Brachoria dentata
The Pennington Gap Mimic Millipede
Paul Marek
Characteristics
Brachoria dentata individuals are about 47.0 mm long and 11.4 mm wide (females 44.4 mm X 11.3 mm). Color: 3-spotted yellow (shown above), whitish-yellow, or red (shown above); 2-spotted yellow; striped yellow; and 4-spotted yellow (i.e., with paranotal, metatergal, and prozonal spots).
Note: Although many B. dentata have a 3-spotted yellow color pattern, there is considerable variation in color and pattern between mimic species at a site. Indeed, there is even variation within species B. dentata as a site. Hence, color is not a good character to diagnose B. dentata from other species.
Brachoria dentata genitalia - left male gonopodal acropodite (with setae removed): (Left) medial view and (Right) magnified apical view. © Paul Marek
Brachoria dentata, 3-spotted whitish-yellow color morph. © Paul Marek
Brachoria dentata - 2-spotted yellow color morph. © Paul Marek
Brachoria dentata, striped yellow color morph. © Paul Marek
Brachoria dentata, 4-spotted yellow color morph. © Paul Marek
Habitat
Brachoria dentata is common in the Appalachian mixed mesophytic deciduous forests of Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Many other xystodesmids co-occur with B. dentata. Note: Individuals of B. dentata may easily be confused in the field with Apheloria virginiensis corrugata, B. cedra, B. insolita, B. mendota, B. sheari and B. hoffmani due to similarity in color patterns (around High Knob all of these species, except B. sheari and B. mendota, can be found as mimics).Distribution
Brachoria dentata occurs predominately throughout the highlands of Cumberland and Stone mountains in Kentucky and Virginia. It ranges from populations in Norton City and Wise counties and the very northern border of Scott County in Virginia, southwest to Claiborne County, Tennessee. There are also several populations on Newman’s Ridge in Virginia and into Hancock County, Tennessee.Conservation status
Brachoria dentata is threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture (especially growing demand for paper products), coal mining, development, and the invasion of exotic species.References
Marek P.E. 2010. A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 159: 817-889.
Keeton W.T. 1959. A revision of the millipede genus Brachoria (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) Proc. US Nat. Mus. 109: 1-58.
Hoffman R.L. 1999. Checklist of the millipeds of North and Middle America. Virginia Museum of Natural History Special Publication. No. 8. Martinsville: Virginia Museum of Natural History.
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Brachoria dentata |
|---|---|
| Location | USA, Virginia, Lee Co. |
| Reference | Marek P.E. 2010. A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 159: 817-889. |
| Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
| Sex | m |
| Life Cycle Stage | adult |
| View | dorsal |
| Collection | FMNH |
| Collector | Paul Marek |
| Image Use |
 This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
|
| Copyright |
© Paul Marek
|
| Scientific Name | Brachoria dentata |
|---|---|
| Location | USA, Tennessee, Hancock Co. |
| Reference | Marek P.E. 2010. A revision of the Appalachian millipede genus Brachoria Chamberlin, 1939 (Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae: Apheloriini). Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 159: 817-889. |
| Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
| Sex | m |
| Life Cycle Stage | adult |
| View | dorsal |
| Collection | FMNH |
| Collector | Paul Marek |
| Image Use |
This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
|
| Copyright |
© Paul Marek
|
About This Page
Work on the millipede Tree of Life pages was supported by a U.S. National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant to Paul Marek and Jason Bond (DEB 0607996) and a Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy Grant to Petra Sierwald, Jason Bond, and William Shear (DEB 0529715).
Paul Marek
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Paul Marek at
Page copyright © 2010 Paul Marek
Page: Tree of Life
Brachoria dentata . The Pennington Gap Mimic Millipede.
Authored by
Paul Marek.
The TEXT of this page is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0. Note that images and other media
featured on this page are each governed by their own license, and they may or may not be available
for reuse. Click on an image or a media link to access the media data window, which provides the
relevant licensing information. For the general terms and conditions of ToL material reuse and
redistribution, please see the Tree of Life Copyright
Policies.
- First online 16 September 2010
- Content changed 16 September 2010
Citing this page:
Marek, Paul. 2010. Brachoria dentata . The Pennington Gap Mimic Millipede. Version 16 September 2010 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Brachoria_dentata/144213/2010.09.16 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
