Sand-ridge

Guides

• Arenivaga floridensis

  Florida Sand Cockroach

  Arenivaga floridensis is a sexually dimorphic, fossorial sand cockroach endemic to Florida scrub ecosystems. It is the most geographically widespread faunal endemic of Florida scrub, documented from 11 peninsular sand ridges. Genetic analysis reveals three major mitochondrial lineages whose divergence corresponds with late Pliocene peninsula insularization, supporting a western origin hypothesis with colonization during the Pliocene or earlier. The species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism: males possess fully developed wings and engage in low, erratic flight at dusk, while females are completely wingless and remain entirely fossorial throughout life. Its distribution is restricted to friable, sandy soils beneath light leaf litter of sand live oaks (Quercus geminata).

  endemicfossorialsexual-dimorphismFlorida-scrubsand-ridgebiogeographyPliocenewestern-origin-hypothesiswingless-femaleancient-lineage

• Floridobolus

  Florida scrub millipedes

  Floridobolus is a genus of large millipedes endemic to Florida scrub habitat in peninsular Florida. The genus contains three described species: F. penneri, F. orini, and F. floydi. These millipedes are notable for their oval cross-sectional body shape, distinguishing them from the circular cross-section typical of related spirobolid millipedes. F. penneri is critically imperiled due to habitat loss and restricted range.

  millipedeendemicFlorida-scrubsand-ridgecritically-imperiledSpirobolidae