated buildings. One study documents O. coarctata in grassland habitats.
Distribution
range extends from Myanmar westward through the entire Indochinese Peninsula to Lombok, Indonesia. The O. coarctata (also known as Asiomorpha coarctata) has been widely by humans to tropical regions worldwide and is considered . Records from Germany and other temperate regions likely represent introduced in artificial environments.
Behavior
Sexual has been observed in natural of O. coarctata. Some are commonly associated with decaying wood and leaf litter.
Human Relevance
Several are familiar as greenhouse or hothouse , particularly O. gracilis and O. coarctata, which thrive in heated buildings and artificial tropical environments. These species have been transported globally through human activity. The has been subject to taxonomic revision, with ongoing description of new species from Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Similar Taxa
- OrthomorphoidesSeparated from Orthomorpha in the 2011 revision by Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha; two were transferred to this new based on morphological differences
- MalayorthomorphaRelated in the same Paradoxosomatidae, also distributed in Southeast Asia, requiring careful examination of and counts for differentiation
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- iNaturalist taxon
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- The population ecology of Orthomorpha coarctata (Diplopoda : Polydesmidae)
- Studies on the Life History and the Ecology of the Hothouse Millipede, Orthomorpha gracilis (C. L. Koch 1847)
- Distribution of 2 species of Polydesmid millipedes Orthomorpha coarctata and Streptogonopus phipsoni in the grasslands and Taylor’s Power Law
- Observations on the natural population and sexual behaviour of Orthomorpha coarctata (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)j a millipede of decaying wood and litters
- Review of the millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae) in Cambodia, with new records and descriptions of three new species.
- Review of the millipede genus Malayorthomorpha Mršić, 1996 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with descriptions of two new species from Thailand and a key to its species.
- Review of the millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893 (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae) in Vietnam, with several new records and descriptions of two new species.